Global Scale Modeller

As you might have guessed I'm having a little bit of trouble soldering some very small pieces. 3mm long and 0.3mm rod and I cannot stop the little bugger from moving around. How can I fix it in place and solder it. I'm attempting to make Tee pieces. I cut one piece to size then try to solder it to a large piece then cut to size planning to have them 3 x 3mm x 0.3mm
There's always a way , just being canny enough to work it out and I'm out of idea's.
Thanks

You could try useing two longer pieces and cut them both to size after. It might be easier to just superglue the pieces together instead.

I can't picture exactly what you are doing, but it reminded me of this engine 'T' I soldered

I pre tinned both bits and put small solder chunks right into the flux on the joint
Then used a metal square as a backstop and a rare earth magnet to push the two parts together, I like some mechanical hold so probably did a fish mouth shape on one pipes end
I help them down with tweezers as I hit with flame...took eight tries

Hope that gives some inspiration

Twokidsnosleep wrote:I can't picture exactly what you are doing, but it reminded me of this engine 'T' I soldered

I pre tinned both bits and put small solder chunks right into the flux on the joint
Then used a metal square as a backstop and a rare earth magnet to push the two parts together, I like some mechanical hold so probably did a fish mouth shape on one pipes end
I help them down with tweezers as I hit with flame...took eight tries

Hope that gives some inspiration

that's exactly what I'm trying to do, except smaller. rod is 0.3mm thick. So light that the soldering iron picks up the pieces even when kept long and the making a cup shape in the end of one piece is impossible on that size rod.
I would use Ca glue except it tends to break quiet easy.
You have given me an idea for a tool. although I don't have what I need to make it.... I need spring steel wire, the type used in upholstery years ago.... car seats..

I prefer the butane flame for work like that so it won't even touch the parts. That is another reason to cut your solder into tiny bits and put it in the flux. Then you have a free hand to hold things in the jig and can just blast the flame

The jigs and solid set ups are always the key to soldering well, and the most frustration!

Twokidsnosleep wrote:I prefer the butane flame for work like that so it won't even touch the parts. That is another reason to cut your solder into tiny bits and put it in the flux. Then you have a free hand to hold things in the jig and can just blast the flame

The jigs and solid set ups are always the key to soldering well, and the most frustration!

wise words

My lecturer had what he called a "Helping Hand" when he taught us to solder. It's basically a stand with 2 crocodile clips that can be positioned in such a way as to hold 2 items together while you solder them. You can buy them online with magnifiers attached too.

ElCapitan wrote:My lecturer had what he called a "Helping Hand" when he taught us to solder. It's basically a stand with 2 crocodile clips that can be positioned in such a way as to hold 2 items together while you solder them. You can buy them online with magnifiers attached too.

Helping hands is defo the way to go but using the crock clips directly on the 'job' can cause problems taking to much heat from what your soldering.

Yep, the Ali's work great as a heat sink to protect other solder parts from coming apart, not so hot with small part holding
Reverse grip tweezers and medical (or better yet dental ) haemostats work well with small parts, But have seen the jaws of a twist drill used to hold metal parts as well

That is a cool trick John, took me a sec to see what you were doing with the wood

Yeah, i remember a mate of mine trying to solder something that was clamped to the biggest vice i'd ever clapped eye's on ! He was pulling his hair out with frustration.

I like that trick...

digger303 wrote:I like that trick...

No worries. Did you manage to get your 'T' pieces soldered ?

Johnj wrote:

digger303 wrote:I like that trick...

No worries. Did you manage to get your 'T' pieces soldered ?

I did thanks, took me a while and many tries, but after all that I think I might just leave them off...