how do you clean your tip?

[Leonard G. Caillouet]

Nope. I use stainless steel. I just wiggle the iron on the way out and it
stays clean and tinned nicely. The tips last a long time.

Leonard

 

[BWL]

I have a portable iron I keep in my service case for in home work; it doesnt
have a "well" for a sponge, so I use a "wipe away", made by Fort Howard. Looks
like a really heavy duty paper towel, but it must be some kind of treated
paper, cause it doesn't burn when I wipe the tip with it; one will last me
about 6 months before it gets too cruddy looking.

 

[Ross Herbert]

On Fri, 27 Aug 2004 15:00:02 -0400, "Leonard G. Caillouet"

|OK, let me try again. What I meant was why would anyone pay $8.79 +
|shipping and have to have another item cluttering the bench when you can
|clean the tip just by putting it in the holder with the same thing available
|for $1.89 at any grocery store? I have often wondered when I see these
|items advertized why anyone would buy one.
|
|Leonard
|

There can be no accounting for taste or preference. Since that
particular item has been marketed throughout the world for many years
now it seems strange that if it were not selling then why would it
still be advertised? Someone must be buying it...

Where I live, Jaycar sell this item for AUD12.95 (USD9.19) with the
replacement "curly brass" insert for AUD3.95 (USD2.78). This means
that if you don't want the container simply buy the "curly brass"
insert and put it in your own container. I don't know what a stainless
pot scrubber costs here but it would probably be around the same price
as the "curly brass" insert.

Having said that, I still prefer to use my Hakko wet sponge. These
have served me well for nearly 30 years now and I have sufficient to
see me out for another 30 years.

Ross H

 

[Ross Herbert]

On 27 Aug 2004 12:49:10 GMT, [email protected] (John Del) wrote:

|>Subject: how do you clean your tip?
|>From: "Eric" [email protected]
|>Date: 8/26/04 6:47 PM
|>Message-id:
|
|
|>
|>Has anybody got a better way and maybe the tips last longer?
|>
|
|I don't use no stinking sponges!
|
|My wife has long ago stopped asking what the dark brown slash marks are near
|the right pocket of my pants. Fortunately, they do wash out.
|
|John


That's ok if you are not wearing pants with a synthetic content. I did
it on a new pair of work pants and the synthetic material simply
melted. Wife was not impressed....

 

[[email protected]]

"Eric" <[email protected]>On Fri, 27 Aug 2004

Most of us, because we were taught that way, use a wet sponge.

But the local university says, you should never use a wet sponge.



Has anybody got a better way and maybe the tips last longer?

a wet sponge serves several uses during the soldering process..

1-it helps to keep the tip of the hot iron clean by ..quickly..moving
the tip across the sponge surface..this simple act causes the
impurities to be rubbed off the tip..
2-it acts to temporarily reduce the tip temperature to prevent harmful
vapors to continue burning from the tip tremperature
3-it promotes clean and shiny solder connections..which help to
prevent contaminated solder joints..
4-the military and nasa..teach the use of a wet sponge in their
soldering methods
5-so does the IPC organization
and finally..it irritates the hell out of a university..when you don't
see things their way..but then..what could you possibly expect from a
"teaching?" organization

 

[Asimov]

"[email protected]" bravely wrote to "All" (28 Aug 04 04:07:54)
--- on the heady topic of "Re: how do you clean your tip?"

Why don't they make tips out of aluminum alloy? I shaped a small Al tip
to remove 8 pin ics and it seems to work fine without corroding at all.


al> From: [email protected]

al> "Eric" <[email protected]>On Fri, 27 Aug 2004

Most of us, because we were taught that way, use a wet sponge.

But the local university says, you should never use a wet sponge.



Has anybody got a better way and maybe the tips last longer?

a wet sponge serves several uses during the soldering process..

al> 1-it helps to keep the tip of the hot iron clean by ..quickly..moving
al> the tip across the sponge surface..this simple act causes the
al> impurities to be rubbed off the tip..
al> 2-it acts to temporarily reduce the tip temperature to prevent harmful
al> vapors to continue burning from the tip tremperature
al> 3-it promotes clean and shiny solder connections..which help to
al> prevent contaminated solder joints..
al> 4-the military and nasa..teach the use of a wet sponge in their
al> soldering methods
al> 5-so does the IPC organization
al> and finally..it irritates the hell out of a university..when you don't
al> see things their way..but then..what could you possibly expect from a
al> "teaching?" organization

.... [] <- Please write your complaint legibly in that box.

