Soldering tips

[Crashramp]

I've just started soldering the wire looms back onto my new FG playfield and wondered what tips and tricks other may have for making this task a little quicker and easier. I had no trouble soldering all the globe holders to the braid wire but trying to solder upto three wires to the same lug is not so easy. Especially when many of the lugs are now vertical and not horizontal like when I soldered the braid wire earlier.
Any tips would be gratefully appreciated, at the moment it's very very slowwwwwwww. 

[Pintoxicated]

You need to grow another hand.

[Crashramp]

You need to grow another hand.

Yes, I tried to borrow my wife's but she wouldn't let me have one!

[Pintoxicated]

Did you tell her it was only going to be to help you with the pinball machine and nothing else?

[Homepin]

I would trim the three wires back - bare them all - twist the three together - tin them well - trim the "daggy" bit off the end then solder the finished "group" to the tag.

Slow but correct and will minimise any future issues with wires falling off tags etc.

[Strangeways]

I would trim the three wires back - bare them all - twist the three together - tin them well - trim the "daggy" bit off the end then solder the finished "group" to the tag.

Slow but correct and will minimise any future issues with wires falling off tags etc.

+1

That's the only way to do it.

Make sure the soldering tip is clean and tin the tip with a little bit of solder. Use needle nose pliers to hold the twisted three wires together while soldering to the lugs. There is no "fast" way of doing this. It has to be done properly to avoid issues.

[Crashramp]

Thanks for the advice, much appreciated. 

[Crashramp]

Thanks for the advice, much appreciated. 

I've spent the last couple of hours soldering and those couple of pointers have made it so much easier. Still slow but not as slow as I was going before hand and much easier.

[Retropin]

When i read the title i thought it was going to be a question about why we can only get iron soldering tips these days that are shite and only tin on 30% of the surface

[swinks]

probably the only other tip is to tin the lug before soldering the tin wires to it, then it is easier to apply heat to the lot of them and they meld together

[studley67]

Also worth doing,is give the joint some mechanical strength.i.e fold the wires over the lug and fasten them with your pliers before soldering.that way you have two hands for soldering.

[pinball god]

Also worth doing,is give the joint some mechanical strength.i.e fold the wires over the lug and fasten them with your pliers before soldering.that way you have two hands for soldering.

good tips, the bending of the wires though is ok with new lugs, but I sometime find it difficult to clear them out if used previously and full of solder

[studley67]

then strip the wires longer and pre-tin them and fold over the side of the lug not through the hole.

[studley67]

invest in a de-soldering pump(sucker).or de-soldering braid.cheap as chips

[Crashramp]

Very helpful advice all, thanks.