I just bought some tube gear...what did I get myself into?!? Help. Somebody. Anybody. Everybody.

[angelaudio]

You're learning to read schematics which is good. You now need to know how and why tubes work. I would suggest you purchase a reprint of the RCA RC-30 tube manual from Antique Electronic Supply. It starts with very basic vacuum tube theory and progresses to multi grid tubes and circuitry. I use it as a reference manual when designing and building tube amplifiers. Once you gain knowledge you will have graduated from parts changer to electronics technician. Might be the best $15 you ever spent !

Got it

 

[sKiZo]

^This. 100 percent



While the most common leaded solder alloy has a melting point just under 400 degrees, it's been my experience that your target temp should be quite a bit higher than that, especially if you're working on point to point electronics like vintage tube stuff. When working on some of the heavier wire and component leads I will crank my temps up to 600+ in order to get good flow. Sitting for 30 seconds on a solder joint isn't good for components or old wire insulation, hence the higher temp.

-Steve

My station is pretty much locked in at 725F. Two schools of thought there, but I find that the higher temps limit the contact time with the sensitive bits. A colder iron is just asking for trouble sometimes.

Also worth noting - recovery time. Depending on how much work you're doing, that can make a big difference. In any case, you should always allow the tip to get back to temp after soldering a connection, as contact with the cold parts can drop that a LOT, and you don't want to spend too much time twiddling your thumbs ... unless you're really good at that and wish to stay in practice. Another plus for a dedicated station - the light comes on when it's ready, and that's almost instantaneous.

 

[rothwellaudio]

In my opinion, learning to solder (and desolder) neatly is a useful skill but in itself is nowhere enough. It's like a mechanic learning to operate a spanner - so what? Knowing which nuts to use the spanner on and why is where the real skill and knowledge lie.
I agree that reading that RCA tube manual is a good start. I also recommend almost anything written by Norman Crowhurst.