Reddit mentions of Aoyue Soldering Iron Tip Cleaner with Brass wire sponge, no water needed (TY-98)

Oh man, something I can finally contribute to on this sub, I do electronics repair and a ton of microsoldering. Sorry to hijack but I'm here way too late and a main level comment will never be seen

Solder naturally wants to stick to copper (the circular "pads" are copper or some copper alloy, and the legs should have some amount of copper in it as well) when it's liquid, so getting a 'volcano' is a lot easier than you'd think. The trick is to keep the pad, pin, and solder you're feeding in hot, as soon as it starts to solidify it becomes significantly more work to re-heat and rework. If it's not perfect, I wouldn't worry about it. As long as it's making solid contact and wouldn't come loose from you tapping the key, you're good to go. Excess solder is perfectly fine as long as it's not bridging.

Another thing on solder, GET LEAD SOLDER, lead free solder is a giant pain in the ass. It doesn't melt easily, clumps and balls up, and will not heat up evenly. Also have proper ventilation, solder/flux fumes are not good.

Another possible reason for having problems is your soldering iron tip being dirty/oxidized. If it's looking black or really dull you need to clean it in a wire sponge like this. Stick the tip in and furiously move it around. If it's still dull after that/you've used the same tip for a long time, you need to tin it with a tinner, like this (lead free is totally fine for this, just dip it in while it's hot for 1-3s and clean it in the wire sponge immediately after. Smoke is normal (don't breathe it in) and it'll come out real freaking shiny.

Flux is basically a liquid-gel-ish substance that covers whatever you're working on so it doesn't oxidize and make a bad connection, although for larger scale soldering like keyboards with a ton of contact area it's not nearly as much a concern. Flux also helps a lot with more even heat distribution, as in if you need to rework/remove solder just apply a ton of flux and it'll help heat up the solder more evenly/liquefy it more quickly.

Flux is non-conductive so you don't have to worry about it bridging anything, and you can leave it on if you want to but it's always good to clean it with 99% alcohol after because it gets dry and nasty pretty quick (about the same texture and consistency as dried jizz, pretty undesirable).

Wick is a copper weave that soaks up solder when you're trying to remove it. If you, for example, bridge a connection, you would apply flux over the whole area, put the wick directly over the spot, and your iron directly on top of that. You'll be able to see the solder flow 'upwards' through the weave and the copper will turn silver.

The finer the "weave" of the wick the more effective it is, finer also means more flexible so you can tell really easily. Once a section is silvery with solder you should cut it off and unroll some fresh wick. Also copper conducts heat really well so hold it far away from the place where your iron is touching it or use heat proof gloves if you want to (not rubber/latex ones, they'll probably melt into your skin or something).

P.S. If you're having a lot of trouble removing the factory solder, that's probably because it's lead free solder. Add some leaded solder and melt it in, everything will come out easier. If you're REALLY having issues after a ton of flux, use a heat gun, be careful to not melt the plastics on the other side, although the PCB usually isolates heat pretty well

P.P.S. Don't ever heat anything for too long, if it's not coming off check the temp on your iron (you can just see how melty it is, don't need a thermometer or anything), and if it's at a good temp try adding flux or solder or both, or get a better wick. If a pad comes off the board you're fucked unless you wanna spend an hour jumping.

P.P.P.S. If you have the option, go for a blade-style soldering tip. It's really good for rougher applications like this and heats things up super fast.

ama if anyone still cares

Good basic guide. I would add that most people get flux cored solder, so they don't need to work about fluxing before solder.

Second thing is, if you're going to do more than one keyboard's worth of soldering, I'd suggest ditching the sponge and getting a brass / copper wire tip cleaner.. It's not super great for the tip to be put on a wet sponge.

I use rosin core solder, so I usually don't bother with flux. (It wouldn't hurt, though.) Here's what's probably causing you trouble:

Thick solder. The thicker your solder is, the harder it will be to get it to melt, and the less control you'll have over how much solder you apply. I use 0.6mm 60/40.

