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How to tin a copper soldering iron tip

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Hello dear readers andthe inhabitants of our site!
Of course, almost every one of you very often solders. And for high-quality soldering, it is required to keep the soldering iron tip in good condition.
In this article, the author of the SAID MADE YouTube channel will tell you how to sharpen and tin it properly.

This method is very simple, and is repeated in a few minutes in home conditions.

Materials
- Solder, rosin
- Sandpaper.

Instruments, used by the author.
—  Soldering iron
- Vise, file, file
- Copper washcloth.

Manufacturing process.
This method is suitable for ordinary copper stings. Modern soldering irons they have stings with a special coating, and they last much longer; The shape of the sting itself can be different, depending on your tasks.

An ordinary copper sting eventually “burns out,” or rather dissolves in solder, and a cavity forms in it. So the quality of the solder drops.

The author will demonstrate the technique of diagonal sharpening.

This can be done manually using a regular file.

However, it is better to fix the sting in a vice. So you can get a much better surface.



After file processing, very sharp edges are formed, from which you need to remove a small bevel with a file or sandpaper.


Here is the sharpened tip of the sting.


Tinning should be started immediately after sharpening, otherwise after a few hours the copper surface will oxidize, and the treatment will have to be repeated again.
The soldering iron turns on and solder is applied to the tip of the tip.

The author uses solder in the form of a tube with rosin inside. If you use rosin and solder separately, then rosin should be melted first.

When heated, rosin will first melt and cover the surface with a thin layer, and then the metal itself will melt. At the tip, it is necessary to form a drop of solder, and turn off the soldering iron until it cools completely.



Now you can turn on the soldering iron, and the soldering is excellent.



After completion of work, the tip of the sting should be cleaned with a copper washcloth, and again a drop of solder should be formed on it.


I thank the author for a simple but useful way to tin the sting!
All good mood, good luck, and interesting ideas!

Author video can be found here.
[media = https: //www.youtube.com/watch? v = -FRYcjO23nE]
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42 commentary
Azat Makhmudovich 0
Reply To quote A complaint
To maintain the sting in working condition, periodically I brush about a piece of non-rough skin glued (with Velcro) to the stand. The sting is always clean.
Helg 0
Reply To quote A complaint
Classics from SPTU: sharpening, rosin and grinding of solder on any piece of wood. The service is smooth and beautiful
Valery Fedorovich Zhukov 0
Reply To quote A complaint
This hedgehog made of good copper (for example, red) then YES, but if it’s from a fraternal K-I, you want life, but you want to forge ...................!
+2
Reply To quote A complaint
Here is a soldering iron in the author’s photo, exactly like the one I bought in 1984. And it still works - I changed the sting a couple of times three. There is such a balance of temperature, you rarely have to grind. Once I forgot to turn it off and left for a week in Moscow. Nothing happened to him, and not very burned. And no microcontroller control.
Guest Vyacheslav 0
Reply To quote A complaint
I even wrote that the sting can be protected from burning by wearing a steel tube on it. Previously, under historical materialism, they could be bought in the Children's World, but I used a Lada brake pipe, it has an outer diameter of 5 mm and an inner diameter of 4. I tried to wrap it in foil, but when heated and oxidized, copper forms too thick a layer of scale, which can not only jam the sting in the solder fittings, but also tear the heater nichrome. The force is such that sometimes it even tears the brake pipe, but with the sting length of the sting, the sting usually stitches off before the tube breaks. My first experience was a broken tube, after three years of almost continuous work. More precisely, this is approximately 5000 hours of continuous operation.
Guest Valery 0
Reply To quote A complaint
After turning the soldering iron tip with a file, until I get a flat surface and shape, I take a wooden block, turn on the soldering iron for heating, a piece of rosin on the block and start rubbing it with a cleaned sting, after a while I touch the solder and continue the procedure for some time .. . "rubbing." The solder lies evenly over the entire cleaned surface of the soldering iron tip ...)
+6
Reply To quote A complaint
In the neighboring town there was a combine of electrical products, which made soldering irons. My father worked there in a boiler room. (I still have wooden "conical" handles from soldering irons stuffed on many files)))))
Somehow I needed nichrome for something. I asked my father. He brought me five ready-made "heating coils" for soldering irons. They were tied on top with "silk" threads. (Remember the soldering irons with the heating “bomb”? There they were made there. In one workshop they wound nichrome with mica, they all connected it with “silk” threads. In the other they already put them in the case and soldered the wires. Now, with the current development of logistics and, accordingly, at the current level of narrow production specifications, these "shops" may be in different countries)))).
Already being an adult, I somehow bought a soldering iron.It was also the USSR, and therefore, there wasn’t a beautiful package with a soldering iron (it was just clumsy from the “second card”), but there was a detailed instruction with characteristics, operating and safety instructions, and a triangular OTK stamp) ))). (Also obliquely offset printed on newsprint)))). And there it was marked in bold: "Attention !!! The first start-up should be carried out in a well-ventilated room! The first time you turn it on, a large amount of smoke will be generated due to burnout of the technological fastening threads!" That's when I remembered what these threads look like on heating coils lying around for a long time ... That's why I remembered.
+2
Reply To quote A complaint
Leobrynn
Yeah, I guess you also wipe the sting with a piano then?
Yeah, an exceptionally thin layer! xaxa
Author 0
Reply To quote A complaint
Yeah, I guess you also wipe the sting with a piano then? drinks
Author +2
Reply To quote A complaint
Once there was a case. A friend broke up with her husband, or rather threw him out of the house. She said, drank, walked, filled him ...