 

[Ross Herbert]

On Sunday, 29 Aug 2004 00:02:56 -500, "Asimov"

|"[email protected]" bravely wrote to "All" (28 Aug 04 04:07:54)
| --- on the heady topic of "Re: how do you clean your tip?"
|
|Why don't they make tips out of aluminum alloy? I shaped a small Al tip
|to remove 8 pin ics and it seems to work fine without corroding at all.
|
|

Aluminum (aluminium) oxidises very easily, even when not heated, and
you also need special flux and solder in order to "tin" (or rather
plate) the tip so that it can efficiently transfer heat to the solder
joint. I can't see this metal being at all useful for soldering tip
construction.

 

[Eric]

I must say, I was worried about this idea.
You need the solder to be able to "take to the tip" ever tried using a tip
that has gone all black, and will not "take the solder" useless as iron
turned off.

On Sunday, 29 Aug 2004 00:02:56 -500, "Asimov"

|"[email protected]" bravely wrote to "All" (28 Aug 04 04:07:54)
| --- on the heady topic of "Re: how do you clean your tip?"
|
|Why don't they make tips out of aluminum alloy? I shaped a small Al tip
|to remove 8 pin ics and it seems to work fine without corroding at all.
|
|

Aluminum (aluminium) oxidises very easily, even when not heated, and
you also need special flux and solder in order to "tin" (or rather
plate) the tip so that it can efficiently transfer heat to the solder
joint. I can't see this metal being at all useful for soldering tip
construction.

 

[John Miller]

Why don't they make tips out of aluminum alloy? I shaped a small Al tip
to remove 8 pin ics and it seems to work fine without corroding at all.

Because (practically speaking) you can't tin it.

--
John Miller
Email address: domain, n4vu.com; username, jsm

IN MY OPINION anyone interested in improving himself should not rule out
becoming pure energy.
-Jack Handley, The New Mexican, 1988.

 

[Orange]

Most of us, because we were taught that way, use a wet sponge.

But the local university says, you should never use a wet sponge.



Has anybody got a better way and maybe the tips last longer?

You mean solderin iron tip? I rarely clean it with that solder sucking
(copper?) wire. Its very good, though a bit expensive for cleaning.
And its probably best for desoldering.
BTW, I'm just an amateur..

 

[Asimov]

"Eric" bravely wrote to "All" (29 Aug 04 22:10:20)
--- on the heady topic of "Re: how do you clean your tip?"

It seems to work well that way in the experimenting I've done. It
certainly works well for the desoldering purpose I originally needed.
My thinking is the opposite of wetting, instead the aluminum alloy tip
stays dry and only serves to transfer heat to the work. Then the
solder/flux is applied to the work to absorb the solder and not the
tip. I don't know which Al alloy it is but the stock came from a
discarded ice-cube tray. I'm assuming this Al alloy has a good
non-stick surface characteristic. BTW I've seen Al tips but used on
wood burning kraft art kits.


Er> Reply-To: "Eric" <[email protected]>

Er> I must say, I was worried about this idea.
Er> You need the solder to be able to "take to the tip" ever tried using a
Er> tip that has gone all black, and will not "take the solder" useless as
Er> iron turned off.

Er> Er> On Sunday, 29 Aug 2004 00:02:56 -500, "Asimov"

Er> |"[email protected]" bravely wrote to "All" (28 Aug 04 04:07:54)
Er> | --- on the heady topic of "Re: how do you clean your tip?"
Er> |
Er> |Why don't they make tips out of aluminum alloy? I shaped a small Al
Er> tip |to remove 8 pin ics and it seems to work fine without corroding at
Er> all. |
Er> |

Er> Aluminum (aluminium) oxidises very easily, even when not heated, and
Er> you also need special flux and solder in order to "tin" (or rather
Er> plate) the tip so that it can efficiently transfer heat to the solder
Er> joint. I can't see this metal being at all useful for soldering tip
Er> construction.

.... I worked hard to attach the electrodes to it.

 

[PaPaPeng]

Most of us, because we were taught that way, use a wet sponge.

But the local university says, you should never use a wet sponge.



Has anybody got a better way and maybe the tips last longer?

I have a block of wood with a piece of suede leather glued to it. It
make a nice firm surface for me to remove excess solder as well as
clean off the oxide. This beats cleaning the tip on the lab coat or
trousers. Then there is the wet sponge of course.

 

[Eric]

There just could be a little difference between "desoldering" & "soldering"




"Eric" bravely wrote to "All" (29 Aug 04 22:10:20)
--- on the heady topic of "Re: how do you clean your tip?"

