i have small pcb made of through hole components. i have a few ic sockets on it also. I want to crank these guys out fast. has anyone ever just made a DIY solder bath for dipping parts. it seems to me a standard portable oven burner and a metal container filled with solder would work just fine. i can regulate the heat and just use a dipping tong to hold the pcb to the solder right? just an idea?

 

Go to a gun dealer -- if you live in a country that allows guns. The people who make their own bullets use something similar to a solder pot. That's where I got mine. They are cheap, and it doesn't mess up the kitchen stove.

John

 

thats exactly what i was thinking!!!! did you have success with using that?

 

Yes, to make bullets and solder some heavy cable. I have heard of people doing it for small PCB's, but never tried that. If I were to do a PCB, I would probably pre-heat to some safe temp, then dip. The preheat would be to minimize the time in the bath and thermal shock to the components. The pre-heat may not be necessary, but experimentaton would solve that. Solder mask on the PCB would also help too. John

 

yep the pcbs are solder masked.looking at some of the lead pots used by reloaders its so crazy it may just work. I'm off to the gun shop lol!!!!

 

If you're going to go that route, you might try a Lee Precision Lead Melter:
http://www.do-itmolds.com/product.aspx?i=265

I have a Lee Production Pot 4; it works well for bullet and sinker moulding, but would not work very well for soldering circuit boards; the bottom-pour valve assembly would get in the way. The Lee Precision Lead Melter would be far better suited to your task, providing that your circuit boards are small enough.

I suggest using it in a well-ventilated area; you really don't want to be breathing the fumes.

 

the boards are 2 inches by 2 inches so looks like that will fit. here is something i found off of an ebay listing:

Common Applications: In addition to melting lead for making bullets, typical uses include tinning the ends of stranded wire leads, pre-tinning small electrical parts, re-tinning soldering iron tips and dip soldering small printed circuit boards. This is an deal solder pot for reliable control of solder temperature in harsh environments at an afforable price.
looks like this is a go!!!! good thing i rechecked this board i was just grabbing my jacket and getting ready to roll.