Look into using a 'soldering pot'.  This is little more than a shallow
cast iron pot two to eight inches across, round or square, with an
electric heater.  They're available from industrial equipment suppliers,
US prices range from $82 to more than $750 without temperature control.
A cheap lamp dimmer works fine for temp control.

Fill with 63% tin + 37% lead bar solder and adjust the temperature to
the point where newspaper just turns tan when touched to the surface.
(Remember Bradbury's 'Fahrenhiet 451'?) The solder surface should always
be shiney like a pool of mercury, too hot and the solder oxidizes
rapidly forming a dull scum called dross.  If the solder level is up to
the pot's brim you can remove the dross by sweeping the surface with a
straight edged piece of newspaper (checks the temp, too).

Put liquid flux, I prefer rosin type, into a shallow pan, wet the bottom
of the stuffed pcb in it and then contact the pcb bottom to the surface
of the solder.  Don't hold the pcb in contact with the solder for more
than five seconds, two to three is best.  Remove the pcb and hold it
still for a few seconds letting the solder solidify.  You'll need to
make your own pcb holding tool, I use a cheap 'U' shaped aluminum IC
extractor bent to span the pcb edges.

73 de WA0ZNL

Kevin Harris & Alison Smith wrote:
>
> Does any one have any comments on Do it Yourself Wave Soldering.
> I am using through hole components with single side boards with solder mask.
> It would be great if it was possible to speed up the soldering in some way
> as the Soldering iron tends to be a bit slow (and tedious)
>
> All the best
>
> Kevin Harris