Soldering Iron tip Storage

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logan42
 
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Soldering Iron tip Storage

Post by logan42 »

I have recently bought a Hakko fx888d and am on a quest to find the very best way to store soldering iron tips wile not using them. Weather you are sitting it in its stand to inspect your work or weather you are done with a smt job and wont be using that fine point tip for a wile.

So I have a method that I use to store tips but i'm afraid its still not good enough. First I set the iron to 450°f and I apply the solder then clean it in a brass sponge. I repeat this a few times then melt a big blob of solder on the tip, make sure it covers all of the tip, and turn it off.

I want to know what you guys do to store your tips. what temp do you use? Do you think it matters what kind of solder you use? what about sponges, traditional or brass?

I would like ANYONE'S option.
thank you.

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adafruit_support_bill
 
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Re: Soldering Iron tip Storage

Post by adafruit_support_bill »

I'm a fan of the brass sponge. The only time use a damp sponge (or damp paper towel) is in the field when I forget to pack the brass sponge.

I routinely clean the tip with a few jabs at the brass sponge after every use. So when changing tips, I don't do anything special in addition to that.

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logan42
 
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Re: Soldering Iron tip Storage

Post by logan42 »

How long do your tips last on average?

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adafruit_support_bill
 
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Re: Soldering Iron tip Storage

Post by adafruit_support_bill »

That depends on use. Some tips I've had for quite a few years. When they start looking rough, I'll give them a swipe in the tip-tinning paste and they perform almost as new. What used to kill tips for me in the past was forgetting to turn the iron off. These days I use a WESD51 with an automatic shutoff. The last tip I had to replace was more than a year ago.

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logan42
 
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Re: Soldering Iron tip Storage

Post by logan42 »

at what point do you replace a tip? Also what kind of flux dose your solder have? In the hakko tip tips it says that no clean solder is corrosive and water soluble is really corosive.

I'm wondering just how corosive Flux may be.

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adafruit_support_bill
 
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Re: Soldering Iron tip Storage

Post by adafruit_support_bill »

I replace them when they become difficult to tin and a dip in the tinning paste does not revive them. I don't waste much time on an uncooperative tip.

Most of my soldering is done with 60/40 rosin core solder. Occasionally I will use liquid solder for difficult joints like slightly oxidized stranded wire.

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logan42
 
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Re: Soldering Iron tip Storage

Post by logan42 »

I have been needing to get one of the flux pens but don't know anything about what to get. Do you have a recmended brand/type to get? Maby even a product page.
also is it normal for the nonwetable part of the tip to turn black after a few uses? What a ought the stem? (Hakko calls it the tip enclosure) it also got black toards the end. In the adafruit videos this part is aways shiny if not still silver. I know that these parts don't realy matter.... But the hakko is just too beautiful to look dirty.

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adafruit_support_bill
 
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Re: Soldering Iron tip Storage

Post by adafruit_support_bill »

The liquid flux I use is from GC electronics. I haven't tried a lot of others. That is just what the local electronics supply store stocks. It comes in a bottle with a brush. You can brush it on, or just dip the ends of the wires in it. Just don't spill it on your bench. Trust me, it makes a very sticky mess.

The brass sponge usually does a good job of cleaning off the black stuff. I usually give it a jab or two after every few joints. This is my WESD51 with a well-used (>1 year) tip.

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