One thing about soldering that many people don't know is that the solder is attracted to the hottest part of the joint.
If you apply the soldering iron to the side of the can, the solder will be sucked down into the can, leaving a gap where the lid meets the can... So, if you want to solder a can shut neatly, apply the soldering iron so that it bridges the gap between the lid and the can, and apply the solder to the leading edge of the soldering iron just where the iron meets the can/lid. Also, avoid using eutectic solders (63/37) for any soldering job where you want to make a smooth fillet. Eutectic solders have a single melt temperature, with no slush zone, and as such they are either fully melted, or not. They don't thicken and build like non-eutectic solder (60/40) -Chuck Harris J. Forster wrote:
IMO, the easiest way (non-destructive too!0 is with a high wattage iron or 250 W gun, solder wick or a solder sucker, and an X-Acto knife. Start in the middle of one side. Heat the joint area and suck out as much of the solder from the joint area as you can. Slip the knife in the joint and pry gently after sucking to prevent any residual solder from bridging the gap. when that area has cooled, move left or right and work your way around the can. Eventually, when almost all the solder is out, gentle prying at the joint will pop the top off. Work slowly and patriently and you'll be able to resolder the can just about as new. -John
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