Very good Ian.. I shold have remembered this. A good way to solder ceramic
substrated PA modules, as well. I have a hot plate.

However, with the PL259, you may have an issue with the coax dielectric
melting. That's why I recommended teh high heat capacity,
get-in-and-get-out process. Or the PL259 dielectric. I see mostly cheapies
selling @ hamfests - Teflon's OK, though, no?.

73, Steve, ,K.9;D'C


73, Steve, K9DCI
"Ian White G/GM3SEK" wrote in message
...
Highland Ham wrote:
"F8BOE" wrote in message
...
Hello,

It may sound funny, but that's why I never used a soldering gun and
perhaps
never will... My 25W JBC with 0.8 and 1.2 mm tips is quite fine for
electronic components and connector soldering.

You should be the one who takes an 18 wheeler to pick up a beer pack.
Shouldn't you? Perhaps a Mig welder could do the connector job... Hi!
I hope you'll never mount connectors for other Hams without any serious
DC
and HF shortcut tests.

100W+ soldering irons are pretty good for plumber jobs or for
desoldering
fast and clean, but definitely not for your aim.

73 de F8BOE Olivier ...-.-

For 'high power' soldering , I use a butane (cigarette lighter) gas
soldering iron with kathalytic burner.
Temperature can be adjusted by changing gas flowrate .
I use an iron made in Ireland ,make Portasol .High power tip/burner can
do
up to 100 watts which is more than adequate to solder (PL259) plugs.
Also
very suitable to make small enclosures from scrap printed circuit board
Very handy also for outdoor use .....since the tool is self-contained.
Nowadays there are a number of makes to choose from.
I would never use an electric soldering gun.


Neither would I. A normal small iron can be used for soldering large
objects, if they are pre-heated with a hot-air ("paint stripper") gun.

To solder a PL259, for example, pre-heat the plug body with the gun
until it's good and hot, but still some way below the melting point of
solder. Then put the gun down, and switch to your regular 25/45W iron
for the actual soldering. The solder will now melt quickly and easily.

Try it - it's so much easier than using a monster iron or an electric
soldering gun.


--
73 from Ian G/GM3SEK 'In Practice' columnist for RadCom (RSGB)
http://www.ifwtech.co.uk/g3sek

Steve Nosko wrote:
Very good Ian.. I shold have remembered this. A good way to solder ceramic
substrated PA modules, as well. I have a hot plate.

However, with the PL259, you may have an issue with the coax dielectric
melting.
Or the PL259 dielectric. I see mostly cheapies
selling @ hamfests - Teflon's OK, though, no?.


I think you may have the wrong impression of this. It isn't the same as
using hot air or a hotplate to do the actual soldering.

In this case you're only using the hot-air gun to give the connector
body a moderate temperature boost of maybe 100-150C. It's still the iron
that melts the solder - the difference being that you can now use your
regular 25/45W iron.

The worst that happens with solid polyethylene dielectric is that it
softens; but then it hardens again. If the coax dielectric melts and
runs, you've heated the whole thing way too much, and for way too long.

The dielectric inside the plug is even less of a problem. If it doesn't
melt when you solder the center pin, it will also handle moderate
heating of the connector body.

So in practice there aren't any problems.


"Ian White G/GM3SEK" wrote in message
...
Highland Ham wrote:
"F8BOE" wrote in message
...
Hello,

It may sound funny, but that's why I never used a soldering gun and
perhaps
never will... My 25W JBC with 0.8 and 1.2 mm tips is quite fine for
electronic components and connector soldering.

You should be the one who takes an 18 wheeler to pick up a beer pack.
Shouldn't you? Perhaps a Mig welder could do the connector job... Hi!
I hope you'll never mount connectors for other Hams without any serious
DC
and HF shortcut tests.

100W+ soldering irons are pretty good for plumber jobs or for
desoldering
fast and clean, but definitely not for your aim.

