Next PMZZ meeting April 16th. Check PMZZ for details.

Michael,

Sorry to hear that you have a prior committment and will miss this PMZZ. Good luck on the other endeavor. We'll miss you.

Bob
Magic By Sander

I'll be there in spirit rather than body. Catch you guys the next go around.

~michael

Michael,

Lucy and I had a fine show to a jam packed theater crowd at the Performing Arts Center Friday night. The band was from Bessemer. I expect you know them. They were perfect!

Saturday and Sunday are Nashville.

Hope things go well for The Raven.

Bob and Lucy Sanders
Magic By Sander

It was a great time at the Tabman's. Info over at the PMZZ message base

http://www.pmzz.org/messages

This was the best PMZZ meeting ever!

Bob

Keep rubbing it in guys...

Where's the salt?

Bob
The Amazed Wiz

I was using it with the tequila and the lime.

Michael,

I understand that we will have two months of opportunities in Rocket City. Lucy is living in fear of the auction now! Some magicians use Pop-up Tie. My problem is Pop-up Hand.

Bob
Magic By Sander

Please check out my suggestion for the floating chair and routine. (It was put into our secret projects file up on the river.) I used the chair suspension in the rodeo arena as a rodeo clown skit back in the early 60s. This would put them together on stage. (And I don’t have to fight mad bulls afterwards!)
Posted: May 1, 2005 10:39pm

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Is there any hard news yet on the Anatomy of Magic in Atlanta being cancelled?

Bob

You might be able to pick up something here:

http://www.themagiccafe.com/forums/viewt......1&14

~michael

Thanks Michael!

Bob
Magic By Sander

Question: I have a few things to solder (various), that are larger than typical electronics work, but too small to use a standard propane torch on. Is it better to use a smaller torch or a larger soldering gun?

Part of the problem is with multiple joints on the same item. Successive joints, when heated up, allow the previous to break loose.

I need suggestions, please.

~michael

Use a heat sink to divert the heat. I use an alligator clip for that in most cases.

Ok, but what size and type of device is going to give the best results?

I have mastered producing the "cold" joint that ultimately breaks. Is that too much heat?

Bob
Magic By Sander

I don't know the physics behind this, but I have soldered some bad joints when the parts have been overheated. I always thought the flux was being burnt away. I have never heard the term "cold" joint. I really need some education on soldering.

~michael

Remember, heat, like current, follows the shortest path. Usually, I use a large aligator clip to dispuse the heat from a componet when I'm soldering electronics. (i.e a transistor or other device that would be destroyed by too much heat).

A cold solder join means a joint that hasn't been soldered correctly and will break easy. (too many times, this is a problem in the real world with the surface mounted componets and the wave soldering machine).

You can also use a pair of plyers as a heat sink. The bigger the heat sink, the more heat it will dispurse.

I've always been told that the shiny joints are the best joints. Is that true?

Bob

I have heard that, too. I have noticed that when (if) a joint breaks, it typically looks more like pewter.

Now, back to the original question: Is it better to use a smaller torch, or a bigger gun (iron)? Several things I would like to solder have multiple joints, which sometimes include long continuous runs. The largest soldering gun I have (which is too large for basic electronics) doesn't heat well enough to make good joints for structural soldering (the rest of the structure acts as a heat sink and pulls the heat away too fast). A propane torch (standard size) heats too much.

Think about a Die Box shell, as an example. There is a common corner where a couple solder runs come together, and very difficult to get a heat sink into the far corner.

The best I have been able to do is to constantly manuever little clamps around as I go. I was hoping there was a better method, or better clamps. I use tiny C-clamps and hemostats.

~michael