How to stop soldering iron tips from rusting?

T

Travers Waker

Guest
Hi.

My soldering iron (Antex CS 18W) tips seem to get rusted and pitted after a
while. Any (sensible) suggestions on how to stop this from happening?

Thanks.

Travers
 
"Travers Waker" <nospam@fake.com> wrote in message
news:cffa11$evn$1@ctb-nnrp2.saix.net...
Hi.

My soldering iron (Antex CS 18W) tips seem to get rusted and pitted after
a
while. Any (sensible) suggestions on how to stop this from happening?

Thanks.

Travers

Hi Travers,
Click to expand...
You need to keep the tips tinned and reduce the time the iron sits without
being used.
>
 
Joe wrote:

"Travers Waker" <nospam@fake.com> wrote in message
news:cffa11$evn$1@ctb-nnrp2.saix.net...

Hi.

My soldering iron (Antex CS 18W) tips seem to get rusted and pitted after

a

while. Any (sensible) suggestions on how to stop this from happening?

Thanks.

Travers


Hi Travers,
You need to keep the tips tinned and reduce the time the iron sits without
being used.
Click to expand...
Maybe run it a tad cooler too.

Mark L. Fergerson
 
On Thu, 12 Aug 2004 10:42:14 +0200, "Travers Waker" <nospam@fake.com>
wrote:

Hi.

My soldering iron (Antex CS 18W) tips seem to get rusted and pitted after a
while. Any (sensible) suggestions on how to stop this from happening?

Thanks.

Travers
Click to expand...
I put windup 15-minute timers on all the Metcal irons in the lab.

John
 
Another solution is to use a steel plated tip. If your tip is bare
copper, then what happens is the copper dissolves in the molten solder.
This is why it pits.
There are places to purchase plated tips, or you can invest in a little
home electroplating and do it yourself.

Cheers!

Sir Charles W. Shults III, K. B. B.
Xenotech Research
321-206-1840
 
"Joe" <Joe@home.net> wrote in message news:<cffgdi$4v7$1@news.wplus.net>...
"Travers Waker" <nospam@fake.com> wrote in message
news:cffa11$evn$1@ctb-nnrp2.saix.net...
Hi.

My soldering iron (Antex CS 18W) tips seem to get rusted and pitted after
a
while. Any (sensible) suggestions on how to stop this from happening?

Thanks.

Travers

Hi Travers,
You need to keep the tips tinned and reduce the time the iron sits without
being used.
Click to expand...
My Weller and Metcal irons have a 'wet sponge' to clean the tip. I
keep the sponges clean and very wet. Most people use the iron, wipe it
on the sponge and put it back in the holder. I was told many years ago
this is backwards. I wipe, tin, solder, add a bit more solder to the
tip and put it back in the stand. The idea 1s that the solder will
oxidize while its protecting the tip. Having built a few large
projects, I have logged about 15000 connections with a single Weller
tip. My $0.02
GG
 
Glenn and John are right (as per usual). What I have found is that I have a
lamp dimmer in series with my Iron, so I can turn it down when not in use. I
use the type with preset pushbuttons, mounted in a plastic case. If I keep
the iron "Idling" at the lowest setting, then turn it up full blast, it only
takes a minute to get it up to temp. I average about a year (about 20
projects) per tip.I PERSONALLY have never had any luck with plated tips, and
I really don't like them, but this is a personal taste thing.
Also I find that at the end of the day, I lightly clean my tip with some
FINE sandpaper, then flood it with solder, then wipe off the excess, then
add a little bit of extra solder, without wiping (all of this done
immediately after powering off the iron, while its cooling down). Every
couple of days I do the same thing, but I also dunk the tip into solder
paste after a light sanding, before flooding the tip with solder.

Kim


"Sir Charles W. Shults III" <NOaichipSPAM@cfl.rr.com> wrote in message
news:WONSc.21294$4s6.7186@tornado.tampabay.rr.com...
Another solution is to use a steel plated tip. If your tip is bare
copper, then what happens is the copper dissolves in the molten solder.
This is why it pits.
There are places to purchase plated tips, or you can invest in a
little
home electroplating and do it yourself.

Cheers!

Sir Charles W. Shults III, K. B. B.
Xenotech Research
321-206-1840
Click to expand...
 
"Kim" (ksleep@sympatico.ca) writes:
Glenn and John are right (as per usual). What I have found is that I have a
lamp dimmer in series with my Iron, so I can turn it down when not in use. I
use the type with preset pushbuttons, mounted in a plastic case. If I keep
the iron "Idling" at the lowest setting, then turn it up full blast, it only
takes a minute to get it up to temp. I average about a year (about 20
projects) per tip.I PERSONALLY have never had any luck with plated tips, and
I really don't like them, but this is a personal taste thing.
Also I find that at the end of the day, I lightly clean my tip with some
FINE sandpaper, then flood it with solder, then wipe off the excess, then
add a little bit of extra solder, without wiping (all of this done
immediately after powering off the iron, while its cooling down). Every
couple of days I do the same thing, but I also dunk the tip into solder
paste after a light sanding, before flooding the tip with solder.

Kim

Huh? You say you don't like plated tips, but you don't explain.
Click to expand...

I would never use a non-plated tip. Oh, my first iron or two from 1972
had non-plated tips. They corroded pretty fast if I remember properly.
In 1974, I got a Radio Shack (well it was made by Ungar) modular soldering
iron, and I've never had tip corrosion since then. I've broken tips, when
the iron has dropped to the floor, but I've never had to replace one
because of corrosion.