Heat capacity. Components with more metal, like thick power writing on ESCs, will suck a lot of heat out of your iron, and it might not be able to keep up. If you have an adjustable iron (you should), crank it up a bit. I usually set my iron to 320° C, but I'll turn it up to 400° or so for things like battery wires. A hotter iron will, paradoxically, mean less heat in your components.

Tips. Conical tips are the devil, get a wedge ("screwdriver") tip of you can, something around 1-2mm will work for most jobs. Tin and clean your tip! I prefer brass to a sponge, but both work. As your iron sits around, the tip will oxidize, which inhibits heat transfer; that oxide layer is what you're cleaning off.

Technique. Here's how you solder: apply the iron to both pieces. You want to heat them up enough that the solder melts when it touches them, not your iron. This is called a "hot joint, and it's mechanically and electrically strong. If you just put solder on your tip and glob it into the parts, you'll get a cold joint. You don't want that. However, you can put a little solder on your tip to help transfer heat faster; this solder is not what you make your joint with, you still apply the solder to the components, but it speeds things up. The faster you heat up the joint, the less time you spend pouring heat into the component and risking damage. (There's such a thing as too hot though, so stick with 300-400° to start with.) To tin your pads/wires, hold the tip to it for a few seconds, then touch the solder to the part. If it's hot enough, it will wick onto the metal. Then you can put the tinned wire on the tinned pad, put the iron on top and let their solder melt together. Don't move the wire until the solder had solidified, this weakens the joint.

Okay, I reread your post, and when you say Radio Shack iron, A) Where did you find a Radio Shack? and B) is it just a pencil with a cord that plugs into the wall? Because those things are worthless. I used this cheap Stahl for the better part of a decade. (It still works, too, I just replaced it with a $130 Weller.) It comes with a conical tip, but it works okay and it can be replaced anyhow. If you want, you can get a bread tip cleaner, but that Stahl comes with a sponge and you must clean your tip, I do it every time I put the iron into its holster and every time I take it out, but you only really need to do the latter.

I also recommend checking out the EEVBlog videos on soldering: part 1 part 2 Dave knows this stuff front to back, definitely better than I do, and he explains it really well. (Protip: start calling it "sohl-der" like he does to mess with American nerds.) Also, take a look at this picture, happily enough you can tell visually whether you've done a good joint once you know what they look like.

Hope this helps, assuming you actually read through my little novel here.

It'll be blackened, solder won't stick to it, and it'll have poor heat transfer.

Properly tinning and caring for your tips is one of the first things you should learn--use the bronze puff (or less ideal sponge) to clean off flux and excess solder during use.

If it's a good quality tip, the black stuff will only be burnt on flux, rather than full oxidation of the cladding (at which point, you should replace it). To quote myself from another post (n.b. don't use sand paper to try to clean up your tips):

> I use a scour pad (keep a small part of one in your toolbox, inside a ziplock) on my tip when it gets really carbonized, and then follow it up with Weller tip tinner / activator. As many others are saying here, a low-abrasive bronze puff is better than a damp sponge for cleaning your iron when in use, since it can better wick solder and doesn't subject the tip to as much thermal stress.

Never use abrasives on the soldering iron tip. First, use a wet sponge to wipe off the tip before soldering. If there's krud building up that doesn't come off with the sponge, wipe it on a cleaning wire. If the tip gets really bad, it can often be restored with a chemical tip tinner.

Like other posters have said, to make the tip last longer leave a blob of solder on the tip when you are done soldering, wipe it off before starting soldering. And turn the iron temperature down when not using (I turn it down to 450F when it's idle).

No, she was sanding it, which removes the plating and destroys it. You clean a tip with something like this, or failing that, a wet sponge or paper towel. This is what the tip of a clean soldering iron looks like, and this is what it looks like when it's working properly (apologies for the focus on the second one, I don't have enough hands).

Don't use lead-free solder, that was my lesson a few days ago. And I was pretty okay with it... but man, the 60/40 stuff is night and day difference with its lower melting point.

