Many domestic soldering irons are made with a copper tip. For example, soldering irons such as EPSN. The copper tip must be treated properly before the soldering iron can be used. The sting must be given a form convenient for soldering.
Some people process it with a simple file, and especially creative people prefer to forge it. As a result, the tip of the soldering iron becomes more durable and its dissolution in solder occurs much less during the soldering process. But sooner or later everyone wonders how to tin a soldering iron with a copper tip.
Features of soldering irons
It is best to buy soldering irons, in which the tip is attached with a special screw. Such a sting can always be easily removed and processed again. Of course, if it sticks during use, then this process will not be so easy. Therefore, when using soldering irons with removable tips, it is necessary to remove them from time to time and clean the attachment point so that it does not stick.
After the sting is given the rightform, it must be tinned. The phrase "how to tin a soldering iron tip" should be understood as covering the working area of the tip with a thin layer of solder. It's not too difficult to do this. It is enough to turn on the soldering iron in the network, wait until it heats up to a temperature at which the rosin begins to melt, and then dip the sting into it.
After the soldering iron is warmed up to its operating temperature, you need to cover the part of it that is being soldered from all sides with solder. It is better to take small pieces or solder made in the form of a wire for this. A soldering iron with a power of 25 watts will not be able to melt a large piece of solder.
Solder tip shape
The shape of the sting may be different. The choice depends on the habits of the one who uses the soldering iron, and, of course, on the type of work performed with it. Some prefer the cone-shaped soldering tip, others the 45-degree cut tip.
The fact is that even transistors hidden in SOT-23 cases, SMD parts or capacitors with 1206 size resistors can be soldered with a sharpened soldering iron tip. hairdryer. In its absence, an ordinary soldering iron with a power of about 25 watts, in which the tip is processed in the form of the letter P, is useful. It must be remembered that this is done before the soldering iron tip is tinned.
This is done in order not to overheat the conclusions of the part, which happens when soldering with a soldering ironordinary pity. And with the help of such a U-shaped sting, the leads are soldered together immediately, and the part is easily released from the soldering point.
It is better to use a more powerful soldering iron when performing mass soldering of radio components, while using a power regulator. It's not that hard to make your own. In this case, a soldering iron with a power of up to 65 watts will do.
There are quite frequent cases when rosin suddenly starts to smoke during soldering. This means that the soldering iron is overheated. You have to turn it off from the network and wait until it cools down. At the same time, if the soldering iron cools down below normal, it starts to solder poorly. Using a power regulator, these problems can be easily avoided, and work becomes much easier, and from the necessary preliminary work there will be nothing left but to tin the soldering iron tip.
Sharpening the soldering iron
- The soldering iron tip is sharpened with a file at an angle of 30-40 degrees.
- The edge is left 1 mm wide and slightly blunt.
- On a new soldering iron, you only need to sand the tip with fine sandpaper to remove the patina. Patina is greenish copper oxide.
- If the shop sharpening does not suit you, then you need to remove the sting and forge it yourself, giving it the shape of a concave shoulder blade. This method has another plus - the metal will become less susceptible to corrosion.
- To give the sting a finished look, it remains to process it with a file with a fine notch.
How to tin the soldering iron tip of a soldering station?
Tinning a tip means covering it with a thin layer of solder. For this you need:
- Turn on the soldering iron and wait until the copper rod turns reddish-orange. It is not worth waiting any longer, as the rod may burn.
- Dip the entire tip in rosin and melt a small piece of solder.
- Coat with solder the entire surface of the sting. It will coat better if you rub it against a wooden surface first.
How to tin a fireproof stinger?
On sale you can find soldering irons in which the working part is covered with a special fireproof composition. This layer is very thin and in no case should it be cleaned, as is the case with a conventional soldering iron. The question arises: "How to tin a soldering iron tip if it cannot be cleaned in the usual way?" It is necessary to use a special sponge. The one with which housewives usually wash dishes, or a piece of cloth previously soaked in water, is also suitable. When using such soldering irons, it should be remembered that any mechanical influences significantly reduce their service life.
To irradiate the tip of such a soldering iron, you need to lower a piece of solder into the molten rosin, rub the tip on a damp cloth, removing oxides from it, and then move the heated soldering iron over the solder. After tinning, it remains to wipe the tip with a rag, and the soldering iron is ready to work.
When working with any type of soldering iron, you should try not to overheat them above 300 degrees C, otherwise you will have toagain engage in tinning the sting. And of course, anyone who uses a soldering iron should know how to properly tin a soldering iron tip.