73 de F8BOE Olivier ...-.-

For 'high power' soldering , I use a butane (cigarette lighter) gas
soldering iron with kathalytic burner.
Temperature can be adjusted by changing gas flowrate .
I use an iron made in Ireland ,make Portasol .High power tip/burner can
do
up to 100 watts which is more than adequate to solder (PL259) plugs.
Also
very suitable to make small enclosures from scrap printed circuit board
Very handy also for outdoor use .....since the tool is self-contained.
Nowadays there are a number of makes to choose from.
I would never use an electric soldering gun.


Neither would I. A normal small iron can be used for soldering large
objects, if they are pre-heated with a hot-air ("paint stripper") gun.

To solder a PL259, for example, pre-heat the plug body with the gun
until it's good and hot, but still some way below the melting point of
solder. Then put the gun down, and switch to your regular 25/45W iron
for the actual soldering. The solder will now melt quickly and easily.

Try it - it's so much easier than using a monster iron or an electric
soldering gun.


--
73 from Ian G/GM3SEK 'In Practice' columnist for RadCom (RSGB)
http://www.ifwtech.co.uk/g3sek



--
73 from Ian G/GM3SEK 'In Practice' columnist for RadCom (RSGB)
http://www.ifwtech.co.uk/g3sek

I bought a Weller gun recently to unsolder some can capacitors from a
steel chassis. I was totally dissapointed when I got home and unpacked
the gun. This gun is not the same as my daddy had about 40 years ago.
It was a cheap piece of ****. I tried with all my might to get that
thing to work. The tip was flimsy, the set screws to connect the tip
were flimsy and the two tubes that come out were so flimsy that they
would short themselves out whenever a little bit of pressure was put on
the tip. I tried boosting the voltage into the gun until the core was
humming real good. With about 140v into the thing the plastic handle
was too hot to touch and I could see smoke coming out of the handle. I
took it back and told the guy at the True-value store it didn't work
and smelt funny when I used it. I told him I thought the secondary was
shorted. Heheh.

Nope. I got it, but I see your point. The issue I was thinking of was the
fact that the hot air "pre-heat" will still take longer than a high
heat-capacity tip, thus allowing more opportunity (time) for the dielectric
to soften and deform if it isn't held well, without stress applied. I think
RG-8 size is probably less of a problem. RG-58 tends to easily allow the
center conductor to travel if given the opportunity.

My hot plate also only "warms" the ceramic so, when touched with the iron
for the heat-to-solder phase, it doesn't do that almost imperceptible
TINK! from the almost invisible crack across the ceramic due to an all to
large temp gradient.

How long do you take in the warming phase before doing the actual
heat-to-solder phase?

I have a professional resistance (dental brace) soldering machine ( by
K9PGN - SK) and it is considered tops on methods...by some, of course.

73, Steve, K9DCI



"Ian White G/GM3SEK" wrote in message
...
Steve Nosko wrote:
Very good Ian.. I shold have remembered this. A good way to solder
ceramic
substrated PA modules, as well. I have a hot plate.

However, with the PL259, you may have an issue with the coax dielectric
melting.
Or the PL259 dielectric. I see mostly cheapies
selling @ hamfests - Teflon's OK, though, no?.


I think you may have the wrong impression of this. It isn't the same as
using hot air or a hotplate to do the actual soldering.

In this case you're only using the hot-air gun to give the connector
body a moderate temperature boost of maybe 100-150C. It's still the iron
that melts the solder - the difference being that you can now use your
regular 25/45W iron.

The worst that happens with solid polyethylene dielectric is that it
softens; but then it hardens again. If the coax dielectric melts and
runs, you've heated the whole thing way too much, and for way too long.

The dielectric inside the plug is even less of a problem. If it doesn't
melt when you solder the center pin, it will also handle moderate
heating of the connector body.

So in practice there aren't any problems.


"Ian White G/GM3SEK" wrote in message
...
Highland Ham wrote:
"F8BOE" wrote in message
...
Hello,

It may sound funny, but that's why I never used a soldering gun and
perhaps
never will... My 25W JBC with 0.8 and 1.2 mm tips is quite fine for
electronic components and connector soldering.

