# Resistance Soldering - Is it worth the $ ?



## Matt Vogt (Jan 2, 2008)

The subject pretty much says it all. I'm working on a brass railtruck, and frustrated from parts falling off while I solder something else on. I hate the thought of spending so much money on a soldering iron, but I might be tempted with the right testimonies. So, what do you think, and if you do like them, what do you have, and where did you get it?

Thanks,

Matt


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## altterrain (Jan 2, 2008)

Sorry Matt, your description of your soldering frustration put a very funny picture in my head. Thanks for the laugh. 

-Brian


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## Matt Vogt (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By altterrain on 06/10/2009 9:05 AM
Sorry Matt, your description of your soldering frustration put a very funny picture in my head. Thanks for the laugh. 

-Brian

Anytime I can help, Brian


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## wchasr (Jan 2, 2008)

I know at one point it was stated that you could build your own RS unit cheaper than buying one? Go doa search in the archives of this website & there should be two or three threads on this. 

Chas


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## East Broad Top (Dec 29, 2007)

I can't speak from firsthand experience, except in terms of the browbeating I've gotten from friends who have bought one and wouldn't go back. "Ya GOTTA get one" seems to be the overall sentiment. I don't do enough brasswork right now to justify it. Based on their testimonials to me, I'd add it to my toolbox if I were having need. 

Later, 

K


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## Dwight Ennis (Jan 2, 2008)

I bought one of the PBL units - people told me it was a superior unit compared to American Beauty. I've tried it a few times with limited success, but I confess I haven't practiced with it much. I find my LittleTorch oxy-acetylene rig to be quicker and easier myself, and I can get a very small, very hot flame to concentrate the heat where I need it, so I haven't had much trouble with adjacent parts falling off. 

I'm sure a good resistance soldering unit is far superior to an iron. I just prefer to use my torch most of the time.


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## Jack - Freshwater Models (Feb 17, 2008)

Resistance soldering is the way to go for some projects but I still use a torch and iron for some things. 

I've built a few resistance soldering units and they can be built pretty cheap if you can find a suitable transformer cheap. 

There was an article way back in the "Gasjet". 

I run a transformer off a variac for a variable power source. Copper clad carbon rod from the welding supply store for the electrode. 

Proper soldering techniques still apply. 

J


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## noelw (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Dwight Ennis on 06/10/2009 9:51 AM
I bought one of the PBL units - people told me it was a superior unit compared to American Beauty. I've tried it a few times with limited success, but I confess I haven't practiced with it much. I find my LittleTorch oxy-acetylene rig to be quicker and easier myself, and I can get a very small, very hot flame to concentrate the heat where I need it, so I haven't had much trouble with adjacent parts falling off. 

I'm sure a good resistance soldering unit is far superior to an iron. I just prefer to use my torch most of the time.

.............

I know this is off the topic but Dwight .........what kind of a torch oxy acetylene rig you have.. Can it be use on solding nbr 12 wire to brass tracks out side on the layout? I need something that is better that what i'm doing.. I have a American Beauty but that won't work on the track in place out side.. So doing it the hard way with a 400 watt gun.


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## Dwight Ennis (Jan 2, 2008)

Noel - I have the Little Torch[/b][/b] which is designed for jewelry and other precision work. 










I bought the 23-1004A ACETYLENE CADDY[/b][/b] at the bottom of the page which is the entire rig - torch, hoses, regulators, tanks, and holder.










Probably overkill for soldering feeders to rail (not to mention expensive), but for building locomotives, etc. I find it indespensible. It's also available with oxy-propane caddys, but my experience was with oxy-acetylene, so that's what I went with.


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## noelw (Jan 2, 2008)

That is a nice unit.. Little larger that what i want.. 
Guessn need to go to Harbor Frt. and see what they have. Tks. for the post. Dwight..


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## Matt Vogt (Jan 2, 2008)

Thank you, gents, for your responses. I think I am going to try to build one. There are some good instructions out there.

Dwight, the rig you have probably would make the difference, having a lot more concentrated heat than butane. It's quite an investment, but I'll think about it. If you think about selling your solder setup, let me know.


Noel, you can find some cheapo pencil torches at Harbor Freight. I have used them for most of the construction so far. I say 'them' because you pretty much get what you pay for. I have tried three types, and they work for a while, then quit for some reason. If you buy them on sale, most of them are $5-10, so you can't expect much, but they don't cost much. 



