DAILY REPAIR TIPS

[BILL WILLIAMSON]

Tip #1

When soldering SPLICED wires, hold the iron UNDER the wire & apply solder to the TOP!
Most common soldering problem is NOT enough HEAT !
Use ONLY Rosin Core Solder!---Acid Core Solder turns it GREEN!---GREEN is only for MONEY!
Bill Joining

[Mitch]

Regarding soldering

I have this tip cleaner that i purchased from Amazon.. While the soldering tip is hot poke it repeatedly into the wire pad. This does a nice job cleaning the tip off

Hakko 599B-02 Solder Tip Cleaning Wire and Holder https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FZPGDLA..._bo0Mzb7KAWJ34

[DaWizard]

I do not want this to sound like anything but help for this particular situation.

When soldering two wires that you have twisted together, you do hold the iron under the joint, BUT the iron does not conduct the heat, the solder does, so hold the iron under and against the wires, then starting at the iron, get the solder on the iron melting then bring it up to the joint to be soldered, you will find this transfers the heat much better.

As for the tip cleaner, well if you have anything that takes a tip, whether screwed into the iron, or the more sophisticated type like the Weller thermo-coupled tips, this will only work to remove the precious plating that holds the solder onto the tip. It is always better to use a wet sponge, damp, but wet. The tip cleaner Mitch has is great for those huge constant hot irons, but only those.

[Mitch]

Regarding the tip cleaner this is my opinion and experiences
I use this on all my guns and irons big or small. It has never damaged any of my tips. Read the description of the product on the link. It's better than a sponge!!

[tbirdtbird]

some would argue that melting the solder first with the iron can lead to a cold soldered joint. to each his own

[Mitch]

I solder the way dad described it in the original post.

[DaWizard]

As a professional solderer, I can tell you that a cold solder joint is commonly made by moving the mating parts before the solder has a chance to cool, AND be identified by the dull solder finish. Removing the iron from the joint can cause this IF the mating parts are too large for the temperature of the iron. The iron will heat the parts and solder, but not quite be enough heat to properly join the pieces. That is one of the reasons I don't use a blade tip when soldering a printed circuit board, and don't use a fine tip when joining 12ga wires together.

One more thing, ALWAYS tin, place solder, on the parts individually, before attempting the joining.

[Mitch]

Tom W recommended a WEN 250 soldering gun years ago, so i bought one off ebay.
It's an old school gun with the old school work light but it cooks nicely, i use it all the time.

wen250.jpg

[DaWizard]

I'll bet it still hums when the tip gets loose.

[pAAt]

I got one from a cousin after Tom had mentioned it in a thread. Mines early 70's maybe and yours has to be a 57 model. I will have to take a better look at it tomorrow.

[BILL WILLIAMSON]

TIP# 2
When the nuts for the tips loosen all the time, run some solder in them.
SORRY for my CRUDE soldering tip, I didn't know we had a PROFESSIONAL SOLDERER in the audience!
SA Bill W.

[BILL WILLIAMSON]

Eat your heart out, I have a HUGE, ELECTRIC Iron, that will solder a HEAVY 1/2" flat washer to the bottom of a COFFEE CAN!
Bill Heavyduty

[DaWizard]

Hey Bill, it's ok, you didn't know I once made my living soldering. All you ever knew was I retired from the Railroad, but see, I had a job before that. I was an electro-mechanical technidiot in a one man motorcycle-CB radio touring bike shop. I used to repair, install and for some of the dealers, troubleshoot problems with all the big touring bikes.

[Mitch]

Post your soldering college diploma please

[BILL WILLIAMSON]

My "crude" tip always worked for me, heat goes UP, once the wire is heated through, it WILL melt the solder from the TOP. I was taught that by a Friend that worked for Western Electric, installing HUGE telephone switching equipment.
I NEVER recommend anything that has not worked for me, personally.
Bill W.

[DaWizard]

Bill, I never ever said your tip was "crude". I only wanted to help out, I mean, I know better than to answer questions about Over Drives because I know you are the guru on those. I only stick to the stuff I know about.

[BILL WILLIAMSON]

I named it "CRUDE", not you. The naming was supposed to be "humor"??? "Maybe" I'm in danger of runnin' OUT of "humor"! ("Buster, whar's the Sunday Comic section"?)
Bill Goingtobed

[pAAt]

Never run out of humor ! Get your arse up and ask the Dog for another tip !!

[Tom Wesenberg]

I taught auto mechanics one year at a Vo Tech, and had the students do soldering one day to make sure they knew the proper method. I was very surprised that everyone's solder joint looked like crap. So I grabbed the solder and flux and tried it, and my solder job also looked like crap. Turns out the solder was made in China, and it was crap. They probably used old tire weights to make it. So, be sure to only use quality solder.

[Fixitphil]

Tom, I have a friend that is building a 1929 Chev Canopy Express. I told him of your need for headlight stanchions for your 29 Chev. If you will please email him at Darel: [email protected].
Darel also needs some parts.
I can't locate you on the VFF members role to send you a PM.???

[George Miller]

good point Tom. Some times we assume the wrong thing.

[Mitch]

Agree with George an excellent point

[BILL WILLIAMSON]

TIP# 2
Well, first of all, DON'T volunteer for a new FIX-IT tip, everyday! That's 365 TIPS a YEAR, I'll surely run out of TIPS???
Seriously, if the rubbing block on your new points wears away quickly & at an ANGLE, check for a loose, wobbly point arm pivot post! BOTH of mine were LOOSE! Take out the upper distributor plate & re-stake it, under the plate, with just a TAP-TAP-TAP, USING A BLUNT CENTER PUNCH.
NO one ever responds to this advice, except to make FUN of my TAP-TAP-TAP----
Paranoid Dad

[Mitch]

It's a good thing i have my VFF depends on cause ur funny as shit!!!

