Unbuilt Heathkits - solderability of parts

[Malcolm Leonard]

It can most definitely be a problem in antique radio repair.Of course,not
all solder is created equal.Some Radio Shack solder is not the best,although
I do have some recently purchased .030 that works fine.

I have encountered maddening solderability problems in old radios and test
gear and some sets in particular exhibit such problems everywhere throughout
the set.

My approach to these is to clean the to-be -soldered lugs with denatured
(stronger than medical) alcohol followed by a buffing with fine sandpaper(#
400)wet and dry type should do the trick.
Malcolm Leonard
----- Original Message -----
From: "Terry Perdue" <k8tp at ATTBI.COM>
To: <HEATH at LISTSERV.TEMPE.GOV>
Sent: Sunday, December 08, 2002 12:51 PM
Subject: Unbuilt Heathkits - solderability of parts


> I picked up an unbuilt resistance substitution box for a few bucks a while
> back, and decided to build it. I was disappointed to find that even though
> the components looked fine, nothing wanted to take solder. It was
> particularly disappointing, because the manual had you install all of the
> resistors and then solder. (I might have been able to scrape the leads and
> lugs if I had known beforehand.) Even the heavy bus wire, which looked
> shiny, must have had a film on it. The parts dad still been in their
> unopened envelopes. I'm curious - have those of you who have given in to
> temptation to build an old kit found this to be a common problem?
>
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