Soldering Iron/Gun

[James Mills]

What rating soldering gun or iron does it take for making metal tanks (I have a 30 watt I got at the local hobby shop that doesn't seem up to the task)?

Thanks,

James

[Ralph Wenzel (d)]

30 Watts is great for medium-duty electronics soldering, James. For tanks, K&S makes an 85-Watt Iron that's pretty gooe; comes with a stand for "idling"; large tip for good heat retention. Actually, that's the problem with your 30-watt iron - - Heat Retention. It get's plenty hot for the job, but the tip has so little mass that the tank sucks all the heat out.

[Warren Leadbeatter]

James

You should use at least 60W or higher.  I use a 57W Temperature controlled iron and it works fine on full power, but i could use a bit more power when I solder on mounting brackets.

Cheers

[Keith Spriggs]

I picked up a 75 watt soldering iron at a flea market for $ 1.00. I looked up the patent # and it was patented in 1927. I wounder how many tools made today will still be working well in 2087?  I generally build my own tanks and I use a propane torch to solder them. As previously stated the tip mass is as important as the wattage.

[Dan McEntee]

 Hi James;
   If you can get a 1/4" wide tip fot the 30 watt iron, that should work. If not, I have a 40 watt Weller with a broad tip that is more than enough. I use a propane torch for taking tanks apart, and wipe the solder off while still hot. When I'm finished with what ever work I'm doing, I use the 40 watt to solder the seams. Make everthing fit tight, and soldering is one area where cleanliness is next to godliness! I keep .030 rosin core solder on hand for everything, electrical and metal fabrication. keeps me from getting them mixed up. Use a good paste flux for metal fabrication. I used to use some stuff called Ruby Fluid, but can't find that any more. Most every store has Nocrode brand, and that works ok. Get the tip clean, tin it with solder, apply heat to the joint, add solder tothe joint and watch it flow. Most guys make a simple mistake by buy too large a size of solder. 1/8" acid core is OK for general plumbing, but not for our tanks. The .030 makes better use of the heat, and doesn't cool the joint off when you add it in. Cleaning tools are helpfull also. Small wire brushes, scotch-brite pads, and 600 wet-or-dry will just about cover everything.
   Practice makes perfect!
  Good luck with it.
  Type at you later,
  Dan McEntee

[Keith Spriggs]

Dan, that was  very good information on soldering. I too use the Ruby Fluid. I had the local Do-It-Best lumber yard order mine. Here is the SKU # and information.
http://doitbest.com/Solders+and+fluxes-Ruby+Chemical-model-2OZ-doitbest-sku-333874.dib

[Charlie Pate]

James
I have said it before and will say it again!
Technique and material preparation are very important as well as the iron and the iron maintenance.
If you were to ask Doug Taffinder what type and size iron he used to assemble his tanks you might be
surprised at his answer;(Doug manufactured very good tanks).
If possible get a good education on soldering, then the choice of equipment and success  will
very likely be greater , not to mention satisfaction

[Bill Little]

I started soldering when I was about to turn 7.  Yep, my Grandad raised me and he was in the first batch of Plumbers who were issued Licenses in N.C.  He had me sweat soldering 1/2 copper!  So, after 50 years, I've learned a couple things.  Like Charlie Chan said, clean, clean, clean!!!!  On tanks, do not melt off the "tinning", or wire brush the tin so much than the "tin" is removed.   On your copper tubes, shine them up with 400 sandpaper.  Wiping everything down with naptha or acetone will remove any oily substances that are on the tin.  I like to use 400-600 sandpaper to clean with and them wipe down. 

Make sure the tip of the iron is clean and "tinned".  I kept a wet shop rag and hit the tip of the iron with it every now and then.  Use Stay Brite solder, or resin core, and a good flux.  Only use enough flux to coat the two surfaces.  More is not better since large excesses will run inside the tank and cool back into a paste state.  Not good for fuel contamination!  None of the flux products are "fool proof" when it comes to corrosion later down the road so always neutralize the flux with a baking soda/water "paste" applied with a "Q-tip" works, and scrub it clean with a toothbrush when you are finished.

You CAN get things too hot when soldering.  Doesn't happen too often with our irons and guns we use for hobby work, though.  But it can occur with torches and the big guns/irons.

I use a dual setting gun and a micro torch to do all my soldering work.  To remove end caps on tanks i used to set the tanks on the electric stove burner.  What Dan says about cleaning the solder off when it's still hot really helps to put things back together without a blob to deal with.  Just quickly swipe the solder. 

I do hit the solder with the tip of my gun after I have started heating the area to be soldered and then apply the tip of the solder to the joint and NOT the tip of the gun!  Move the tip of the gun/iron along the outer edge of the tank cap, not directly on the seam. This pulls the solder into the joint.

Most people when they mess up do a "cold solder" where the solder is only on the edge of the seam and not fully into the joint.  You want the metal itself to melt the solder, not the gun/iron.

The Ruby Fluid is what we used to solder sheetmetal with.

[Dan McEntee]

Dan, that was  very good information on soldering. I too use the Ruby Fluid. I had the local Do-It-Best lumber yard order mine. Here is the SKU # and information.
http://doitbest.com/Solders+and+fluxes-Ruby+Chemical-model-2OZ-doitbest-sku-333874.dib

      ALL RIGHT KEITH!!!!!! I've been looking for this stuff for years. This gives me hope that I'll find it yet. I left the lid off the last can I had, and it got all sorts of dust and grit in it and it wasn't usable any more. That's another thing to watch. Keep your flux clean!
     Thanks a lot!!!
  Type at you later,
   Dan McEntee