Soldering newbie

Ours was all copper with Teflon insulation. The problem with Teflon was cuts if you stretched the wire too tight when going around a pin (bypassing it, not wrapping to it).

That's not incompetent? I always use machined pins (Augat sockets and boards).

Our techs insist on using pointy tips in the Metcals at work. The first thing I do when I sit down at their stations is to change the tips to chisel tips (unless I'm working on really fine pitch stuff). Fortunately, the Metcals only take five seconds, or so, to come up to temperature.

Irrelevant.

I was commenting on a specific, unambiguous statement that you yourself made here, in response to someone else's observation.

--
"For a successful technology, reality must take precedence  
over public relations, for nature cannot be fooled." 
                                       (Richard Feynman)

< So do I need to clean every time before applying solder?

I use a yellow sponge. When it is dry I cut four parallel slices in it with a extacto-razor knife. I saw this on utube. It seems to work well.

< I see the experts at work use flux all the time. My guess is that it's needed for 1-Lead free soldering, 2-Surface mount components with very small pitch?

I use 220 grit sand paper on all leads and then a quick wash of acetone with cotton rubs; then apply flux with a toothpick. Not exactly an expert at soldering, but the sand paper seems to get you to the phosphorous layer :) .

< So you're saying tinning should be done after soldering the joint, not < before? Could you describe how you typically tin the tip? Just touching it < to the solder wire seems to concentrate solder on one side of the tip. If I < wipe it with the sponge, I don't know if it stays there or not.

I like to keep the tip shinny. I use a spool of solder just for tinning the iron .062 Oz (leaded). I used to have red-phosphorous sand paper. I used to like playing around with that, but it is now illegal to use (?). And please don't forget that acetone is flammable - maybe cleaning the joints with propel- or methly- alcohol prior to soldering will help? Oil from fingers and stuff can make a bad joint.

< >> ** There are two common reasons why beginners have problems soldering:

yeah, a shitty solder iron really ruins a good day. well said - from an amateur looking at a bench. I like my 33 watt welder.

Have you tried using iso-butane or mapp gas? I absolutely love butane - but the habbit is expensive. Maybe a I need a battery iron in my future.