Good soldering technique (or lack of it!)

[pwdrive]

I reckon that a lot of the mechanical joint stuff was to stop the components and wires falling of as the equipement rattled down the assembly line or passed from station to station prior to soldering, undoing wrapped joints is a pain in the arse, BRC/Thorn used dry multi wrapped joints all the time in their tellies and were in the main very reliable, the joints that is.
A dental pick is a good aid to unravelling them, failing that a 3" plasterboard screw as they are very hard and have an extreamly sharp point.

Lawrence.

[AlanBeckett]

Lawrence,

In the days of conventional components mechanical joints and cable forming, plus a lot of other techniques, were the only way to get gear through Bump, Vibration and Resonance Search tests. It's fascinating to watch what happens to components, both electrical and mechanical, when you hit them with the optimum(?) vibration frequency.
Mechanical joints are also a requirement in some areas of Hazardous Area equipment.
Joe's just a wimp - get yourself a good solder sucker

Alan

[Joe]

Wrapped joints are OK if you don't mind damaging a duff componet you are planning on changing as you can cut it off close and the short bits left soon un-ravel. It when I only want to dis-connect something to test it that I object.

It's more a problem on modern stuff with PVC insulted wires as they object to the heat needed for un-picking. Like the stuff in certain lathe switch-boxes I could think of.

- Joe

[pwdrive]

Lawrence,

In the days of conventional components mechanical joints and cable forming, plus a lot of other techniques, were the only way to get gear through Bump, Vibration and Resonance Search tests. It's fascinating to watch what happens to components, both electrical and mechanical, when you hit them with the optimum(?) vibration frequency.
Mechanical joints are also a requirement in some areas of Hazardous Area equipment.
Joe's just a wimp - get yourself a good solder sucker

Alan

Magnetostriction with PCB mounted inductors etc in equipment comes to mind.

Lawrence.

[AlanBeckett]

My generation had infinite amounts of practice at unsoldering components because the cheapest source in the '50s was ex-MoD gear. Flicking the solder off and unravelling the wires became second nature. My mum used to complain about the blobs of solder stuck to the kitchen floor

Alan

[Bushbaby]

I've started using LA-CO non acid solder flux on joints that look to be old and over oxidised. It appears to work a treat and i've been wiping of the excess. Has any one else used this at all?

Regards

Rob

[Skywave]

My mum used to complain about the blobs of solder stuck to the kitchen floor
Alan

And my mum used to go absolutely bonkers over solder that had melted into my bedroom carpet. Now fast forward 50 years: my wife gets similarly upset when she finds molten solder in my clothing. You'd have thought that after 50 years my soldering technique would have prevented all that: Heaven only knows the total number of solder - and unsolder - joints I've made in that time. But at least I no longer have to put the bit in the gas ring and use Baker's Fluid anymore!

Al.

[Skywave]

I've started using LA-CO non acid solder flux on joints that look to be old and over oxidised. It appears to work a treat and i've been wiping of the excess. Has any one else used this at all?
Rob

No: never heard of it. However what I use when the 'going gets tough' is 'Coraline' flux: it really bites through the crud. Anyone else use this stuff?

Al.