I once filed a plated tip, because I needed a special shape. That tip
started corroding almost immediately.

You don't file plated tips. The minute you file them, you remove
the plating. On the other hand, if you don't use plated tips, you
are doomed to do things like file or sandpaper the tips, because corrosion
is inevitable.

Michael

"Sir Charles W. Shults III" <NOaichipSPAM@cfl.rr.com> wrote in message
news:WONSc.21294$4s6.7186@tornado.tampabay.rr.com...
Another solution is to use a steel plated tip. If your tip is bare
copper, then what happens is the copper dissolves in the molten solder.
This is why it pits.
There are places to purchase plated tips, or you can invest in a
little
home electroplating and do it yourself.

Cheers!

Sir Charles W. Shults III, K. B. B.
Xenotech Research
321-206-1840
Click to expand...
 
In message <gXOSc.19045$a65.870418@news20.bellglobal.com>, Kim
<ksleep@sympatico.ca> writes
Glenn and John are right (as per usual). What I have found is that I have a
lamp dimmer in series with my Iron, so I can turn it down when not in use. I
use the type with preset pushbuttons, mounted in a plastic case. If I keep
the iron "Idling" at the lowest setting, then turn it up full blast, it only
takes a minute to get it up to temp. I average about a year (about 20
projects) per tip.I PERSONALLY have never had any luck with plated tips, and
I really don't like them, but this is a personal taste thing.
Also I find that at the end of the day, I lightly clean my tip with some
FINE sandpaper, then flood it with solder, then wipe off the excess, then
add a little bit of extra solder, without wiping (all of this done
immediately after powering off the iron, while its cooling down). Every
couple of days I do the same thing, but I also dunk the tip into solder
paste after a light sanding, before flooding the tip with solder.

Kim
I used to use a mains rated diode an a bypass switch to prolong element
Click to expand...
and tip life on the Antex irons (BTW, all the sleeve type tips I have
seen for Antex irons were iron plated) I have managed to keep the tip of
an Antex good enough to work with for so long the barrel corroded and
fell apart first!
--
Clint Sharp
 
How can you have "no luck" with plated tips? I have some tips that I
have been using on and off for over a decade. Plated tips are without a
doubt the best.
But, if you are grinding, sanding, and filing your tips, then you
deserve the "no luck" you get. You have immediately destroyed the
life-lengthening properties of the tip. The only thing you should use to
clean a soldering tip is a damp sponge for constant use, and maybe once a
month you might wire brush it and then tin it again.
If you are doing something that dirties your tip up any worse, you are
not using it properly. If you are doing something that bends or deforms
your tip, you are not using it properly.
If you are doing anything other than plain soldering with minimal force
and on clean surfaces, then you might as well revert to thick leather gloves
to go with the glass pliers and blowtorch.

Cheers!

Sir Charles W. Shults III, K. B. B.
Xenotech Research
321-206-1840
 
I know I will be boo'd off the stage but we have long since stopped using
wet sponges to wipe the soldering iron tips. We use folded terrycloth wiper
towels conveniently clipped onto a clip board. Try it before you laugh.



"Travers Waker" <nospam@fake.com> wrote in message
news:cffa11$evn$1@ctb-nnrp2.saix.net...
Hi.

My soldering iron (Antex CS 18W) tips seem to get rusted and pitted after
a
while. Any (sensible) suggestions on how to stop this from happening?

Thanks.

Travers
Click to expand...
 
"jsmith" (juddo@ix.netcom.com) writes:
I know I will be boo'd off the stage but we have long since stopped using
wet sponges to wipe the soldering iron tips. We use folded terrycloth wiper
towels conveniently clipped onto a clip board. Try it before you laugh.

I just use paper towel, not even damp.
Click to expand...

Decades ago, there was an article that suggested it, though I can't even
remember if they say to keep it damp. It doesn't really seem to matter,
though I suppose if one had a hot enough iron, perhaps the issue of
keeping the sponge damp is to avoid setting it on fire.

I just can't be bothered keeping a sponge damp, and if it's not damp,
it tends to wear out due to burning. It's more expensive than paper towel,
especially if using those specifically made for the soldering iron station,
so one may feel compelled to keep it damp.

Michael

"Travers Waker" <nospam@fake.com> wrote in message
news:cffa11$evn$1@ctb-nnrp2.saix.net...
Hi.

My soldering iron (Antex CS 18W) tips seem to get rusted and pitted after
a
while. Any (sensible) suggestions on how to stop this from happening?

Thanks.

Travers
Click to expand...
 
Michael Black wrote:

"jsmith" (juddo@ix.netcom.com) writes:
I know I will be boo'd off the stage but we have long since stopped using
wet sponges to wipe the soldering iron tips. We use folded terrycloth
wiper towels conveniently clipped onto a clip board. Try it before you
laugh.

I just use paper towel, not even damp.

Decades ago, there was an article that suggested it, though I can't even
remember if they say to keep it damp. It doesn't really seem to matter,
though I suppose if one had a hot enough iron, perhaps the issue of
keeping the sponge damp is to avoid setting it on fire.

I just can't be bothered keeping a sponge damp, and if it's not damp,
it tends to wear out due to burning. It's more expensive than paper
towel, especially if using those specifically made for the soldering iron
station, so one may feel compelled to keep it damp.

I've heard that the thermal shock from wiping on a damp sponge is
Click to expand...
somehow good for the tip, or its plating or tin coating or something.
I have no idea what it could do, but I've always used a wet wiper,
whether sponge, rag, or paper towel.

Cheers!
Rich
 
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