[Elecraft] Source of poor solder joints?

[Ben Hofmann K1NT]

I wonder why it only happens once I remove the iron?  Seems to me, a boiling action would cause bubbling while the heat is being applied.  Unless solder has some kind of "skin" like water has, and removing the iron breaks the "skin" at which point the bubbles could escape?

-Ben  K1NT

Don Wilhelm <w3fpr at earthlink.net> wrote: Ben,

Good eyes - keep looking at your soldering that way.
The bubbling is the result of flux trapped inside the solder boiling.  It is
also an indication that your soldering temperature is a bit too low - the
joint definitely did not receive adequate heating.
Yes, such behavior will result in a bad solder connection.

73,
Don W3FPR

> -----Original Message-----
>
> I'm currently building a KPA100, and have noticed on several
> joints after I apply the solder, and then remove the iron, the
> solder bubbles around the lead, and then usually the solder joint
> looks bad.  What is happening here?  I don't recall this
> happening when I was building the base K2, but it's been quite a while.
>
> -Ben  K1NT
>