Let me guess what the soldering iron will be for! Or rather, where! xaxa
+1
Reply To quote A complaint
And I thought the varnish, which glued layers of mica. When I took apart the burned soldering irons, I saw them on the unburned areas. In short, it is a varnish, technological threads or protective grease, anyway, but the smoker and vonism are strong when you first turn on a new soldering iron. And on the street to turn on, it means to unwind the extension cord, and if the winter is cold, the soldering iron will probably not warm up properly. Then in the kitchen, under the hood, though a wife or girlfriend can kick out xaxa Personally, I adapted. Either at work I launched new soldering irons, or at my clients. And when asked what’s up, why you smoke, I calmly answered. The soldering iron burned out, there is nothing to work. Here is a new commissioning. xaxa I’m trying for you. And all at once shut up. And who dares to object to the master.
0
Reply To quote A complaint
Valery
Technological threads burn out
And I thought protective grease, it smells like it gives off with engine oil, or not?
0
Reply To quote A complaint
R555
I don’t wring the wires, everything is on technology
Even a well-heated soldering iron was pulled out of the network, until it was immersed in a grounded frying pan with saline - they made their way! yes
+3
Reply To quote A complaint
I also love role-playing games with my wife !!! To her - like, a cleaner, and I - like to sleep! )))))
.... And why for this a soldering iron? ))))
0
Reply To quote A complaint
It is possible and so, it is possible and, as described above, graphite (with a simple pencil). The foil has the advantage that the gap between the tip and the heater can be eliminated.
+2
Reply To quote A complaint
Monitoring insulation resistance is a good thing, especially if you do it not with a tester, but with a megger. But all that with field workers, and indeed with radio components, I solder, as a rule, only with low-voltage soldering irons with an isolation transformer. And 230 V soldering irons are for irresponsible, rude or not affected by electricity.
+2
Reply To quote A complaint
I’ll add why checking for a leak (or even a direct hit) of the mains voltage on the case and the soldering iron tip, with all the ensuing consequences, using the phase indicator is useless, sometimes it can be misleading.

The fact is that most soldering irons (I'm talking about soldering irons directly powered by 220 V) have a decent capacity between the heating element and the soldering iron body. This is especially inherent in the "traditional" type soldering irons, with multi-turn winding from high resistance wire. And when we touch the case with a phase indicator, it usually glows. It seems that the phase is on the case! But she is not there. This is due to the capacity.

