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Soldering questions

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I think you must have a soldering iron fairy AG, that keeps your iron nice when you are not looking :D
 
I think you must have a soldering iron fairy AG, that keeps your iron nice when you are not looking :D
A moment ago I looked at the cold tip of my soldering iron and it has dried rosin on it. When it heats then I will use my "fairy" to clean it:
One quick wipe on my damp grooved sponge before making my next solder joint.

The tip is a few years old and is used almost every day. It came tinned from the factory and I have never needed to re-tin it.
 
Well, all I can say is good for you mate. Not only can you explain decibels really well, you are the king of clean soldering irons. We can all learn from you :)
 
A moment ago I looked at the cold tip of my soldering iron and it has dried rosin on it. When it heats then I will use my "fairy" to clean it:
One quick wipe on my damp grooved sponge before making my next solder joint.

The tip is a few years old and is used almost every day. It came tinned from the factory and I have never needed to re-tin it.

I always tin my tip. Before I use it. But wait...

Maybe...just maybe...I am using the wrong terms here :wideyed:

When I say "tin my tip" I literally mean taking fresh solder and applying it to my hot iron's...iron coated temperature controlled tip.
To make it useable and workable again after it has battled with foreign solders/stuff doing repairs on nasty Ching solder mixtures.

One pass and shake it..add some more fresh solder again..wipe it on the wet sponge (part of the station)....inspect.

Still not shiny?? = add more solder to the tip again. Let a blob of solder sit there and happily coat...tin? the tip again.

Wipe again on the nice wet sponge and repeat over and over until all the gunk is gone. And the tip is shiny once again.

That is my understanding of "tinning a tip". I could be wrong.

Regards,
tvtech
 
You know what? The tip of my soldering iron "accidently" gets re-tined when I tin the twisted together strands of stranded wire.

I used a propane torch, a tub of flux and lead-free solder to replace the water taps at my son's house. I never soldered copper water pipes before but they work perfectly and look perfect.

I got my bathroom renovated with an acrylic tub and walls. The real plumbers made a mess of soldering the taps and shower head because the joints leaked water 3 times, the 4th time they were soldered it doesn't leak anymore. I am not a plumber but I should have soldered them myself. Then they sent a handyman to repair the damaged ceiling underneath. Never mind.
 
You know what? The tip of my soldering iron "accidently" gets re-tined when I tin the twisted together strands of stranded wire.

I used a propane torch, a tub of flux and lead-free solder to replace the water taps at my son's house. I never soldered copper water pipes before but they work perfectly and look perfect.

I got my bathroom renovated with an acrylic tub and walls. The real plumbers made a mess of soldering the taps and shower head because the joints leaked water 3 times, the 4th time they were soldered it doesn't leak anymore. I am not a plumber but I should have soldered them myself. Then they sent a handyman to repair the damaged ceiling underneath. Never mind.

Hi AG

It does not matter. I/we all know when you talk about things. You know your stuff. And the whole Internet loves you too. A living legend.
Think about that. A living legend.

Anyway, me being me, just had to talk about the soldering stuff. To get our facts right. So people can learn and that.

Is that OK with you??

Regards,
tvtech
 
I guess it all depends on how your taught. I went to a friend's house and help him change a water heater. I let him watch and do a fair number of joints. The "tricky" ones I did. By "tricky", I mean they would be hard to re-do, so it would be better doing them the first time.

He did a long install for a washer by himself and no leaks. I'm sure there was more to replace. Some of his original pipes, not the joints had pinhole leaks.

I soldered pipe like my father taught me. Tin both fittings. Then I learned from a machine shop guy. No tinning. Flux and cleaning is important. You do need to be able to do both ways.

AG: I have four, possibly five shut-off vales to replace with ball valves yet to do. Some have double shut-offs now. I hate toilet valves. One rats nest has a single ball valve for hot and one for cold. The washer, laundry sink and outside faucet have to go off together. Outside faucet can be shut off alone. I put in a "cute" little drain though. I "silver soldered" a pipe to the drain cap on the shut-off valve, and placed a valve and tube into the sink. Draining for the winter is a snap, now.
 
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