Use flux. Like a lot of it. Get one of the containers of it. Anything you're about to touch the soldering iron to, dip it into the flux or wipe flux onto it. I always forget this and when I remember, again, huge difference, things are much easier. I don't understand how it works, I think it conducts heat, but it definitely helps. Even if you have flux-core solder, do this, the flux inside the solder is not enough.

Keep solder on your iron. Any time you need to heat something, put some solder on the iron (if it doesn't already have some) and THEN touch it to that thing. Don't just touch it dry onto something. The solder on the iron is called a solder bridge and it vastly helps heat up whatever you're trying to heat.

When it comes to soldering tips, the bigger the better. And don't use the stupid cone ones; get one of them with one or two flat sides to it. Obviously you can go too big, but the bigger it is, the more surface/mass to conduct the heat from the iron to the thing you're heating.

Preferably get a temperature controlled iron. I heat up things like bullets (non-sensitive components) to 410 C and sensitive things like my ESC wires I drop down to 370. Don't hold it for more than about 10 seconds, if you need longer you're doing something wrong, and the heat is being conducted down the wire onto the sensitive components. You can hold it to the bullet as long as you want though. If the flux is turning black and chunking up your solder, the iron is too hot (it's burning the flux).

Pre-tin wires and bullets. Might be best to find a youtube video. For wires, basically put some solder on the very end of the wire bundle, hold your iron there and try to push your solder into the side of the bundle. When the bundle gets hot enough, you will be able to just push solder into the bundle and it'll disappear as the bundle sucks it up. Once you fill the bundle it'll collect on the outside and that's when you know to stop. For bullets, just put some solder in it and hold the iron until the solder sticks to the edges (sort of makes a U shape), that's when you know the bullet itself heated up enough. Make sure to put enough solder in the bullet, I usually underestimate so I put a little more than I think I need and it turns out alright.

Oh and learn what a cold solder joint is. Don't do it. You can't just heat up solder in the bullet, and then shove your wire into it. Always pull on your connection (HARD) after you solder it to make sure you didn't make a cold joint. But usually you'll know when you made a proper joint, the heat should be adequate and the solder should flow.

These have been my latest lessons learned, hope it helps. Soldering bullets is still a HUGE pain.

edit: (I keep editing) -- make sure to get one of these brass sponge things, basically you shove the iron into it a couple times and it 'wipes' the old solder/flux off the tip, then you tin the tip again (i.e. just put a thin layer of solder on the soldering iron). Do this between everything, and also when you're done with your iron (don't let it cool messy). And optionally get one of these too, it's a little jar about the size of a US quarter and it seems like it's full of rock or something, but you wipe your iron on it and it melts a little, cleans the iron and lightly tins it. I use this if the iron is messier than the brass can handle, or solder doesn't seem to be sticking to the iron.

I think that's all for reals this time.

I think a lot of people have trouble because they don't have a hot clean tip. My friend who "can't solder" has a 20+ year old soldering iron with a corroded tip. I use a wet sponge, cleaning wire, and tip tinner interchangeably to keep it clean as I go.

Also having one of those magnifying glass/alligator clip holders is extremely helpful.

Thanks for the invite! I love barbecue. 🤤

I don't have any kit recommendations, but you'll need:

• Soldering iron (duh, haha; just find something with good reviews that fits your needs with a medium chisel tip)
  
• Solder (this is a good one: https://www.amazon.com/Kester-24-6337-0027-Solder-Alloy-Diameter/dp/B07KWFLHBD)
  
• Rosin flux paste
  
• Soldering iron tip cleaner (something like this: https://www.amazon.com/Aoyue-Soldering-Cleaner-sponge-needed/dp/B005C789EU)
  
  That covers everything that you'd basically need for a job like this.

Thank you for the reply, /u/naturalorange!

• definitely hit the connector with some 150 grit sand paper! =)
  
• i'm using 60/40 solder with 2% flux, so I got that part covered
  
• this was the big problem, imo (along with the shiny plating on the so239). between this and roughing up the so239's surface, I was able to get a good solid solder joint
  
  And I agree with the copper/brass mesh cleaner: I bought this one when I placed the order for the new iron. Bonus iron holder, too =)

Looks like you've started down the road to learning how to make your own cables, and you need some guidance while you're practicing.