But, another case. Indeed, the body of the soldering iron has contact with the network! DANGEROUSLY! We touch the phase indicator to the case and it ... lights up? Not necessary xaxa It’s just that our plug turned out to be stuck in the socket in such a way that it turned out to be zero on the case.And when another time you sit down to solder and plug the plug the other way around, then, well, you understand. Without phase indicator xaxa

Okay, I won’t scare anymore. I have no phobia in this regard. I just say, I always check new and unknown origin soldering irons with a multimeter according to the technique that I wrote about a little earlier. And after sharpening the tip or changing it, this is especially true for soldering irons that have already worked for a long time. Because, after such manipulations, a violation of internal isolation is possible. And then I work them calmly. And every day I do not check, of course.

Solder to your health and for your pleasure!
+3
Reply To quote A complaint
And I also perform the following procedure when I buy another soldering iron. Or give it to me. And they give it, often used.
Once there was a case. A friend broke up with her husband, or rather threw him out of the house. She said, drank, walked, filled him ... xaxa
Well, some things remained from him. I got some tools, you’re a master, you’ll come in handy. And I used to repair a lot of different radio equipment for her, at her company too. So, among other things, there was a soldering iron in excellent condition, although not new. The man, apparently, used it 3 times in all.

Anyway. I’m talking about this. I take a multimeter, put it on a resistance measurement. To the limit of 2 M. I check the insulation resistance between each of the terminals of the power plug and the body of the soldering iron and its tip. I repeat, the case and the sting may not be interconnected, so check separately. There are a lot of combinations, I didn’t count, but it takes me about 40 seconds to do such a test. I don’t hold onto the chains being measured, so as not to leak. In all cases, the multimeter should show infinity (there is no leak to the body and the tip is missing).

This procedure I carry out first with a cold soldering iron. Then I warm it to maximum temperature and repeat.

If, in this case, no leak is detected, then I calmly work with this soldering iron.

I do the same thing after sharpening the sting or replacing it.

Tedious. Yes? But you need, believe me.

Example.
About 15 years ago I was collecting one very serious homemade product. I decided to use in it rare for those times two gate high-frequency field-effect transistors (they brought several pieces from one factory). The legs of the transistors are wound with wires, the statics are afraid.
Well, I put on an antistatic a bracelet, connected to ground and began to solder transistors. I don’t unwind the wires, all according to the technology. Already in anticipation of how I turn on the product, I’ll set it up, and we’ll be with a friend what brought these transistors to wash drinks Turned on - the circuit is dead. None of the cascades where these field workers stand are working. Everything is flashed.

They began to understand. Long understood. Found out. It turns out that my soldering iron had a tip leak. I grounded the soldering iron case, but it did not save, the sting turned out to be not grounded! And the bracelet did not help because I put on the right bracelet, with a high-resistance resistor in the ground circuit. And with the wrong one (without a resistor), I would be knocked down along with field workers, well, or would have shunned specifically.

I hope everyone understands the importance of the procedure that I wrote about. And I’ll say right away. If you think that it is possible to check more easily, with a phase indicator, you are mistaken. boss
0
Reply To quote A complaint
You can still have a new sting, before inserting it into a soldering iron, rub it with a piece of aluminum wire ... It will burn less, well, it will be easier to remove it when replacing ...
+1
Reply To quote A complaint
Valery
And, most importantly, I took my wife with me ... Interesting ... But why such a soldering iron ???
For role-playing games !!! xaxa
Vlad 0
Reply To quote A complaint
... honestly, I didn’t expect so much RE ... For this simple story ... It even became fun ... Recall a bit of cooking ** HOW TO MAKE BORSCHT CORRECTLY ... ** ... Of course, each skilled (and inept .. identity ..) the hostess cooks in her own way ... And so with this sting ... THE SOLDERING HOUSE IN YOUR HANDS))))
+3
Reply To quote A complaint
I use a new one for the radio components. With the "peak", which is not necessary and impossible to trick. For wires - that Soviet forty. And the rest - for the "mechanics" ... Also there is an "ax", only I have 300 watts. (I don’t think it’s a soldering iron)))))).Once I used it - I melted a tin old spoon as solder)))) Then I restored a very old kerosene lamp.) There is (from my grandfather, like a rarity) and a hatchet is not electric. Which is for a blowtorch. There are two more gas. They are worth a penny on Ali. I bought one and lost the sting (it is removable there. Without it, it is just a “jet burner." I bought the second. While he arrived, there was a sting from the first.))))). But in them, of course, also not copper.
+2
Reply To quote A complaint
Varnish or something like that burns out for a long time

