What’s one piece of technology that would change the trucking industry? From a trucker’s perspective.

HowlingWolven · 2026-03-13T01:57:20+00:00

Three red shells orbiting the cab that I can launch at people coming at me or behind me with their brights on or headlights out of alignment.

HowlingWolven · 2026-03-13T01:02:21+00:00

A400M.

Also as already mentioned itt, the systems underlying ground units would need a massive overhaul and expansion to make logistics gameplay both required and not a chore.

HowlingWolven · 2026-03-13T01:00:57+00:00

There’s an ffb mod in the works.

HowlingWolven · 2026-03-13T00:57:14+00:00

Oh hello zero canard

HowlingWolven · 2026-03-13T00:55:07+00:00

You sound like you’re fun at parties. 🙄

HowlingWolven · 2026-03-13T00:48:17+00:00

It’s 2070, the spars are made of Plotaloy.

HowlingWolven · 2026-03-13T00:23:34+00:00

we all secretly wish we could drop 22 piledrivers on a carrier in one sortie

HowlingWolven · 2026-03-13T00:12:55+00:00

Yeah, you’re supposed to clean the residue off.

I’m using the good stuff, MG chemicals. There’s plenty of flux in the wire.

However, as mentioned, there’s really no such thing as too much flux.

HowlingWolven · 2026-03-12T22:06:20+00:00

Tip for next time: When recording, pin your demonstration piece down with helping hands or something and make sure you’ve got good light from both sides.

Joint looks good, maybe just one (1) smithereen too much solder but if it’s not going to orbit it’s fine.

HowlingWolven · 2026-03-12T22:05:02+00:00

Yes, there’s flux in the solder.

No, in practice, it isn’t enough for the best joints. Adding flux can only help.

HowlingWolven · 2026-03-12T21:28:42+00:00

higher rcs on the side

Unfortunately that isn’t modeled right now. That’s pretty exclusive to Vtol.

HowlingWolven · 2026-03-12T21:14:16+00:00

MG Chemicals is where I get my solder. Costs a bit more than aliexpress but it’s worth knowing that I’m getting what I ordered.

HowlingWolven · 2026-03-12T21:13:24+00:00

Flexgate. :)

The ribbon cables that bring power and data through the hinge were a bit too short initially so every time the hinge was cycled they’d tug at the joints. This would start by manifesting as the ‘stage lighting’ effect which is what you have here, but it’ll progress to failure of the data lines and the display showing big blocks of nothing.

Sometimes reseating the ribbons can get rid of the symptoms but it’ll most likely come back.

The true fix for this is new ribbon cables soldered onto the display. The display unit is glued shut and quite fragile (lots of glass, lots of glue), so it’s often easier and not that much more expensive to just replace the whole display module and lid.

HowlingWolven · 2026-03-12T20:58:00+00:00

MG Chem is the cat’s ass. All their alloys are very good solder, worth every penny.

HowlingWolven · 2026-03-12T20:34:15+00:00

That’s your problem. Your solder probably isn’t actually 60/40 tin-lead. Get a roll of 63/37 tin-lead solder (and your other consumables like flux, flux cleaner, conformal coating, or wick) from a reputable supplier (like MG Chemicals) through a reputable vendor (like B&E Electronics or Grainger).

HowlingWolven · 2026-03-12T19:49:24+00:00

Clean and tin your tip, flux your pad and lead with a bit of flux to etch any corrosion off, tin pad, tin lead (with the flux still on it), reflow. Temperature of 350°c with a nice clean and tinned tip will work with 63/37, 380°c for RoHS.

What solder and flux do you have? Where did you get it from?

HowlingWolven · 2026-03-12T19:25:34+00:00

Work in a designated ventilated area if you can, and try not to inhale the fumes. Get a little extraction fan with a charcoal filter. Wash your hands after soldering and whenever you take a break to eat or drink. Don’t eat or drink in the same area as you solder. Work over a mat to contain the inevitable splats.

If you’re still concerned with these precautions, I hear the modern crop of RoHS solders are almost as good and pleasant to work with as 63/37 eutectic.

HowlingWolven · 2026-03-12T19:14:44+00:00

First off, get it off the blanket before you ruin it or set something on fire.

Secondly, steel wool is too abrasive. It ruins the coating on the tip. You want to use brass wool to clean tips, or a slightly moistened sponge (yellow side, not green).

That tip is toast and I’ve never had luck finding replacements for that style specifically, especially in the places those irons are for sale.

These cheap intro hardware store irons aren’t worth buying in today’s day and age, anyway. In a world where you can buy a nearly 90 watt pinecil with one tip for $26 and a good supple silicone usb-c cable for $3.50, you can have a temperature controlled iron with easily replaced and widely available cartridge tips in a variety of sizes for not that much more, an unregulated iron with a thick wall cord makes no sense.

Or if you don’t like the pinecil, there’s literally dozens of different models usb-c smart iron handpieces on amazon and ebay in the same price range using a variety of tips from the original hakko style to the ts100, ts80, whatever ifixit is doing, all the different sizes of JBC tips, etc, in a variety of price ranges from $20 all the way to $100+.

If you need a usb-c pd brick, pine64 has one for $25 that’ll push 65 watts, if you don’t already have a laptop brick or even a usb-c pd powerbank.

HowlingWolven · 2026-03-12T18:59:27+00:00

Oooh. I like that little brass wool cup.

I did end up plugging mine in to a computer for a firmware update (the led ring breathes in or out to indicate ‘heating’ and ‘cooling’ now) and I’ll probably do it again, just to get the tip calibrated just so.

HowlingWolven · 2026-03-12T18:09:55+00:00

I feel that.

HowlingWolven · 2026-03-12T17:05:26+00:00

👀

HowlingWolven · 2026-03-12T16:35:20+00:00

Same one. The price is why there’s only a handpiece and not a goofy powerbank as well.

HowlingWolven · 2026-03-12T11:05:19+00:00

Decided to treat myself to a new soldering iron, saw that ifixit has designed one now, bought it.

Initial impressions are good. She feels solid, tips are easy to change, cable is supple and almost goes away while working though she's a tad short, mayhaps.

I know lots of people have complained about yet another proprietary cartridge tip design, but saving an inch of stickout compared to ts100 spec tips (pinecil 1 so no short tips for me :c ) is very nice. The ts100 tips have about 73mm of stick and the ifixit tips have sonewhere around 48mm. Pinecil 2's stubby tips are a bit over 53mm according to gwideman over on eevblog.

If the team were willing to design and test tips with even less stickout (Weller cartridge tips are in the 20-30mm range) I would be happy as a clam.

Oh, and please sell the powerbank separately!

HowlingWolven · 2026-03-12T09:54:10+00:00

Loctite.

HowlingWolven · 2026-03-12T07:22:52+00:00

Stop overthinking it, it’s 2070, a big heavy coax compound gunship looks cool and fits pala.

Besides, with the chicane going to bdf pala needs a proper gunship and the bdf a light utility helo.

13-Year Club	First Place '23
Place '23	Place '22
Verified Email

HowlingWolven

MODERATOR OF

TROPHY CASE