Soldering Broken Motor Connector & Shimming; DIY or send to a proper tech?

[Smokes]

I'm at my wits end here, it just seems like one set back after another with this project. I got a new mock suppressor for my CTAC M4 and I was like "Hurr Imma slap this puppy together to admire it before ripping it apart again to shim it this weekend" (As I already had the upper and lower in pieces from a previous shimming attempt). In the process I end up bending the negative motor connector and it breaks of course, and I have never soldered before while the only iron I have without buying a new one is a big 120w/120v Weller chisel soldering iron my mom uses for stained glass artwork. My noob question of the day is, should I tough it out and continue working on this stubborn mule of a piece of aluminum and polymer (as well; should I get a proper pencil style soldering iron or just use an edge of the chisel iron, either way if I continue myself I'll need to buy some actual electrical purpose solder) or should I just say f*** it and send it to a local technician? May seem like a personal question but I'm really on the fence about which action I should take, keep it clean. :banghead:

[crent]

send it out and get someone who solders alot to do it. with that big soldering gun it is very easy to overheat the wire and insulation. plus the solder your mother uses is not the correct type for electrical soldering.

[666]

I have to agree with crent, your mom's solder will destroy 16/18 AWG wire very fast. Hand your AEG to someone who's got proper skills and equipment, airsoft tech or maybe a friend who works with electronics, people like that will have appropriate soldier. Or you can buy proper soldering kit and try it out if you are handy with small tools/fixing small things.

[dmitril]

DIY, there is nothing difficult about soldering something huge like an aeg motor connector even with an overly powerful iron. I do assume its only the wire thats broken off and the actual pad is still there, if not you might want to think of ways to attach a new pad, soldering might not be the best option in this case.

Edit: Do use common sense, 120W can overheat if you let it, but assuming you keep checking and make sure to start soldering just as it melts solder then you'll be done before you need to worry.

[ccyg8774]

Soldering is not that hard, if you understand what you are trying to do. It is supposed to be quick, 120W soldering iron won't be a problem if the soldering will be done quickly.
But since you are totally new to soldering, it generally takes longer to solder a piece on your initial runs, and the heat of soldering iron may cause damage to plastic parts nearby in this time, especially if the soldering iron is too powerful.
25-40W is a more reasonable power range for this type of work. 120W is too much.
By "bending the negative motor connector" do you mean the male connector on your motor or the female connector on the end of the wire that goes to the motor?

[Smokes]

Originally Posted by ccyg8774

Soldering is not that hard, if you understand what you are trying to do. It is supposed to be quick, 120W soldering iron won't be a problem if the soldering will be done quickly.
But since you are totally new to soldering, it generally takes longer to solder a piece on your initial runs, and the heat of soldering iron may cause damage to plastic parts nearby in this time, especially if the soldering iron is too powerful.
25-40W is a more reasonable power range for this type of work. 120W is too much.
By "bending the negative motor connector" do you mean the male connector on your motor or the female connector on the end of the wire that goes to the motor?

The female connector on the wire and it snapped right at the fulcrum point if I can even call it that. Basically where it would make it's 90 degree angle, if that makes any sense.

[Kokanee]

40w or go home, 20-25w is too weak to be of use.

[ccyg8774]

Originally Posted by Smokes

The female connector on the wire and it snapped right at the fulcrum point if I can even call it that. Basically where it would make it's 90 degree angle, if that makes any sense.

Do you have a new connector to replace that?

[Smokes]

Originally Posted by ccyg8774

Do you have a new connector to replace that?

No, I don't actually. Either way I went ahead with the probable better judgement of the situation and reached out to a tech in Mississauga. He goes by the handle HKGhost on ASC, anyone ever hear any complaints of his services?

Edit: If it seems like I'm vetting him, it's exactly that.

[Hectic]

he is reputable.
But what you want to do is just buy some motor connectors. They crimp on no soldering. They are a few bucks. Airsoftparts.ca should have em, airsoftstore too. Its an easy fix. Cut off the old one, strip a bit of the wire and crimp it in with some pliers. Heat up the newheat shrink with a blow dryer or carefully with a lighter. Done! Good luck
edit:http://www.airsoftparts.ca/store2/in...oducts_id=1748
There ya go. Two 90° two 180° and heat srink. 4.50

[Smokes]

Originally Posted by Hectic

he is reputable.
But what you want to do is just buy some motor connectors. They crimp on no soldering. They are a few bucks. Airsoftparts.ca should have em, airsoftstore too. Its an easy fix. Cut off the old one, strip a bit of the wire and crimp it in with some pliers. Heat up the newheat shrink with a blow dryer or carefully with a lighter. Done! Good luck
edit:http://www.airsoftparts.ca/store2/in...oducts_id=1748
There ya go. Two 90° two 180° and heat srink. 4.50

Well blow me down. I'll have to pick a few up for future endeavors/rainy days, I'm still going to sent it off to let someone who knows what they're doing to set me up proper. And thanks for answering my question about the tech, it's appreciated. I've sunk enough money into this CTAC, I'm done fiddling and I just want to get my monies worth by actually playing with it in a game. And in hindsight I shouldn't have gotten such an expensive/high end AEG for my first high performance airsoft gun & first project build but live & learn and all that. With all that said at least now I have a decent enough background in V2 gearboxes/the AR platform as a whole that I feel confident in doing some maintenance work on it down the road. Gotta keep that stick on the ice & look at the positives of this ordeal.