Good soldering technique (or lack of it!)

[Yorkie]

The first thing is that new old stock components - even if tinned, will be oxidised, so it's always a good idea to scrape tags and wire component ends and tin them. You're doing the right thing using 60/40 lead/tin solder rather than lead free. Always apply the iron to the tag to bring the tag up to temperature and apply the solder to the tag - never to the iron. The iron will always be hot enough to melt the solder, but it's the tags that need to be hot enough or you get a dry joint.

As to soldering several components to one tag, often you can solder them together first, just leaving one wire end to solder to the tag. Personally, when I can, I clip off the old component and leave 1/4" or so of wire left on the undisturbed tag. I then coil the end of the new component to slip snugly over that wire and solder them together. (you can use a sewing or darning needle to coil the end of the component wire).

I also have some non-corrosive liquid flux which I apply to stubborn joints to ensure that the solder flows well. I just apply it with a small artist's brush. (thats a small brush used by artists - not a brush used by small artists!). You find 50ml plastic bottles of liquid flux and sometimes syringes on t'internet. (It's water soluble, so any residue can easily be cleaned off with say a damp cotton bud).

Incidentally, when using stripboard it's most important to clean the tracks first with wire wool etc, or dry joints are a racing cert.

Hope that helps a bit Rob - glad to hear that you're finding some time for radio!!