Solder Tools

These are the basic tools I use for soldering. The blue soldering station is a 45 watt unit. This I think is your basic tool for soldering. They come in different sizes and some come with temperature control. I like them better than a straight iron becaus

Solder

This is the basic solder and flux I use. Lets start with the flux. The purpose of the flux is to clean the metal and help the solder flow. Flux comes in two basic groups, acid and rosin. In addition each can be in a liquid form or a paste form. For model

Tin Silver Solder

This is why I like the 96/4 Tin Silver solder. This is the end of a Central Vermont caboose I was working on. The whole car took a trip to the floor and broke this part off. Look how mangled it is and none of the solder joints broke.

Solder Station Tips

Back to the soldering tools. The soldering stations come with a variety of tips. The tips have copper cores and are plated. Do not file them or you will go through the plating and the acid flux will eat up the copper core. To clean the tip wipe it on the

Resistace Tools

These are the basic resistance soldering tools. The prob on the right is used with the grounding clip. The grounding clip is fastened to your work. The carbon prob is touched to the area you want to solder. Then with a foot switch you turn the power on. T

Resistance Ground

The resistance soldering works by passing an electric current through your work. When using the tweezers each side of the tweezers is a side of the electrical circuit. When using the prob your work must be connected electrically to the power source. This

Tweezer Aplication

This is why I bent my tweezers. To reach into areas like this. Another thing I use the tweezers for is to heat a brake cylinder to tin the base. Then hold the brake cylinder in place and start the current again when you feel the cylinder settle in stop th

Step Soldering

This is how I solder the steps on the caboose models. Fold and fit the part. Then flux it and hold it in place with a rod. I found this tool at Harbor Freight and it is used for just this only in circuit board work. Pick up some solder on the tip of your