This page has a nice picture of good, bad and ugly results. Yours are not bad for a beginner but ... ugly.


This set of search results will provide lots of information. Read as much as you can.


Here's what I use for guitar cable soldering tools. The links are for explanation. You don't have to get them at Amazon. An electronics store will have them. You may decide it's less expensive to buy the patch cables. But, if you are a do it yourself type, the tools will pay for themselves.

Weller 25W iron Get some extra chisel tips. They get destroyed quickly by noobs.


Helping hands


Wire stripper


Solder sucker


Brass wool solder iron cleaner


63/37/resin core .6mm solder

If you plan on taking it further than just simple mods a couple times a year, I recommend spending a little more if you can. You don't have to go crazy either. I know that a lot of people go the Hakko or Weller route, but I've been very happy with my Aoyue 9378. Here is the Aoyue 937+ which is cheaper (45w vs 60w and a couple other things). Like others have said, get some wick and grab one of these over the sponge crap.

EDIT: Oh, and pick up some flux. There are flux fans and some that use it sparingly, but just pick it up.

Also, this goes much further than just installing a battery holder, but check out Voultar's videos to watch some technique. He's also a liberal flux / No Clean user and you'll see why.

Get a brass shavings cleaner. I don't like the wet sponge method
https://www.amazon.com/Aoyue-Soldering-Cleaner-sponge-needed/dp/B005C789EU

30 W is definitely hot enough. I have a switchable 15/30w and the 20 will cook sensitive components.

Once its hot check the tip with pliers to ensure it's screwed in snug. Cleaning with a sponge will work. If it's all crusty and black it won't transfer heat correctly. But I prefer to use copper mesh. Something like THIS

But I just use copper Chore Boy stuffed in a small sample size jelly jar.

This: http://www.amazon.com/Stahl-Tools-Variable-Temperature-Soldering/dp/B0029N70WM/ Best cheap iron I've played with. Tips are a bit rough and seem more prone to heavy oxidation than my normal Weller ones (or maybe people just liked to crank the temp all the way up), so you probably want this too: http://www.amazon.com/Aoyue-Soldering-Cleaner-sponge-needed/dp/B005C789EU/ A sponge mostly just cleans off excess flux and solder. The brass shaving ball scrapes off oxidation really well without damaging tips.

Don't cheap out on the solder either. Buy a 1lb. spool of Kester "44" 63/37 (old school 60/40 works too), should last a normal DIY lifetime.

My goal is to try and get a job (I've never had one before, and as this is the summer between my 2nd and 3rd years of college, I think its about time I get one). So far I've been tracking down one at a music store. My hobby is playing and learning instruments, as well as repairing them, so the employee discount at this store would be incredibly useful to me. I've followed up several times, and just recently I called again and they said that they have me on their list. So hopefully that means I'll eventually get the job.

465

Here's something less than $5-$10

Here's something that is in the $5-$10 range.

Good luck on your goal. I took up that goal awhile back, made moderate progress and then loss sight of it in the hectic mess of schoolwork, sports, and clubs. That's not to say I'm mean now, it just means I made progress, and haven't made anymore. Hopefully I can pick that back up soon! I'm sure you'll be fine!

That solder should be just fine. The soldering iron tip should really look like this: http://bolty.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/tinned_tip.jpg It turns black from oxidation, and if you don't keep it clean and tinned with solder it will turn black very quickly. I don't mean rust, it's a different type of oxidation. What do you use to clean it? Wet sponge? I really like the brillo pad things: http://www.amazon.com/Aoyue-Soldering-Cleaner-sponge-needed/dp/B005C789EU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1397104627&sr=8-1&keywords=brass+soldering+iron+cleaner

You can get just the pads for cheaper I think but shipping will get you usually. It's possible you can buy actual cleaning scourers if they're made of the right material. If the oxidation is really bad you may have to use something a little more abrasive, but you also might need to just try a new tip.

If it didn't work initially that should tell you the method is wrong. Watch some of the videos on soldering to see what it should look like when you fully wet something with solder. The wire will wick the solder up like a sponge.