Dude, buy some clamp-on copper heat-sinks and throw that flux core in the garbage (or just use it for plumbing). Uncored-solder with rosin-flux won't splatter like that if you tin the iron before hand.
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You don't even *really* need the clamp-on heat-sinks, you could just get a old computer heat-sink and the set tubes on top of it. Maybe rout a little channel do the middle for it sit in if you're feeling fancy.
sep 9, 2025, 1:16 am ā¢ 4 0 ā¢ view
That's something I have a shit ton of laying round to!
sep 9, 2025, 1:19 am ā¢ 3 0 ā¢ view
Iām too much of a coward to include much metal in my woodworking yet, but that need to change. Iām going to google these words and get back to you.
sep 9, 2025, 1:24 am ā¢ 2 0 ā¢ view
Soldering is a lot like welding (but different). YouTubers are like, "you need a temperature-regulated iron!" but I could do a professional-quality job with a iron that was adapted to work with our 24V DC aircraft-battery and no-temperature controls. You've just got git gud.
sep 9, 2025, 1:32 am ā¢ 2 0 ā¢ view
See I am way more comfortable with the surplus battery approach to DIY so maybe I need to stop psyching myself out.
sep 9, 2025, 1:33 am ā¢ 2 0 ā¢ view
Don't get me wrong, it takes a lot of practice to get good with an unadjustable-hot-wired-soldering iron, but you really don't need the fancy stuff (though it is a lot easier).
sep 9, 2025, 1:35 am ā¢ 2 0 ā¢ view
I fucked up and tried to use solid core with no flux, made a mess and then also overheated this 5mm brass tube like crazy. But I finally did it right and it worked well, but I already made a mess. I've never used clamp on heat sinks that sounds awesome especially with these tiny tubes
sep 9, 2025, 1:18 am ā¢ 2 0 ā¢ view
We had a bunch of copper and aluminum ones of these in the shop for doing homers. You just get the right diameter, round file and you can cut a channel pretty quick. Or do a v-shaped channel if that's more your liking. It doesn't take much contact-surface to transfer the heat away.
sep 9, 2025, 1:26 am ā¢ 2 0 ā¢ view