Soldering iron, you're FIRED!

[mstechca]

Well, lets face it, my soldering iron has significantly degraded in quality.

It is over 3 years old, and I have a problem. I think one of you guys were against sanding the circuit board before soldering it. I sanded it, because I wanted a fast way to remove the etch-resist after etching, so I used sandpaper.

But that didn't make my big problem now, because solder could always flow through properly.

But now, my problem is big. I tried replacing the tip, and grinding the old tip, and I get no success. I'll be lucky if I touch the solder and after 20 seconds of holding the tip on the solder, the solder melts. The solder melts faster after I grind the tip. I also notice that within 20 seconds after the tip is grinded, I have a blackish tip.

I can't remember if my iron is a 30 or 45W one, but I think I need to upgrade to a 45W.

I have a gut feeling an iron replacement is necessary.

 

[bloody-orc]

i'm sorry if this is too hard for you but i must say: "You are an idiote!".
as your soldering iron is/was 3 years old then this means it has good tips. and you never(i mean NEVER) grind them. hey have a wery good resistant shealding on the tip and when you grind that away then youd tip wont heat up, wont take solder and burn out wery fast (and may take your iron with him).

 

[evandude]

First off, I don't know exactly what etch resist you're using, but generally using a solvent is a much easier way to remove resist... For toner transfer, I use lacquer thinner. Sanding just seems like an easy way to weaken the traces more than necessary, not to mention it's a lot more labor-intensive than simply wiping the board a few times with a paper towel with some solvent on it.

I once tried grinding the tip of a soldering iron in my early electronics days, because it was a very cheap iron and I wanted to try and make a finer tip... turns out that for mine at least, the center was copper, and it the outside was a shell of some other metal, sort of like a jacketed bullet or something... anyway, soon after I ground away enough that the center was exposed, it started corroding really bad and within a few days of use the center part was eroded quite bad, leaving nothing but the thin metal shell on the outside.

moral of the story, as you learned: don't screw with your soldering iron tips.

if you really need a better soldering iron, buy a decent temperature-controlled station, there's no substitute... are you really planning to use a 45W non-temperature-controlled iron for normal soldering on PCB's?? the only time I use an iron that big is when I need to solder wire as heavy as a coathanger or something :lol:

 

[mramos1]

You are doing something wrong, or it is a bad iron.

I have 2 weller irons that are 20-25 year old. Still the same tips, now I only use them 4-5 times a month, but still..

Do you tin and clean the tip when you are done with them? I recommend weller, as I can not seem to kill these two.

(I saw Nigel bought a new one and went to their website today).. hehehe.
You can never have too many soldering irons.

 

[hyedenny]

LOL

 

[chemelec]

Well, lets face it, my soldering iron has significantly degraded in quality.

It is over 3 years old, and I have a problem. I think one of you guys were against sanding the circuit board before soldering it. I sanded it, because I wanted a fast way to remove the etch-resist after etching, so I used sandpaper.

My Iron is over 30 years old. Usually replace the tip once every year or so and I solder Every Day.
Solvent usually Works Good.
Steel Wool or an SOS Pad, Than RINCE Well in Warm water, is good.
But NEVER SAND IT.

But that didn't make my big problem now, because solder could always flow through properly.

But now, my problem is big. I tried replacing the tip, and grinding the old tip, and I get no success. I'll be lucky if I touch the solder and after 20 seconds of holding the tip on the solder, the solder melts. The solder melts faster after I grind the tip. I also notice that within 20 seconds after the tip is grinded, I have a blackish tip.

Most Tips are Carbon Core with a Steel Plating. Removing that Steel and your tip is USELESS.

I can't remember if my iron is a 30 or 45W one, but I think I need to upgrade to a 45W.

30 Watts is good. 45 Watts may be Too Much for you on smaller traces.
Unless your Really good at Soldering. And it Doesn't sound like it.

Now: Since your in Canada, So am I.
So if you want more good advice, Email or Phone me.
My Website gives my phone number.
I have a gut feeling an iron replacement is necessary.

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

Most Tips are Carbon Core with a Steel Plating. Removing that Steel and your tip is USELESS.

Don't you mean COPPER with a steel plating?.

 

[Oznog]

The Weller tips are nickel-plated if I recall correctly. I believe the core is iron. There may be a passivation layer of copper plating between the iron and nickle.

 

[Gorgon]

Well, lets face it, my soldering iron has significantly degraded in quality.

Hi,
Try the tip activator described here, it makes wonder with a old tip.
There are more tips on solder irons too

https://www.electro-tech-online.com/custompdfs/2006/04/weller.pdf

TOK

 

[chemelec]

Most Tips are Carbon Core with a Steel Plating. Removing that Steel and your tip is USELESS.

Don't you mean COPPER with a steel plating?.

Some are, but the ones I have for my OLD, "Ungar Soldering Station" Are Carbon Core.

And Yes, Some are Nickel Plated, Mine say there "Iron Clad".

Either way, Filing them is a NO NO.

 

[mramos1]

I feel better knowing chemelec has an older soldering iron than I have. I left the post and said to myself... I just told them how old I was...

Nigel's (I think it was he) new iron has made me think I need a fathers day gift.

 

[akg]

I have a gut feeling an iron replacement is necessary.

then what about a 'coldheat' soldering iron.?

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

I have a gut feeling an iron replacement is necessary.

then what about a 'coldheat' soldering iron.?

Useless piece of junk! - see the previous threads!.

 

[mstechca]

I took it upon myself to purchase steel wool, and rub my entire soldering iron with it, and it seems to be working better now.

 

[mramos1]

I too bought the cold heat. Returned it the next day. Junk for sure. Tip to wide, part of it broke off as well.

 

[RadioRon]

Just to chime in with my experience. I have a Weller WTCPL that I bought new sometime around 1977 and it still works perfectly. I also have a Weller DEC1001 dual station using pencils EC1201A and EC1302B that is about 8 years old and still works well (with minor complaints about the EC1302B). The key to any soldering iron is to keep the tip in good condition and properly wetted during use. If the heating element fails, you usually get no heat at all, so if its getting hot to touch, all your problems are in poor tip maintenance. Sanding or filing the tip is an absolute no-no that pretty much ruins it permanently. If your tip is the type where you can't replace the tip separately from the rest of the iron, then it may be toast. If you can replace the tip, do it and then learn a bit more about how to maintain the tip.

I regularly wipe my tip using a wet sponge, and have in the past also used one of those Hakko 599 brass fibre pads (like steel wool only made of brass) but I've found that using this brass pad is too abrasive so I don't use it much anymore. I also occasionally clean with Kester Tip Tinner which is paste in a tiny little can that you push the hot tip into. Its a bit like flux that leaves your tip shiny and bright. This Tip Tinner is quite useful.

So, don't fire your soldering iron, just fire the user! Ha ha.