On Sun, 17 Sep 2017 22:39:49 +1000, Chris Jones
wrote:

snip

Hmm, my replacement barrel arrived today (next day, thanks Rapid
Electronics Ltd g) and if screwed on finger tight, the tip seems to
be pretty solid, so I wonder if there is still more to it (like the
tip dimensions)?

Ok, that's good. Maybe they made more different sorts than the ones that
I have. I'm pleased that it worked.

Me too. ;-)

I'm curious whether your new barrel
is larger in diameter than your old one.

Yes, it is.


The other question is do we generally put any sort of thermal / anti
seize paste on these things please, or would pretty well anything
simply burn off?

I guess you could use copper grease or aluminium grease and though the
grease part would probably burn out and smell and make a mess, the metal
particles ought to remain. I doubt it is necessary and I've never used
anything like that on a soldering iron.

Then that is probably my answer Chris. ;-)

The only ones that I have had
get really stuck were Antex ones. I think that if you just disassemble
it occasionally either to change tips or just to inspect it, that should
prevent it getting seized up (and if it does you would catch it before
it is impossible to remove).

Understood.

Thanks again, cheers, T i m