In article ,
John G writes:
Ralph Mowery expressed precisely :
"Steve" wrote in message
...
Bob E. writes:

I am trying to solder some RG-6 shield to a pcb. The braid won't tin.
It's
almost like it's dissipating the heat faster than I can apply it. With
both a
temp-controlled iron (set as high as 700F) and a mondo 100W stick I
finally
tried. The solder will barely melt when touched to the braid opposite the
iron.

That just sounds like another excuse to the use the butane torch


Most of the rg-6 uses aluminum instead of copper or tinned copper. The
normal methods of soldering will not work on it.

I'll believe Aluminium or steel I must admit to only a little actual
experience.
Some Cable guy should give an actual answer.

Ordinary soldering can be used with iron - soldering iron bits are
often copper core for thermal capacity and conduction, with iron
plating which wets well with solder but doesn't oxidise/corrode
as quickly as a bare copper bit does.

As you go to steel and then stainless steal, it gets harder to do.
Stainless steal in particular is protected from corrosion by a very
tough layer of chromium oxide (I don't know if it's possible to
solder stainless steel at all).

Aluminium has a similar problem - a very tough layer of aluminum
oxide which needs a suitable flux to strip through. However, it also
needs a different solder alloy to wet it - it's a long time since I
did it but ISTR using a solder alloy containing silver.

A secondary problem with soldering dissimilar metals is that any
moisture risks causing galvantic action/corrosion of the join, and
in the case of aluminium, this happens even between the aluminium
and the solder used. Selecting a flux which can strip the aluminimum
oxide well whilst not leaving any residue which eventually corrodes
the join is a bit of a challenge.

--
Andrew Gabriel
[email address is not usable -- followup in the newsgroup]

On Sat, 27 Feb 2016 11:20:43 +0000, Andrew Gabriel wrote:

As you go to steel and then stainless steal

Engineering schlip?

In article ,
says...

A secondary problem with soldering dissimilar metals is that any
moisture risks causing galvantic action/corrosion of the join, and
in the case of aluminium, this happens even between the aluminium
and the solder used. Selecting a flux which can strip the aluminimum
oxide well whilst not leaving any residue which eventually corrodes
the join is a bit of a challenge.

This reminded me that I once knew about "purple plague". There's an
article about it in Wikipedia.

Mike.