Technological filaments burn with which the spiral / dielectric layers are tied up during manufacture, before being placed in the housing.
+1
Reply To quote A complaint
I don’t argue, it's all a matter of habit, and I really use a soldering iron mainly for radio components. That’s why I drew an analogy with a brush and paint — it’s easier for me to control the amount of solder at the tip of a soldering iron tip. But when it is tinned in a circle even by five millimeters it is not known how much solder drains from it, it is possible to hang such a “nozzle” that it will be difficult to remove, especially with tight installation.
I also have a lot of soldering irons (good and different) starting from 25 W, there is even a 100-watt “ax” with a tip width of 60 mm, and all have only bevels. I repeat, it's all a matter of habit.
0
Reply To quote A complaint
Was the soldering iron at 24V DC? xaxa
0
Reply To quote A complaint
Yes, my weave also smoked great, already a little scared, left on the street, got out. If there is asbestos, then these gases are poisonous ...
+6
Reply To quote A complaint
Most recently, I saw a couple of "nerds" in the store who, excitedly and screaming, wanted to return the purchased soldering iron and demanded a mournful book! Based on the fact that "he almost burned the house for them !!! They plugged it into a power outlet, and SMOKED it out of it !!! Smoke it all over the room! There was nothing to breathe! )), so the machine was de-energized and thus avoided a fire! " )))))))
And, most importantly, he took his wife with him .... For support ...))))) She yelled him louder ....
... Interesting ... Why such a soldering iron ???
+1
Reply To quote A complaint
Yes, Ivan_Pokhmelev , You added correctly, otherwise I forgot to emphasize that the first inclusion of "traditional"
a new soldering iron must be produced outdoors or under a hood. Varnish or something like this burns out for a long time and not only the stench is terrible, but also, presumably, harm to health. At the factory, of course, no one will turn on a brand new soldering iron before the release. There are no idiots for him to lose his presentation and, I apologize, stink. Called, of course, on the integrity of the spiral and cord. Sometimes. xaxa
+3
Reply To quote A complaint
I'm still talking about the usual, copper sting.
If the soldering iron is new, plug it into the network.

If the soldering iron is of a traditional old design, then all these actions must be done outdoors, for example, on a balcony or in the yard.
+2
Reply To quote A complaint
And this is for that, dear, Khatul Madan so that 1 cm of the end of the sting does not fade, does not oxidize, it is tinned until its front part (tip) is destroyed during operation.
In addition, thanks to the cradle of these 10, more precisely 5 additional millimeters, this part can be soldered, for example, twisted wires. Here the temperature is higher and the contact area is larger. It will not be necessary to turn on another soldering iron in the course of work when unexpectedly xaxa it turns out that in addition to soldering the legs of the microcircuit, you need to solder 2 wires of the ball screw 0.75.

And as you write, why dunk the entire brush when painting, so I don’t dunk it all, only my fingers xaxa
+3
Reply To quote A complaint
I did the same, so I will voice my point of view. Maybe this is just my prejudice, but so - "enough for longer." The tinned zone decreases over time. And it’s “cringing”, because I had never watched a “spot” appear among the tinned ones.))))
And about the "surface in the soldering process is not involved" .... They often participate in soldering.You, apparently, look at soldering exclusively, as a way of soldering electrical components ?? For example, I use a soldering iron for this, only a percentage in 20 cases !!! (This is about 40 watts) And "sixty" and "weaving" - these are almost never used for "resistor-diodes.)))). Basically - something" mechanical "to electricity, if related, then indirectly )))). And now, imagine that you need to solder something massive !!! Of course, solder in a bar, not in a “wire.” But, even if in a wire, you need one just keep at least twenty centimeters of this wire at the tip. That is, you need a massive drop, about a third of a cubic centimeter in size. How to keep it at the very end ??? And so - I hold the soldering iron with a sting Pull down on labor priprus sting near the end solder melts and falls -. grassing area runs down and forms a massive drop in the end, with a diameter slightly larger diameter of the tip (in stovattnike is 10 mm !!!) That's typed the correct amount.
0
Reply To quote A complaint
Move the solder around the tip so that the tip is full. The length is optimally approximately 10 millimeters.
And for what? What is the purpose of tinning surfaces that are not involved in the soldering process? This is equivalent to advising you to immerse the brush in the paint over the entire length of the pile.
0
Reply To quote A complaint
I decided to say my word on this issue. Why something, but there were a lot of soldering irons in my hands. Now I, as the main ones, use three in my work.