It seems to work well that way in the experimenting I've done. It
certainly works well for the desoldering purpose I originally needed.
My thinking is the opposite of wetting, instead the aluminum alloy tip
stays dry and only serves to transfer heat to the work. Then the
solder/flux is applied to the work to absorb the solder and not the
tip. I don't know which Al alloy it is but the stock came from a
discarded ice-cube tray. I'm assuming this Al alloy has a good
non-stick surface characteristic. BTW I've seen Al tips but used on
wood burning kraft art kits.


Er> Reply-To: "Eric" <[email protected]>

Er> I must say, I was worried about this idea.
Er> You need the solder to be able to "take to the tip" ever tried using a
Er> tip that has gone all black, and will not "take the solder" useless as
Er> iron turned off.

Er> Er> On Sunday, 29 Aug 2004 00:02:56 -500, "Asimov"

Er> |"[email protected]" bravely wrote to "All" (28 Aug 04 04:07:54)
Er> | --- on the heady topic of "Re: how do you clean your tip?"
Er> |
Er> |Why don't they make tips out of aluminum alloy? I shaped a small Al
Er> tip |to remove 8 pin ics and it seems to work fine without corroding at
Er> all. |
Er> |

Er> Aluminum (aluminium) oxidises very easily, even when not heated, and
Er> you also need special flux and solder in order to "tin" (or rather
Er> plate) the tip so that it can efficiently transfer heat to the solder
Er> joint. I can't see this metal being at all useful for soldering tip
Er> construction.

.... I worked hard to attach the electrodes to it.

 

[Mark Zenier]

"[email protected]" bravely wrote to "All" (28 Aug 04 04:07:54)
--- on the heady topic of "Re: how do you clean your tip?"

Why don't they make tips out of aluminum alloy? I shaped a small Al tip
to remove 8 pin ics and it seems to work fine without corroding at all.

Looking at the price of soldering iron cleaners, I decided to roll my
own so I got some small cellulose sponges and a small disposable aluminum
bread pan at the local hardware store. A little bit of work with the
scissors, and I'd figured I'd saved about 5 bucks over the thing at
the electronics store.

But after the first day there was some strange reaction between the
solder refuse, the aluminum pan, and the damp sponge that ate holes
right through the aluminum in one night.

The aluminum pan got replaced with a square glass votive candle holder
(looks like a cubical highball glass).

Mark Zenier [email protected] Washington State resident

 

[Jim Adney]

"Eric" bravely wrote to "All" (29 Aug 04 22:10:20)
--- on the heady topic of "Re: how do you clean your tip?"

It seems to work well that way in the experimenting I've done.

I'm surprised, but if you say that it has worked for you then I'll
just have to remain surprised.

In general, getting the solder to wet both the tip and the work is the
essential part of transferring heat to the work. Heat transfer without
wetting is much poorer and is quite often insufficient for the job.

-

 

[Asimov]

"Jim Adney" bravely wrote to "All" (29 Aug 04 21:16:28)
--- on the heady topic of "Re: how do you clean your tip?"

JA> From: Jim Adney <[email protected]>

JA> On Sunday, 29 Aug 2004 11:08:40 -500 "Asimov"

"Eric" bravely wrote to "All" (29 Aug 04 22:10:20)
--- on the heady topic of "Re: how do you clean your tip?"

It seems to work well that way in the experimenting I've done.

JA> I'm surprised, but if you say that it has worked for you then I'll
JA> just have to remain surprised.

JA> In general, getting the solder to wet both the tip and the work is the
JA> essential part of transferring heat to the work. Heat transfer without
JA> wetting is much poorer and is quite often insufficient for the job.

That is indeed what happens when a copper tip goes dry. The oxide film
seems to be a very effective barrier to the heat transfer. By
comparison, with Aluminum its oxide is only molecules thick and good
metal to metal heat transfer occurs at the slightest application of
pressure. From my experience, it did work well for desoldering but
I'll have to experiment soldering with a thick Al tip. Maybe a
slightly different method can be made workable, in contrast to the
usual soldering common sense of wetting the tip and the work.

A*s*i*m*o*v

.... I worked hard to attach the electrodes to it.

 

[Ross Herbert]

|On Sunday, 29 Aug 2004 11:08:40 -500 "Asimov"
|
|>"Eric" bravely wrote to "All" (29 Aug 04 22:10:20)
|> --- on the heady topic of "Re: how do you clean your tip?"
|>
|>It seems to work well that way in the experimenting I've done.
|
|I'm surprised, but if you say that it has worked for you then I'll
|just have to remain surprised.
|
|In general, getting the solder to wet both the tip and the work is the
|essential part of transferring heat to the work. Heat transfer without
|wetting is much poorer and is quite often insufficient for the job.
|

You are spot on with your assessment Jim..........