[Beauford]

You know what a 80 year old woman taste like right? Depends.....

[BILL WILLIAMSON]

Beauford,
It's supposed to be "SMELLS"--Maria, my Home Help Gal tole me that one!
Bill Laffin'

[Mitch]

And then there is that points contact alignment issue that you see so much of. I always correct that by tweaking the stationary block side of the points.

[BNCHIEF]

I use an american beauty resistance soldering outfit.

[pAAt]

Never heard of this outfit before. Looked on Ebay and they are cheep to very expensive. Some look like you might need a good education to run and a foot control to boot. What kind do you own Chief ? Pondering Pat, with little to spend now that he ordered long AA splash aprons.

[BILL WILLIAMSON]

The tip of BIG iron always gets CRUMMY, when I put it away, I "BURY" the tip in about an inch of SOLDER, in an OOOOLD Doans' Pills can, to keep it SHINY. TOO BAD I sold my OLD Gasoline Blow Torch, with a matching HUGE Iron. I once soldered a radiator filler neck on, with it!---Pat stood by with the FIRE EXTINGUISHER!
Bill Backache

[BILL WILLIAMSON]

TIP# 3
HOW TO GET THAT DAD BLAMED STEERING WHEEL OFF!!
I was taught this method by RINGO, an Old Dutchman that I worked beside, for years. Since then, I've NEVER had to use a puller or BUGGER up the shaft, with a HAMMER! You gotta' follow my instructions to a "T"!
1 Loosen the nut, leave it on by a few threads--(Don't ask why I know this)
2 Plant your feet as far forward as possible.
3 Lean back, as straight as a stick.
4 Grab the wheel on each side, keeping your elbows straight & stiff.
5 Raise your body slightly & pivoting on your feet, rock your WHOLE body, side to side & "POP" it's OFF.
The secret is that one arm pushes DOWN & the other one pulls UP, Thus BREAKING the grip of the taper.
After posting this, elsewhere, a Guy in Canada E-Mailed me, "Bill, 2 years ago, I gave up gettin' the wheel off my Old Datsun, to fix the horn contact, I used your method, & it came right OFF"
I once had an Old Toyota Pickup, the horn only blew in 1/2 the circle. I sed to myself, "Self, if you tighten the nut down with your 18 1/2" Breaker Bar, maybe it'll blow right"---It DIDN'T work!---Then I sed to myself, "Self, this gonna' be a BITCH to git OFF"!!---Guess what? I POPPED it right OFF!
I know this is HARD in a TIGHT Model A---Just find a SHORT- SHIT Helper---LOL
I could write a SMALL Book about the things I lurned from RINGO! He taught me the things that AREN'T in the Service Manual or in the Service Bulletins!!
Dad Magic

[Big hammer]

It Works! Being to tall I had too modify Bills way, but don't forget leave the nut no a few threads!
Or you will be eating the wheel !

[Beauford]

I had to use a come-along and 2x4 on my rusted POS

[BILL WILLIAMSON]

About the third one, caught me under my NOSE, it was running, I was cryin' & "somebody" led me to the CRAPPER, to recover! NEVER again, without the NUT! (My nose holes were pointing STRAIGHT FORWARD, "somebody" sed, "Hey, you don't have matching NOSE HOLES"--+*#^%[email protected]=*6^
Bill Crookednose

[Mitch]

I hit myself in the groin doing this

[BNCHIEF]

Laughing myself silly, this could help sell a lot of vff depends.

[Mitch]

Be careful not to crack the steering wheel when pulling on it. If you do you'll lose two points in touring class judging and finish with a 498 instead of a 500:

[BNCHIEF]

Says the man in the know.

[BILL WILLIAMSON]

Can POINTS be redeemed for CASH? IF NOT, I don't care about them!
Dad Greedy

[BNCHIEF]

Paat here is what it looks like these solder wires very quickly without heating up up the whole wire. and they solder very fast. I used this a lot on large model railroads. I have had mine for many years and use it all the time but they are pricey about 200 when I bought mine.

[Mitch]

FANCY Chief

[BNCHIEF]

My buddy thinks that is the coolest thing he ever saw.

[pAAt]

Thanks for the picture Chief. Thinks I may have to get one when I win the Lotto !! I could check the wife's purse, she's getting a little forgetful.

[BNCHIEF]

You do that paat see how that memory works then.

[DaWizard]

Resistance soldering is a very good way to solder. I have also used one similar to that for the past 25years or so.

Damn, thinking about when I purchased mine, I find myself comparing it to what job I had since I can kinda figure from that what year it was as I don't remember the exact year.

[BILL WILLIAMSON]

TIP# 4
Chuck lost flow through 1 stud in his JUNCTION BOX, even though the nuts seemed tight & NO VISIBLE signs of CORROSION. He added some STAR washers, tightened the inner & outer nuts with his handy-dandy Nut Driver & all was WELL!
The junction box is jist a simple, "plastic" box, using 2 round head screws as studs. It's just a convenient junction thingy, joining the dash & engine room looms. Watch out for the screw heads GOUGING the paint & shorting out to the firewall & fix them accordingly!
STOP using terms like, "ELECTRICALLY CHALLENGED/ETC", it's EASY! We can't SEE electricity, but trust me, IT'S THERE!
My Lord, excluding the light wires, there's only 7 or 9???? wires, in the WHOLE wiring system. Print out & study a Wiring Diagram & you'll see what I mean.
Dad Shortcircuited?

[George Miller]

Gland rings for the manifold.

If you are going to use gland rings on your manifold. It is a good idea to try the manifold with out the gasket first to make sure it will go together enough to squeeze the gasket. Also some manifolds did not use gland rings. Some manifolds sag at the rear and glands will not work.