Watched several videos but just can't figure it out... I am trying to learn soldering. How do I do it? Do I first heat the surface and then rub the soldering wire to it? Or do I touch the soldering wire to surface and then heat right in the middle? And what about the cable I will solder to that surface, that also needs pre soldering on it ? How do |I do presolder on a thin wire it seems impossible. I am totally confused and it looks like I need 4-5 hands for this job in the first place. To my knowledge, there is nobody with 4 hands, so then how do people do all this? Tell me the sequence of what touches what and where.

 

put solder on the tip and at the same time apply the soldering iron to the joint with more solder if needed, then remove the iron and let it cool, re touch if it needs more or less solder.

 

I assume you're soldering a wire to a terminal.
First, clean the soldering iron tip on the sponge and tin it by melting a very small amount of solder on it, so that the tip is bright and shiny.
Then tin the wire. Unwrap a small length of solder from the reel. Hold the wire in one hand, the iron in the other. Heat the wire, then touch it on the end of the solder that is sticking out from the reel.
Then, tin the terminal. In this case, hold the connector in a vice or something similar, hold the iron in one hand and the solder in the other. Heat the terminal, and touch the solder on it to tin it.
Then, you should be able to put the wire on the terminal and heat them both and they will solder together without your needing to add any further solder. So you don't need any more than three hands (or two hands and a vice).
Never use the soldering iron to transport solder like a shovel.

When making a huge batch of cables, a solder pot is used for the first part of the process (tinning the wire).

 

To conduct heat into the pieces that you are soldering you will need to touch the iron tip to the piece and then add a small amount of solder that will greatly improve the conduction of heat from the iron to the work. Then the work should heat to soldering temperature quickly, so you can add a bit more solder. I recommend using solder flux in most applications,
The wire to be soldered usually does not need to be tinned first, unless it has oxidized and turned dark.
Certainly the iron tip should be clean and have a coating of solder, and be hot enough to melt the solder rapidly as it is applied.

 

it looks like I need 4-5 hands for this job in the first place.

The extra 'Hand' I use is a Panavise on the bench . Just to hold the work steady (any angle) for starters.

 

For extra hands you can use this:



We had a recent thread on soldering.
https://forum.allaboutcircuits.com/threads/cant-get-the-solder-to-flow.190925/

In summary, the soldering iron tip must be clean and properly tinned.
Your choice of solder and operating temperature is important.

If you are new to soldering, here is a tip (suggestion) you can use.
Apply the soldering tip to the wire, pad, or joint you are about to solder.
Bring the solder wire in contact with the soldering tip and the joint at the same time.
The molten solder will assist in the conduction of heat to the joint.

 

I am trying to learn soldering. How do I do it? Do I first heat the surface and then rub the soldering wire to it?

1. Put a small amount of solder on the tip of your iron. The solder will help transfer heat to the joint you want to make. Flux will also help with heat transfer.
2. Put the tip on the pad and the lead you intend to solder.
3. Apply solder to the lead+pad away from the tip.
4. Apply enough solder to form a good joint.
5. Remove iron and don't move the joint until it cools. Not so critical with eutectic solder (e.g. SN63/PB37).

It should take less than 5 seconds to solder the joint.

what about the cable I will solder to that surface, that also needs pre soldering on it ?

You can either tin it or apply flux before soldering to the surface.

I am totally confused and it looks like I need 4-5 hands for this job in the first place. To my knowledge, there is nobody with 4 hands, so then how do people do all this? Tell me the sequence of what touches what and where.

You'll learn to make use of what you have. I can use the digits of my left hand to hold solder wire, the board, and the component I'm soldering.

There are numerous helping hand tools.

 

It's one of those things you just have to do it, then ask specific questions when you get stuck. Get some old PCBs and practice. Some general tips; the soldering tip must be in good condition and clean, and flux is your friend, use a lot of it. Leaded solder is easier to use than lead free, and anything corroded or dirty won't solder properly. Both parts need to be hot enough to melt solder or the solder won't stick to it. Experiment with the temperature of the tip, too hot will vaporize the flux right away, too cold won't melt anything. Then just get your hands dirty and try it, then ask specific questions when you run into problems.

 

The definitive, simple guide:

Soldering is Easy: Here's How to Do it (Extended Version)

 

How do |I do presolder on a thin wire it seems impossible.

Apply some liquid flux.

If you have a lot of wires to tin, a solder pot is the way to go.

 

If the "real thin wire" is magnet wire, that is, with a varnish coating for insulation, it can be quite a challenge to remove that coating so that solder can reach the copper conductor. But if it is plastic insulation then the hot soldering iron tip should be able to melt it.
Scraping off the varnish insulation on that very thin wire can be done, and some times burning it off with a propane lighter can work. Scraping takes a lot of practice to not cut the wire.

 

If the "real thin wire" is magnet wire, that is, with a varnish coating for insulation,

I think you mean enamel not varnish. And it the wire is newly made it probably has solder through coating on it.

 

The non-solderable stuff is still available. Really annoying if you buy it by mistake.

 

Watched several videos but just can't figure it out... I am trying to learn soldering. How do I do it? Do I first heat the surface and then rub the soldering wire to it? Or do I touch the soldering wire to surface and then heat right in the middle? And what about the cable I will solder to that surface, that also needs pre soldering on it ? How do |I do presolder on a thin wire it seems impossible. I am totally confused and it looks like I need 4-5 hands for this job in the first place. To my knowledge, there is nobody with 4 hands, so then how do people do all this? Tell me the sequence of what touches what and where.

Well as you can see there are all sorts of devices for that third or forth hand. You normally just choose the additional tool(s) for your application. That said soldering, good soldering is a skill. Like most skills one's ability to solder well is a matter of practice and then more practice. Fortunately in today's world there is no shortage of assorted scrap boards to work on or practice with. Remove component, replace component and you will find your soldering skills improve. Patience. Next choosing a tool to solder with takes dome thought and again choose the tool for the intended application (with budget tossed in). Today there are literally hundreds of various soldering stations available and at much lower cost than years ago. If you plan on doing a lot of soldering I suggest buy once and cry once as to cost. Look at your work scope to determine which features you want or really need. Read reviews to get the most bang for your buck.

In time with practice soldering thin or thick wires will just come natural to you. Always remember when soldering that the bigger the blob the better the job. Last not to be taken seriously.

Ron

 

OK, now it seems that the wire is probably not the #30 enamel coated stuff, but probably #24 or #26 going into a solder-cup type of terminal. That is actually much easier with the correct tools, and miserably difficult without the correct tools.
So first is needed an adequate magnifier and light, then a means to hold the part with the terminals in the correct position. After that, a soldering tool with the correct size tip, and the proper sized flux core solder. First, the wire is correctly stripped of just enough insulation, the end inserted into the terminal. The soldering tip is brought into contact with both the wire and the terminal, and immediately the solder is also applied to that same point. The solder will melt and establish a good thermal conduction to both the wire and the terminal, and enough solder can flow within 3 seconds.At that point both solder and the then tip can be moved away so that the connection can cool.