 

[Ross Herbert]

On Monday, 30 Aug 2004 21:52:22 -500, "Asimov"

|"Jim Adney" bravely wrote to "All" (29 Aug 04 21:16:28)
| --- on the heady topic of "Re: how do you clean your tip?"
|
| JA> From: Jim Adney <[email protected]>
|
| JA> On Sunday, 29 Aug 2004 11:08:40 -500 "Asimov"
|
| >"Eric" bravely wrote to "All" (29 Aug 04 22:10:20)
| > --- on the heady topic of "Re: how do you clean your tip?"
| >
| >It seems to work well that way in the experimenting I've done.
|
| JA> I'm surprised, but if you say that it has worked for you then I'll
| JA> just have to remain surprised.
|
| JA> In general, getting the solder to wet both the tip and the work is the
| JA> essential part of transferring heat to the work. Heat transfer without
| JA> wetting is much poorer and is quite often insufficient for the job.
|
|That is indeed what happens when a copper tip goes dry. The oxide film
|seems to be a very effective barrier to the heat transfer. By
|comparison, with Aluminum its oxide is only molecules thick and good
|metal to metal heat transfer occurs at the slightest application of
|pressure. From my experience, it did work well for desoldering but
|I'll have to experiment soldering with a thick Al tip. Maybe a
|slightly different method can be made workable, in contrast to the
|usual soldering common sense of wetting the tip and the work.
|

You seem to accept that the aluminium tip has an oxide layer which
prevents proper "wetting" contact with the solder at a joint but you
seem to be saying that you still get good heat transfer. It is a fact
that the efficiency of heat transfer is dependant upon the surface
area at the tip where it is in contact with the joint. If you have a
needle point tip the surface area at point of contact will be very
small and therefore the heat transfer efficiency will be very poor.
That is the very reason why "wetting" is essential for efficient and
reliable soldering and desoldering. The "wetting" action actually
increases the surface area in contact with the solder and therefore
heat transfer is at a maximum, even when using a needle point tip.
There can be absolutely no argument about this fact.

 

[Jim Adney]

You seem to accept that the aluminium tip has an oxide layer which
prevents proper "wetting" contact with the solder at a joint but you
seem to be saying that you still get good heat transfer. It is a fact
that the efficiency of heat transfer is dependant upon the surface
area at the tip where it is in contact with the joint. If you have a
needle point tip the surface area at point of contact will be very
small and therefore the heat transfer efficiency will be very poor.

I guess what you're saying is that a wetted tip gives you a "positive"
meniscus while a non-wetted tip produces a "negative" meniscus. The
"positive" meniscus obviously produces a much larger surface area
across which heat can be transferred from the iron to the solder.

I never thought of it quite this way before, but it makes sense.

-

 

[Asimov]

"Ross Herbert" bravely wrote to "All" (31 Aug 04 10:37:36)
--- on the heady topic of "Re: how do you clean your tip?"

RH> From: Ross Herbert <[email protected]>

RH> You seem to accept that the aluminium tip has an oxide layer which
RH> prevents proper "wetting" contact with the solder at a joint but you
RH> seem to be saying that you still get good heat transfer.

Yes, I specifically mentioned the good heat transfer. The most
plausible explanation is, because the oxide layer on the Al surface is
extremely thin (only 1 or 2 molecules thick), and is easily broken.
One reason for this thin layer is due to Al's high oxidation state.
A peculiar thing I noticed was the solder clung to the Al edges in
tiny clumps appearing a bit like thick cold butter.


RH> It is a fact
RH> that the efficiency of heat transfer is dependant upon the surface
RH> area at the tip where it is in contact with the joint. If you have a
RH> needle point tip the surface area at point of contact will be very
RH> small and therefore the heat transfer efficiency will be very poor.
RH> That is the very reason why "wetting" is essential for efficient and
RH> reliable soldering and desoldering. The "wetting" action actually
RH> increases the surface area in contact with the solder and therefore
RH> heat transfer is at a maximum, even when using a needle point tip.
RH> There can be absolutely no argument about this fact.

I'm not arguing against wetting in the usual method but since it
doesn't happen with Al then its good heat transfer might be key.
Well, I'll just have to try it for myself and see, won't I?
I just recalled where I might have a length of #12 Al wire...

A*s*i*m*o*v

.... Bad Beer Rots Our Young Guts But Vodka Goes Well.