You should be the one who takes an 18 wheeler to pick up a beer
pack.
Shouldn't you? Perhaps a Mig welder could do the connector job...
Hi!
I hope you'll never mount connectors for other Hams without any
serious
DC
and HF shortcut tests.

100W+ soldering irons are pretty good for plumber jobs or for
desoldering
fast and clean, but definitely not for your aim.

73 de F8BOE Olivier ...-.-

For 'high power' soldering , I use a butane (cigarette lighter) gas
soldering iron with kathalytic burner.
Temperature can be adjusted by changing gas flowrate .
I use an iron made in Ireland ,make Portasol .High power tip/burner
can
do
up to 100 watts which is more than adequate to solder (PL259) plugs.
Also
very suitable to make small enclosures from scrap printed circuit
board
Very handy also for outdoor use .....since the tool is
self-contained.
Nowadays there are a number of makes to choose from.
I would never use an electric soldering gun.


Neither would I. A normal small iron can be used for soldering large
objects, if they are pre-heated with a hot-air ("paint stripper") gun.

To solder a PL259, for example, pre-heat the plug body with the gun
until it's good and hot, but still some way below the melting point of
solder. Then put the gun down, and switch to your regular 25/45W iron
for the actual soldering. The solder will now melt quickly and easily.

Try it - it's so much easier than using a monster iron or an electric
soldering gun.


--
73 from Ian G/GM3SEK 'In Practice' columnist for RadCom (RSGB)
http://www.ifwtech.co.uk/g3sek



--
73 from Ian G/GM3SEK 'In Practice' columnist for RadCom (RSGB)
http://www.ifwtech.co.uk/g3sek

Suggest you buy a butane (cigarette lighter gas) soldering iron with
adjustable gas flow to change temperature.
These irons come with different kathalytic burner bits and have a capacity
of well over 100 Watts equivalent.
Electric soldering guns are prone to failure and don't sink much heat into
the object to be soldered.

Frank GM0CSZ / KN6WH
==============================================
I bought a Weller gun recently to unsolder some can capacitors from a
steel chassis. I was totally dissapointed when I got home and unpacked
the gun. This gun is not the same as my daddy had about 40 years ago.
It was a cheap piece of ****. I tried with all my might to get that
thing to work. The tip was flimsy, the set screws to connect the tip
were flimsy and the two tubes that come out were so flimsy that they
would short themselves out whenever a little bit of pressure was put on
the tip. I tried boosting the voltage into the gun until the core was
humming real good. With about 140v into the thing the plastic handle
was too hot to touch and I could see smoke coming out of the handle. I
took it back and told the guy at the True-value store it didn't work
and smelt funny when I used it. I told him I thought the secondary was
shorted. Heheh.

Hm, everybody has his own solution. I happily use an old Weller gun or
small butane torch for putting a PL-259 onto an RG-8 size cable, as I
have for decades. I keep the cable straight so the center conductor ends
up where it belongs when the insulation cools. I never use PL-259s for
RG-58 or RG-59 size cable anymore -- I always use BNC instead. I've got
a box full of adapters to use whenever I need to connect to anything
else. Both BNC connectors and BNC-to-anything adapters are readily
available on eBay. Actually, I don't use RG-8 size cable very often, and
recently I've been putting N connectors on it when I do.

Roy Lewallen, W7EL

I use my old Wen model 450 gun with a 45A7 heavy duty soldering tip. This
combination is powerful enough to solder the old fashioned galvanized roof
spouting if necessary.
John, N9JG
http://tinyurl.com/9cpcf

"Roy Lewallen" wrote in message
...
Hm, everybody has his own solution. I happily use an old Weller gun or
small butane torch for putting a PL-259 onto an RG-8 size cable, as I have
for decades. I keep the cable straight so the center conductor ends up
where it belongs when the insulation cools. I never use PL-259s for RG-58
or RG-59 size cable anymore -- I always use BNC instead. I've got a box
full of adapters to use whenever I need to connect to anything else. Both
BNC connectors and BNC-to-anything adapters are readily available on eBay.
Actually, I don't use RG-8 size cable very often, and recently I've been
putting N connectors on it when I do.

