Tutorial: Soldering Iron Tip Maintenance

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[drupal=622]Tutorial: Soldering Iron Tip Maintenance[/drupal]

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By Charles Gantt( Oneslowz28 )

Before, during, and after every soldering session, a little bit of routine maintenance can make all the difference between an easy, straightforward session with your iron, or a long, involved period of fluent bad language when things keep going just that bit wrong. Read on for more information on what you can do to maximize your chances of success when playing with molten metal...More

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Thanks for such a clear tutorial. I've been doing most of this but have been forgetting to tin the tip after cleaning, good to have a reminder.

nice write up! how about some info on using the acid cleaners like the little tin that you can get from the shack?

The acid tip tinners like they sell at The Shack for $10 are great for quick cleaning but I find that people use them way more than they should which results in short tip lifespan. I have one and in the 4 years I have had it I think I have used it 8 times. I only use it when the tip is very far gone or I bump some plastic with it. It's also great for those times when you are in mid build and no amount of wiping will allow you to tin tip. Using them you do not have to wait on the iron to cool. But again that convenience comes at a cost.

If you do buy one remember that is made from a very acidic flux and tiny solder balls. It will eat your tip away if you use it very often.

cool thanks! I have one but never used it, just wondering the proper way, thanks!

Good work! My soldering iron tips look like a dog chewed them. :)

Nice work!

Is it better to have the iron hot or cold when cleaning using the methods presented?

all the methods in the tutorial need to be done with a hot iron.

That is correct. The iron needs to be hot for all the steps performed in this tutorial. If you have some stubborn oxidation that these methods will not remove and you have even tried the acid cleaner method with no avail, you can let the iron cool and use a razor blade to scrape some of the toughest oxidation off.

If all else fails, as a last resort you can remove the soldering irons tip and chuck it into your drill and use some 400 grit wet sandpaper to remove all of the oxidation. Then use 600, 800, and finally 1200 grit wet sandpaper to bring the tip to a bright finish. Then tin the whole area that was sanded with fresh solder.

or you can go to the shack and buy a replacement tip for a few $ as well, I've got a spare one for mine sitting around just in case

Yea if you use the < $50 irons from the Shack, they sell the replacement tips for a few bucks. You can get a deal also by searching on ebay. I won 25 tips for my iron last year for like $7 shipped.

this is what i use. unfortunately, tips are not available at the shack, nor are they cheap, so maintenance is a must. i use a different tip than the one shown in the picture.

I've always done it with a hot iron, but the article didn't specify, so I figured I would get a clarification.

I apologize for that mistake. I will add it in the tutorial later today.

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