cold heat soldering?

[willjoe]

hey guys.

I've got to re-solder the output jack on my stratocopy. I went out today and bought 60/40 rosin core solder, and a cold heat soldering iron from radioshack. As I understand it, the tip of the iron is split in to two parts, and it does not heat up untill a conducting material bridges the two halves. So that would mean that there is some amount of voltage running through the component to be soldered. The thing is run by two AA batteries.

Am I in any danger of damaging the pickups or other components in my guitar by using this iron?

[Turbo7MN]

No. But the iron sucks, get a real one.

[Keith]

No. But the iron sucks, get a real one.+1 for that. I bought one and it worked only half the time, and even then, the joint was not secure.
Take that thing back and get a proper heated iron.

All you need is anywhere between 15-45 watts. I use a 15Watt pencil iron with a fine tip to get in small places.not as hot, but does the job and I swear by it.

And make sure you don't get the iron near any Pups (3 Cm or closer) or you will bugger the magnetic field and lose gain and tone.

[texastito]

id go for the 30w. i got a 15 and it suckd for trying to heat up the pots enough

[willjoe]

Thanks for the input guys.

I'll put in an order online for a better iron. In the meantime I'm gonna see if this will get the job done temporarily. Putting the jack back on is the last step towards getting this guitar making noise again, and I'm impatient.

Now if my other guitar would just hurry up and get back from the repair shop, I'd really be in business.

[guitarist4doodd]

the cold heat thing they advertise it by touching the tip
and wow it isnt hot!

WARNING: do not touch the tip it ruins the piece of crap soldering iron thats gonna break after the first job anyway

[tinsmith]

I think I have a 25w Radio shack jobbie.

It works perfect when I use it.

You may also be better off using a silver bearing solder. It's about the same bucks & will solder aluminum.

Unless you solder regularly, you will have the solder forever, so buy a half descent quality solder, which you can use for most jobs..

[bashlin]

i recommend getting at least a 35 watt..alot of the guitar companies are going to lead free solder(Gibson for one), and you will hate yourself trying to melt that stuff with any thing less than a 35 watt iron..i learned from experience..;)

[willjoe]

Wow. I wish I'd asked you guys about the iron *before* I bought it. The plastic part that keeps the tip in place definitely melted before I could even get one joint soldered. I can't believe radioshack put their name on that.

[Sloppy J.]

Wow. I wish I'd asked you guys about the iron *before* I bought it. The plastic part that keeps the tip in place definitely melted before I could even get one joint soldered. I can't believe radioshack put their name on that.

If you think that's bad try a radio shack guitar cord!