Take care,
Matt


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## hawkeye2 (Jan 6, 2008)

Dwight, that is a fine torch outfit you have there, I have that same torch myself. Smith torches are first class. I've burned many a mile of steel over a lifetime and if I had a choice I would pick up a Smith before any other. Noel, that torch is quite small but capable of delivering a very intense pin point heat. I don't think its needed to solder jumper wires to rail. Harbor Freight sells an outfit with a torch that looks like the Smith and the price is attractive since you can get the entire outfit for less than the Smith torch and tips sells for however I can't comment on its quality. It might be fine for light duty, the Smith is a prfoessional outfit.


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## Dwight Ennis (Jan 2, 2008)

Noel - one other thing I just remembered (it's been a while since I had to worry about electrical feeders - hehehe). I always had the best luck soldering feeders to brass rail on a hot sunny afternoon after the sun had pre-heated the rails. Far easier than on cloudy cool afternoons or evenings.


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## noelw (Jan 2, 2008)

Good idea Dwight... I'll try that with the 400 watt gun.


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## John McGuyer (Jan 2, 2008)

Yes! 

John


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## SE18 (Feb 21, 2008)

Do you have a link to building your own? couldn't find. 

I'm using various size torches and 100 and 150 W soldering irons and wonder if I need one? no problems yet; perhaps heat sinks would keep parts from falling off and soldering the larger parts first?


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## Jack - Freshwater Models (Feb 17, 2008)

Posted By SE18 on 06/17/2009 5:58 AM
Do you have a link to building your own? couldn't find. 


SE18,

Here is one link: http://www.girr.org/girr/tips/tips1/solderer.pdf

Theere was also an article in a NG&SLG way back when.

You should be able to find more info by Googling "resistance soldering"

Really it is pretty simple. First you need variable 0-115VAC current which can be provided by a variac, powerstat, or ordinary fan controlling wall switch. Then it needed to be hooked up to a transformer. The transformer needs to be relatively low voltage, probably in the 4-12V range with high amperage of at least 12amps or higher. I find higher amperage better. I have used transformers in the 20-50amp range and they work very nice. You need to controll the power to the whole thing with a foot switch. One lead from the transformer output is a ground and the other lead goes to the electrode. What you end up with is variable ac voltage doing the work. I use a 5 V tranformer rated at 30amps so I end up with 0-5VAC at up to 30amps. The foot switch controls the duration that the power is applied to the work.

I first saw this set up shown in a magazine photo showing a Japanese shop making brass locos. The variac or powerstat at on the bench top. Power was fed to it using a foot switch. The variable power from the variac powered the transformer with the output going to a ground clamp/plate and to the carbon electrode.

A variac or powersatat ( a variable transformer) is also handy for controlling speed of power tools like a Dremel.

The expensive units you see advertised in magazines have a cheezy small variac and small transformer. This is a case of being able to build a better unit than you can buy. You do have to wire the unit properly and observe common sense rules of electricity/wiring. You want to house the whole thing is some sort of box for safety.

Jack


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## Matt Vogt (Jan 2, 2008)

Thanks, jack! That's a great link. I just realized that it was written by Vance Bass. 

Thanks for posting, 
Matt


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## Jack - Freshwater Models (Feb 17, 2008)

Matt, 

One thing I wouldn't bother with is using a soldering iron to hold the electrode. I have just used a piece of wood fashioned into a clamp using a screw to hold the electrode and it works just fine. 

Jack


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## SE18 (Feb 21, 2008)

Thanks, Jack, appreciate much.


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## smokebox (Jun 28, 2009)

I am also bilding a 1 1/5" scale model of a B&O cpl signal and was getting ready to solder up some aggle for the work platform and burned right through my material !!


So.... if you are not ontop of your trigger and the amount of heat you are using you will burn right through before you know your making a mistake!!

We are talking about just over a heart beat worth of time, all I could do was toss it into the brass rec. bin and hope for the best!! burned a very big hole it it in just a fraction of a second!

Smokebox


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## Matt Vogt (Jan 2, 2008)

Good to know, Smokebox. I am pretty sure I will build one sometime soon, so that may save some major aggravation...

Take care,
Matt


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## rkapuaala (Jan 3, 2008)

Matt, 
Sorry I didn't respond to this thread sooner, but better late than never. 
I couldn't see it in the other replies, so I have to ask; are you using heat sinks or any heat blocking material around the parts you are not working on? 
Also, are you starting out with hotter solders first then going down to cooler ones? 
You can get silver solder that melts at about 1500 F and then some other alloys (non lead) that go all the way down to 400 F which is okay if heat isn't an issue. 
Sorry if you already answered these questions, I've been skimming over stuff trying to catch up and may have missed the answers.


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