[Elecraft] SolderingStation Selection

[Don Wilhelm]

  Paul,

Sorry to hear about your confusion.  First, a soldering iron is 
different from a soldering station in that the former is not temperature 
controlled - although the word usage sometimes becomes "garbled" and 
some will refer to them interchangeably.  The 40 watt limit is there for 
those brave souls who want to use a soldering iron to assemble their K2s.

For soldering stations, the temperature range is the important factor.  
The extra wattage will allow a smaller tip to be used.
So, yes, that is a good soldering station to use for the K2.

If you are not quite familiar with soldering on boards with thru-plated 
holes, please review the soldering tutorial so you can see the 
appearance of good and bad solder connections.  It is available for 
download from the Elecraft website and a printed copy will be included 
with your K2 kit.  Remember that most builder problems come from 
unsoldered or poorly soldered connections and also from poorly tinned 
toroid leads.

While Elecraft does not discourage the use of lead-free solder, I do not 
recommend it unless absolutely required - it has a higher melting 
temperature and does not flow out onto the solder pad nor the component 
lead well.  My recommendation is for a eutectic solder alloy (63/37) 
with a mildly reactive flux - like Kester 285.  While Kester 44 is also 
suitable, it has a highly reactive flux which will clean better, but 
will leave more solder residue and is not necessary for new boards and 
components.  Save the Kester 44 for antennas and old components that 
have developed oxidation on the leads.

A note on the eutectic alloy - that is the alloy with the lowest melting 
point, plus it has no plastic state - it goes directly from a liquid to 
a solid.  The old "bug-a-boo" of cold solder joints (crystallized) 
caused by movement as the solder is cooling will disappear with a 
eutectic alloy.  For lead/tin solder, that magic alloy is 63/37.

73,
Don W3FPR

On 11/6/2010 6:33 PM, pagoglia at stny.rr.com wrote:
> I am waiting for my K2/100 to be delivered.  In the meantime I am deciding on what soldering station to buy.  On the Elecraft web site there is a posting to stay away from soldering irons>40 watts and>  850 degrees.
> I am looking at a Weller 50 watt and variable temp from 350 to 850 degrees.  It is a model WES51.  Is it ok to use this soldering station on the K2/100?
>
> Tnx,
>
> WN2K
>
> Paul
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