soldering tip

[360freak]

whenever it starts to get dirty at all, it wont melt the solder, which makes doing stuff a pain in the ass since i have to position the soldering iron in odd ways. i dont know how to go about cleaning it without purchasing expensive stuff. is there anything i can do with just stuff around the house, or is there just an easy way to clean it?

 

[thejunkmonger]

whenever it starts to get dirty at all, it wont melt the solder, which makes doing stuff a pain in the ass since i have to position the soldering iron in odd ways. i dont know how to go about cleaning it without purchasing expensive stuff. is there anything i can do with just stuff around the house, or is there just an easy way to clean it?

do you know those gold colored scouring pads that replaced steel wool because they don't rust? Just get one of those and keep it near your soldering iron and plunk the tip in there to clean it up. While it's on.

 

[SenKat_Stonetek]

Get a small piece of regular sponge. Wet the sponge. While the soldering iron is on - rub it on the wet sponge....that hissing sound you hear (other than evaporating the water in the sponge) means you are cleaning the tip you can also pick up a little bucket of tip cleaner at Radio Shack...most carry it - but the sponge works wonders ! A lot of the combination soldering iron and stands come witha small square of sponge expressly for that purpose.

 

[360freak]

Oh i was got kind of scared when I tried the sponge when i was sizzling the water. ok cool. oh and any ideas for a stand? i lost mine that came with the iron. its not like a gun shape or anything, its just straight. this is what i have:

http://www.radioshack.com/product/i...r=1&origkw=solder&kw=solder&parentPage=search

 

[SenKat_Stonetek]

Oh i was got kind of scared when I tried the sponge when i was sizzling the water. ok cool. oh and any ideas for a stand? i lost mine that came with the iron. its not like a gun shape or anything, its just straight. this is what i have:

http://www.radioshack.com/product/i...r=1&origkw=solder&kw=solder&parentPage=search

They sell a combo stand/sponge thingie there Would be perfect, I think it is close to $10-$15.00 at max

 

[rog8811]

I think health and safety legislation has struck again I have been looking for one of the holders with the wire loop at the top where you hang the iron, which allows you to tin wires without holding the iron.

All I can find are the spring ones like this http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/SOLDERING-IRO...yZ106001QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem which shroud the hot tip so that you don't burn yourself....Grrrrrrrrrrr

Regards rog8811

 

[SenKat_Stonetek]

Oh ! THAT would be kinda cool - although I use the "helping hands" to hold everything whilst I hold the iron...never really thought of it the other way around !

 

[rog8811]

I have even searched google images without finding one.....
...so I have done a drawing of what used to be commonplace in electronics lab's but now it seems are on a par with hens teeth.... :-[

Regards rog8811

 

[thejunkmonger]

I have even searched google images without finding one.....
...so I have done a drawing of what used to be commonplace in electronics lab's but now it seems are on a par with hens teeth.... :-[
Regards rog8811

I know those Rog burnt my arm many a time on one of those, my soldering station has the coil too now, who would have known you couldn't find the old style stands anymore. I also forgot how handy they were. Guess we need to do a remake of one.

 

[rog8811]

I know those Rog burnt my arm many a time on one of those

As I work alongside my bench vice I just hang it between the jaws, it is nowhere near as handy as the old stands....  And yes I have burned myself whilst using one in the past but I survived. I can see me making one eventually.

Regards rog8811

 

[thejunkmonger]

I know those Rog burnt my arm many a time on one of those

As I work alongside my bench vice I just hang it between the jaws, it is nowhere near as handy as the old stands....  And yes I have burned myself whilst using one in the past but I survived. I can see me making one eventually.

Regards rog8811

I actually use two soldering irons at once, one is the cold heat one I got that just sits hanging over the edge of the bench always on, I use that to tin the leads, then I solder with the ordinary temp regulated station. That cold heat one goes through batteries fast though. Pretty neat iron none the less. http://www.coldheat.com/NR/store/index.cfm?action=cat.prodInfo&productID=81

 

[Kenom]

I've posted many times the holder I use as it's a combination helping hands holder, cleaner.

and if needs be I can put the soldering iron in the copper one to the right and it holds it very well. There isn't plastic on it from the copper transferring the heat but it works very well.

 

[Bionic-Badger]

Holy hell, just buy something better. Don't waste your time polishing a turd. That thing is like a heated nail, not a soldering iron. The fact that it was sold as a "complete" solution, but didn't even come with a sponge--an essential to soldering--shows just how crap that thing is. I'm not being a electronics snob either. I've had that soldering iron before and it's a piece of shit.

You can get decent soldering irons for $10 at local electronic stores (NOT Radioshack), which feature actual soldering tips. Weller is a good brand, but basic soldering irons, with REAL tips can be generic brands and be good. Just don't settle for the garbage Radiodump panders to unsuspecting hobbiests.

Stands will run you $7 or something; I've seen them at Amazon.com for that price. Get a spring stand so you can just toss the iron in there without worrying about knocking it off. They also have a spot for the sponge, which is really useful--no, essential. A clean tip is very important for good soldering, and enables you to blob solder on the tip of your soldering iron so it doesn't oxidize and stop melting solder (like your heated nail suffered). Then you can leave it alone on the stand while you do other things without worrying that your soldering iron is dying. Wipe it off on the sponge and you're ready to go.

 

[JLSE]

A good tip is coated, if you remove this coating things become difficult. When you solder wipe the tip before you place the iron down, or back in its stand after each use. If you do this every time your tip will last ages.
Not only does this benifit the tip but doing this and then tinning just befor you solder will aid in faster soldering and less heat into the component your soldering.

As for the sponges, do not use nylon dollar store stuff. Go to your local drug store (larger chains are best) and get the rock hard yellow round sponges used by women for facials. You get approx 10 per pack at pennies each

Joe

 

[laser_freak]

[
I actually use two soldering irons at once, one is the cold heat one I got that just sits hanging over the edge of the bench always on, I use that to tin the leads, then I solder with the ordinary temp regulated station. That cold heat one goes through batteries fast though. Pretty neat iron none the less. http://www.coldheat.com/NR/store/index.cfm?action=cat.prodInfo&productID=81

eeek! You should never use the cold heat soldering iron on LDs! (or any electronics for that matter) because it works by using an electric current. This can easily damage stuff.

oh, and btw, I use this adjustable soldering iron.. It works really well

 

[danq]

as for a wire stand that exposes the tip:

anybody who can solder can bend a coathanger into a spiral with legs and all kinds of other very sophisticated constructs like that ;-)... and perhaps even solder pieces therefrom to attach a little holder for a sponge dish - right?