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Smitty Two Smitty Two is offline
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Default How Do You "TIN" a soldering iron?

In article ,
"HeyBub" wrote:

wrote:
How do you know when your soldering iron is tinned?
I keep mine plugged in for 5-10 minutes then when I try tin it, the
solder beads up and just drips offs. It doesn't seem to "wet" the
tip.
Is it suppose to wet the tip of the soldering iron?

I'm using non lead solder, 95%Sn, 5% Sb (Tin/Antimony).
Rosin core.

Also, when 1 solder two wires together, I twist the wires together,
then hold the iron to one side of the wire and hold the solder to the
opposite site. The wire should get hot and soak up the solder, right?
I've been practicing but it seems to be hit or miss so far.


As others have said, the solder won't stick to crud. Follow these steps for
your abused iron.

1. Using a file or sandpaper, abrade off the crap from the tip of your iron
until the tip is shiny base metal (either copper or steel).

2. Plug in the iron and, when it gets hot, cover the tip with solder.

3. Periodically during your soldering project, drag your iron's tip over a
damp sponge.

4. When the iron's tip turns black and can't be returned to shiny via the
sponge business, repeat steps 1 & 2.

5. You are correct when you twist the wires together. Soldering is an
ELECTRICAL connection, not a mechanical one. Depending on solder to hold two
items together is ultimately futile.


Nuts. OP, do not sand the tip. Throw it away and buy new. The base metal
of the tip will not tin with solder, only the plating will. Once the
plating is shot, it's shot.

Solder is a mechanical *and* electrical connection. Twisting is a great
idea, but solder is used all damn day long as the only mechanical bond
between items.