In order. How to prepare and tin a soldering iron tip. I'm still talking about the usual, copper sting.
If the soldering iron is new, plug it into the network. The sting immediately press lightly on a piece of rosin. As it heats, the sting will sink into the rosin. Be patient. After 5 minutes, try using a sting to melt the solder, preferably in the form of a wire. The sting will begin to service. Move the solder around the tip so that the tip is full. The length is optimally approximately 10 millimeters. I warn you that these operations must be done quickly, otherwise the sting will become covered with soot and (or) it will not work well. Then you have to cool, file and all over again ... xaxa
It helps well when tinning a sting by rubbing it on a pine plank. Think about why, specifically, pine.
+1
Reply To quote A complaint
Yes, what is there of that life you have!)))) I, though I solder a little, but I smoothed the hole in the sting !!! On the forty wattage. (This is my very first one! I bought it somewhere in the 82nd year. With a wooden handle and a “bomb” in front of the sting.) I still have it. Only recently, my son-in-law presented a modern one, with a set of tips and adjustment. Some brand, not from China. And the rest - 40, 60 and 100 watts - all from the USSR !!!
0
Reply To quote A complaint
I've never seen such a thing in my life ...)) apparently because they are regularly shammed by everyone with a file. Well, I will know
+1
Reply To quote A complaint
and it turned out a piece of iron (or Che there, I do not know).
The fact of the matter is that now the Chinese are making soldering iron tips, let's say, not made of copper. The problem with the copper sting is that the tin dissolves it. As a result, over time, instead of a plane, a “trough” forms on the tinned area, which you have to grind with a file and tin again. But this only applies to copper.
Author +1
Reply To quote A complaint
I got soldered with Ali arrived, adjustable from 180 to 420 degrees. Great item.
0
Reply To quote A complaint
I tinned mine the first time, no longer tinned, only cleaned. The sting of the type was coated, but I safely ripped it off and it turned out to be a piece of iron (or what, I don’t know).

Nevertheless, everything works fine, to clean the sting I dip it or wipe it with a flux, my flux is stained. After such a procedure, it shines like a cat’s princes. And at the right temperature you don’t need to clean anything.
+1
Reply To quote A complaint
It’s just that modern soldering irons get hotter in order to work with a wider range of solders. I turn on my own through the dimmer, set as much as I need, so that's enough for life, and if you turn it on for the whole, then of course ...
+2
Reply To quote A complaint
And I always blamed new soldering irons without flux.Previously, solder was in such large triangular blocks. I turned on the soldering iron and immediately (do not wait until it heats up!) Immediately rubbed it with a sting on the solder, pressing it hard. Thor so on all sides, while the soldering iron warms up to operating temperature. All! he tinned evenly. Wherever I rub.
+3
Reply To quote A complaint
The tip itself should be wrapped with foil before installation in a soldering iron:
And we rubbed it with graphite (the fact that it is inserted into the soldering iron itself). Now the soldering iron burns out faster than replacing the tip.
+7
Reply To quote A complaint
Even before the first use, the tip needs to be forged, while the metal consumption for file processing is reduced, the tip is given the desired shape, and the hardening formed on the surface reduces the rate of oxidation of the tip. The tip itself should be wrapped with foil before installation in the soldering iron: this improves thermal contact and does not allow the tip to bake with the heater during prolonged use.
All this applies to the traditional type of soldering irons, about modern ones - the conversation is different.

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