HeyBub wrote:
Oh. Didn't know that. I suppose the cheap, disposable tips are merely
plated (maybe even just painted in bright colors) - the ones I use
are solid copper.

The cheapy screw-in tips I get at radio hack are copper base. Dunno what
the plating is on top, though.

As for tinning them, after I degrease them (when new), I put a very thin dab
of flux on the tip and wrap it with flux-core solder, then I plug in the
iron.

This gets it tinned before it has a chance to oxidize, and seems to work
well for me.

Jon