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Tony Miklos[_2_] Tony Miklos[_2_] is offline
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Default How Do You "TIN" a soldering iron?

On 11/30/2010 1:39 AM, wrote:
On Tue, 30 Nov 2010 00:23:04 -0500, Tony Miklos
wrote:

On 11/29/2010 10:41 AM, homer wrote:

On Mon, 29 Nov 2010 00:26:05 -0500,
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.

Bonnie

Does no one use Sal Ammoniac to keep their soldering tips clean
anymore?


I forget what it's called, but I have some kind of ammonia block that I
sometimes rub the tips on. Not sure if that is what you mean?

That would be the stuff.
Not the best idea for electronic soldering because of the hydrochloric
acid that co-exists with the ammonia, and is the active material
involved in removing the oxide scale from the copper.


No problem, most of it gets scrubbed off in the 2nd step with the brass
wool anyway. And I have seen hundreds of cases of my soldering on
circuit boards 15-20 years later and there has been no problems.