Cleaning Soldering Tips?
- Thread starter mrid
- Start date
TwilightOdyssey
Darkness on the edge of Tone
Re: Cleaning Soldering Tips?
Buy a Weller or similar iron that has removable tips ...
Buy a Weller or similar iron that has removable tips ...
That90'sGuy
DyzaBoyzologist
Re: Cleaning Soldering Tips?
I'm with you MRID... I still can't get them clean. I've tried stuff like steel wool before as well.
I'm with you MRID... I still can't get them clean. I've tried stuff like steel wool before as well.
Nightburst
New member
Re: Cleaning Soldering Tips?
I just take an exacto knife and scrape off the stuff if the tip gets really dirty. Always use a damp sponge when soldering and tin the tip so it stays nice and shiney.
I just take an exacto knife and scrape off the stuff if the tip gets really dirty. Always use a damp sponge when soldering and tin the tip so it stays nice and shiney.
Pandemonium
New member
Re: Cleaning Soldering Tips?
I just clean mine with a damp sponge when it's hot.
I just clean mine with a damp sponge when it's hot.
yontz
New member
Re: Cleaning Soldering Tips?
I leave an iron on 8 hours a day for my job, so I really gotta keep it clean all the time.
The normal course of action used to be to have a damp sponge nearby to wipe the tip on when the iron is hot - fully up to temperature. It gets all the gunk off pretty well. If the tip is really bad, you can dunk it for a second in a tin of paste flux (for electronic soldering, not the acid kind for plumbing) then wipe it down on the sponge. The flux will emit a lot of smoke so be ready for it and pull the iron out quickly. Should come out glistening.
When you get it shiny, put a little bit of solder on it and keep it on. It prevents the iron on the tip from burning off too quickly.
The best thing I've currently found is a soldering iron cleaner made by Xytronics. It looks like a steel wool pad in a benchtop holder, but the shavings are brass. Poke the iron in it a few times while it is hot, and it cleans the gunk off off better than the damp sponge. It also doesn't cool the iron down, like the sponge, and doesn't start any corrosion either between the heating element and the tip.
If you want to solder a lot, a small investment in a temperature regulated soldering station (Like a Weller 51 series) will make your life much easier. They heat up in 20 seconds or so, and never get too hot. They transfer heat on demand by sensing the tip temperature, so you can solder quicker and more consistently. The tips last a long time, too.
I leave an iron on 8 hours a day for my job, so I really gotta keep it clean all the time.
The normal course of action used to be to have a damp sponge nearby to wipe the tip on when the iron is hot - fully up to temperature. It gets all the gunk off pretty well. If the tip is really bad, you can dunk it for a second in a tin of paste flux (for electronic soldering, not the acid kind for plumbing) then wipe it down on the sponge. The flux will emit a lot of smoke so be ready for it and pull the iron out quickly. Should come out glistening.
When you get it shiny, put a little bit of solder on it and keep it on. It prevents the iron on the tip from burning off too quickly.
The best thing I've currently found is a soldering iron cleaner made by Xytronics. It looks like a steel wool pad in a benchtop holder, but the shavings are brass. Poke the iron in it a few times while it is hot, and it cleans the gunk off off better than the damp sponge. It also doesn't cool the iron down, like the sponge, and doesn't start any corrosion either between the heating element and the tip.
If you want to solder a lot, a small investment in a temperature regulated soldering station (Like a Weller 51 series) will make your life much easier. They heat up in 20 seconds or so, and never get too hot. They transfer heat on demand by sensing the tip temperature, so you can solder quicker and more consistently. The tips last a long time, too.
59paul
New member
Re: Cleaning Soldering Tips?
I use a sal-Ammoniac tinning block. It can be found at any hardware store. You just let the iron heat up, tin each side of the tip, then dip into the block. ( it looks like a bar of soap ). It's made especially for cleaning soldering tips. They come out shiny and clean as new !!! $ 3.00 for a 4 oz. block, which lasts forever. No mess, and perfectly clean tips !!!
I use a sal-Ammoniac tinning block. It can be found at any hardware store. You just let the iron heat up, tin each side of the tip, then dip into the block. ( it looks like a bar of soap ). It's made especially for cleaning soldering tips. They come out shiny and clean as new !!! $ 3.00 for a 4 oz. block, which lasts forever. No mess, and perfectly clean tips !!!
59paul
New member
Re: Cleaning Soldering Tips?
A long, long time. I just leave it in the box, and dip my iron in it, pull it out, and it's clean !!!! The hot iron lets it sink into the block like butter. It's cool !!! ( just dip the tip, not the whole iron LOL Just kidding, I know you had this part figured out LOL ) Yeah, it's good stuff.
A long, long time. I just leave it in the box, and dip my iron in it, pull it out, and it's clean !!!! The hot iron lets it sink into the block like butter. It's cool !!!
( just dip the tip, not the whole iron LOL Just kidding, I know you had this part figured out LOL ) Yeah, it's good stuff. 
rspst14
Tone Cat
Re: Cleaning Soldering Tips?
I had the same problem, until I found a small tin of tip cleaner at my local Radio Shack. It's similar to some of the products described in the above posts, you just dip the tip in the cleaner when it's hot, and then wipe it off with a damp sponge. It really helps to extend the life of the tip.
Ryan
I had the same problem, until I found a small tin of tip cleaner at my local Radio Shack. It's similar to some of the products described in the above posts, you just dip the tip in the cleaner when it's hot, and then wipe it off with a damp sponge. It really helps to extend the life of the tip.
Ryan
Similar threads
