>> I would like to caution newcomers and first time builders on the "turning
the knob" on your new adjustable soldering station (e.g. Pace, Haako, Weller, Metcal) to achieve more heat. EXCELLENT Discussion. As an experiment, try soldering two small (#24) copper (untinned) wires together with the highest setting. You can see the rosin burn up and not "clean" the copper and the solder does not stick. With the correct temperature the rosin will wet the surface, then the boiling flux (rosin) "cleans" off the oxide layer on the copper. After the oxide layer has been removed, the solder adheres to the CLEAN copper. The flux has vaporized (boiled away) and the two components are bonded (soldered) together. Thus, if to hot the rosin boils away before cleaning the copper or ends up as burnt black specs around the joint (when really hot!). You also risk burning the PCB because of the high temperature. If to cold the rosin does not properly clean the joint and also is not boiled away and you end up with a poor joint or with blobs of rosin around the joint. You also risk burning the PCB because it takes to long to make the connection. This is why you don't need to remove the flux on a properly soldered connection. Rich, KE0X _______________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
