How to tin a Wire?

[Defiance]

I need help on how to tin a wire. Before I thought you put the solder on the iron, put down the solder, pick up the wire, and then scrap the solder on the wire. I hear now that you're supposed to apply the soldering iron and solder to the wire at the same time. My question is: How do I hold the wire up? I only have two hands...

 

[Tanas]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8jUaf394WIk

 

[xcalibur]

Its been a while since I soldered but I presume you hold both the wire and the solder in one hand and the soldering iron in the other.

 

[Defiance]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8jUaf394WIk

Cool. So once I have it tinned, and say I have a Wasabi chip, would I just put the wire then on one of the points? Or do I still have apply my iron to it?

 

[arctic_flame]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8jUaf394WIk

I'd say that's how NOT to do it.

 

[Armadillo]

Interesting technique he has there , put a blob on , let it go cold and manky then whack it with the iron till it's gone

 

[Tanas]

Did you even listen to what he was saying?

 

[arctic_flame]

Yes. You really do have to touch them all together at once. That "smoke" is the flux, which makes the solder flow nicely onto the wire. However, in that video, the flux has all burnt away by the time it touches the wire, leaving a lumpy mess. If a wire is properly tinned, it will be as smooth as it was before.

 

[Defiance]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8jUaf394WIk

I'd say that's how NOT to do it.

Ok... So then how do I do it?

 

[arctic_flame]

If your solder is on a reel, unreel a bit, sit the reel on your work surface so the solder is sticking out. Touch the wire on the solder with your weaker hand, then touch the iron on both with your dominant hand.

 

[Tanas]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8jUaf394WIk

I'd say that's how NOT to do it.

Ok... So then how do I do it?

Ignore him, he didnt even listen to what the guy in the video was saying.
What's shown in the video is the correct way to do it.

He first shows you how not to do it, he then shows the correct way.

 

[arctic_flame]

I didn't listen, due to lack of speakers, but he ended up with a blobby mess by my standards, and I install chips.

 

[Elisa_]

Get some tweasers, (whatever you call em,) grab the wire, then put some solder on your iron, and tin the nail (or whatever you use) and put the wire on after that.

 

[shtonkalot]

What's shown in the video is the correct way to do it.
He first shows you how not to do it, he then shows the correct way.

Sorta, what's shown is not great. The video alone gives you no idea how to do it.
The spoken instructions are quite good though. Follow the words and you'll be ok. The last bit of the video would have been OK if there wasn't so much solder on everything.

Don't follow this video though, it's just wrong. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bK_bn9xkqbo

 

[Defiance]

So I need something to hold up my wires? Looks like I'm just doing quicksolder...

 

[shtonkalot]

So I need something to hold up my wires? Looks like I'm just doing quicksolder...

yeah you need them tip out in the air somehow. If they are short leads then maybe just a weight on the edge of a bench to hold them down with the tip hanging free.
If you plan to do any amount of soldering it really pays to have the "helping hands" tool. I have one with a magnifying lens on it.

This youtube video is a better demo (though not close up) of what to do. Just ignore the joining bit and watch his technique.

 

[Bob Evil]

I use my teeth for most things ... stripping wires, holding things, whatever ... done it for decades

 

[shtonkalot]

Cool. So once I have it tinned, and say I have a Wasabi chip, would I just put the wire then on one of the points? Or do I still have apply my iron to it?

Just noticed this.. Are you planing on installing a Wasabi?
If you have so little soldering experience as to not know how to tin a wire (first thing I learnt in soldering) then it would be just about impossible to install a wasabi in my opinion. The wasabi leads need to be soldered directly to some pretty tiny IC legs on the Wii, this is a little tricky for most experienced solderers. It would be very easy to stuff up without experience doing similar work. Not just practice, but experience of doing the same sort of work over and over.

Don't want to put you off but I'm sure if you look around you'll find many soldering disaster stories. My advice would be to find someone who can do it for you and if possible check other work they've done before you let them near it.

 

[shtonkalot]

I use my teeth for most things ... stripping wires, holding things, whatever ... done it for decades

Maybe you have but your own teeth for holding short leads that are to be tinned with a scalding hot pointy iron, for someone without either proper knowledge or experience in soldering... I'd use your teeth to practice with maybe if I was in that situation, but not my teeth.
No offence to you, just thinking of my pretty face

**edit**
Actually that just sounds crazy, how would you see the end of the wire? And what about the lead fumes straight up the snoz!

 

[Bob Evil]

hehe I've held high-voltage cable with my teeth, whilst my hands where busy ...

... as for my pretty face, well, I used to box, and I've survived a major fire, so I ain't sweatin' over mah looks lol


EDIT : Plus, I never said which item I was holding in my mouth ... you just assumed it was the wire ...