Roy Lewallen, W7EL

"Roy Lewallen" bravely wrote to "All" (04 Nov 05 17:30:23)
--- on the heady topic of " Problem with soldering gun"

RL From: Roy Lewallen
RL Xref: core-easynews rec.radio.amateur.homebrew:88731

RL Hm, everybody has his own solution. I happily use an old Weller gun or
RL small butane torch for putting a PL-259 onto an RG-8 size cable, as I
RL have for decades. I keep the cable straight so the center conductor
RL ends up where it belongs when the insulation cools. I never use
RL PL-259s for RG-58 or RG-59 size cable anymore -- I always use BNC
RL instead. I've got a box full of adapters to use whenever I need to
RL connect to anything else. Both BNC connectors and BNC-to-anything
RL adapters are readily available on eBay. Actually, I don't use RG-8
RL size cable very often, and recently I've been putting N connectors on
RL it when I do.
RL Roy Lewallen, W7EL

If you want some *real* heat, rip the carbon rods out of a couple of C
or D batteries. Cut just one wire of a bedside table lamp in the middle.
Strip the ends and wrap one wire around one carbon rod and the same
with the other on the remaining rod. Hold the rod ends clamped by
wooden clothes pins so that the wires are pressed into the rod. Keep
the rods apart and plug in the lamp. Turn on the lamp, then bring the
rods close together. You should develop a nice arc that will blind you
momentarily and leave you seeing blue spots for a few hours. However,
the arc will have been hotter than the surface of the Sun. But you can
melt paper clips and glass marbles with it. A welders mask may help
with the spotty vision.

Disclaimer: Do not try this in the shower. Objects may appear blurrier
than they really are temporarily but perhaps permanently. Results may
vary with the wattage of the bedside table lamp.

A*s*i*m*o*v

.... This product has been cruelly tested on cute little furry animals.

No Way would I ever use a 25 watt soldering iron to do pl 259s like
that F8 guy does..... wonder how many poor pl 259 connections he has
and does not even know it?

Steve W4SEF



On Thu, 27 Oct 2005 05:09:11 GMT, "David Thompson"
wrote:

My sister bought me a Radio Shack Dual Heat soldering gun (150W/230W). This
was to supplement
my 120 watt 45 year old Weller. This after my WW II vintage 120 iron died
on me.

My main use was to solder coax connectors. The Gun seems to work Ok on
soldering joints in say a SB220 amplifier. But the first thing I noticed is
that the tip is much to large to fit into the area where the PL-259 outside
allows you to solder that to the shield thru the wholes in the 259. No
problem but if you leave the gun on too long the area of the tip gets red
hot about 1/2" back from the actual tip.

My old Weller does a better but inadequate job of soldering the 259 shield.

Why does the gun allow the tip to get red hot away from the actual tip. The
tip is almost new. I notice its made from a silver metal not copper as with
most Weller tips. Radio Shack tells me its made by Weller
and they are not aware of the problem.

bad tip or maybe a bad winding in the gun? any ideas?

Dave K4JRB

No Way would I ever use a 25 watt soldering iron to do pl 259s like
that F8 guy does..... wonder how many poor pl 259 connections he has
and does not even know it?
======================
Perhaps is it useful to mention that PL259 type of connectors for 3/8inch
(10mm) OD coax are available with a cable entry as per a standard
N-connector eg a metal braid sleeve with rubber cable compression ring.
The only soldering required is for the centre pin.
The ones I use are of a high quality ,having a gold-plated centre pin . They
are made in Taiwan ; the UK price some time ago was GBP 3.00 (US$ 5.50) .
Perhaps a bit expensive but well worth buying.

Frank GMØCSZ / KN6WH