bro either you should speak louder, or turn down the volume of your intro. I turned up the volume to hear you, and than frightened as shit on the intro.. :D
yeah man dont do that again, I respect your productions man but that tihs was LOUD. AHHHHHHHHH. YOU HEAR ME? OF COURSE U DO, BECAUSE IM TURNT UP ALL THE WAY.. Nah just jokin but seriously.... RAHHHHHHH
Start of each soldering action for me begins with a brass jabbing, then ends with a brass jab and a dab of clean solder on tip. Seems very effective at keeping tips in excellent shape.
@@TheArtofRepair No, i worked and build all year up to where i have 13 phones to fix and ordered all parts begin december and i did not recieve anything yet. No idea what is going on, i wait for the result of investication to postal service. So im kinda f☆cked. If it rains it pours right.
@@TheArtofRepair I'd also suggest getting your mic off of the table. Every time your hand/arm landed on the table, my subwoofer jumped! Did love the tip maintenance info.
The chisel tip on my old 936 must be a freak of nature in regards to it's ability to maintain a clean oxidation free surface with nothing other than frequent use of a wet sponge. I wipe it off almost constantly while using it and it still looks like wet solder after around 10 years. No tinning before shutting down, and no tinning before it hits the sponge for the first time in the morning, and it always looks like fresh wet solder right after it comes off of the sponge. Must be lucky or something. I love my old Hakko!
I have been using the same set of tips for almost three years. Daily soldering on the large chisel and medium bent. I literally just put some solder on the tip when I'm done. And no tip tinner, that stuff is like crack to soldering tips, you need more and more as time goes by.
@@mat.b. as I said, just put some solder on the tip when you're done and leave it to cool down. I'll have holes in my tips before having no tin on them. I'll go through a cheap weller tip in about a month, then just replace it because it has a hole in it. More expensive rf ones last me years before needing replacement because they simply wear off to the point I can't make good contact because of tip geometry.
I just found this video yesterday and got the brass sponge and tip tinner today. I tried this method and it works great. It's my new process. Thanks for the video.
Thanks for the video. I'm starting soldering. This tip you give, to start soldering with cleaning/ tinning, sounds absolutely like the best time to do it--- right as you begin to solder. That makes a lot of sense. I value this suggestion. (I must add, it's a bit funny, as a person who has not yet begun soldering... equipment is in the mail... to hear all the different pro's contradicting each other. One jabs the soldering iron into the brass. The other says you must insert it gently and just twist... although it IS softer than the tips/ that is why it is used. One says use tip tinner as last resort... or like here- use it every time you begin to solder, rather than applying flux core solder... which another pro says is enough. Yes, this video says you can do whatever you want. Just an observation, that I've watched a bunch of pro's & seen major contradictions. But they all agree on regular cleaning & keeping the tip clean & tinned). Peace. Blessings. Love wins.
I have one soldering iron tip thats about 20 years old and still good. One thing I would recomend is last thing when finished soldering is clean and tin before switching off I always start with a clean tip every day.
I always put a blob of solder on the tip when I turn it of the only problem I have is the thread on tips they always break of then the whole soldering iron is useless
Excellent advice. I do the same thing, just using a water sponge and tinning with my regular 60/40 solder at startup and on occasion while working. Keep the tips clean and tinned, they work like magic and last a long time. Let them get crusty, forget it. I worked at an amusement game manufacturer in Buffalo for one day and quit at the end of the day when they didn't want to give me a $3.00 new tip for the Weller soldering station that I was using, the supervisor saying it was "fine" when it wouldn't tin at all. They didn't even know what I was talking about in regards to a tinned tip- that brown, rusty, nasty tip was "fine." The deal is the same with vacuum desoldering stations. Let them get nasty, and they don't work and do nothing but aggravate you.
I’m a beginner at this and your video has great advice. I do have one question though, what is a good temp to run a soldering station? On average 350F or higher?
@@edwinvonessen1165 yea I think it’s more important to pick the largest tip or nozzle to fit the target joint or joints. This will do better for you than hiking temp up. 350 to start. Move up till it works with that largest possible tip You got this!
The best way to keep tips alive is to use a proper station with "standby" or "sleep" mode and temperature control. Use the lowest temperature that works, and keep it hot only when you actually need the heat. Do that and keep the tips tinned and they will last a looong time.
a quick workaround for any station that doesn't have standby like the unit shown in the video is to just purchase and use an inline foot pedal and only have it down while you work the joint, and let go. Easy 20$ conversion for any 936 station =) But you are correct! in terms of temp, you need to be using the lowest possible temp that will still get your work done properly. =)
First, love the new intro man. I agree with a comment below maybe a bit too loud but it fits well! Also keeping the vids to about 10 minutes in my opinion is perfect! You're doing things correctly.
you know if this video didnt get so many dang views, id redo it. hahaha =D i appreciate the comment! you should go checkout the microsoldering 101-102 playlists i promise the audio it better =D
What's going to be the standard size/shape tip for general use? The FX951 on Amazon that comes with one tip uses a D16, but the bundle that comes with 5 tips comes with D08, D12, D24, D32 and D52. I believe I read that the FX888D uses a D16 by default. I think my old workplace used a D24 for soldering 22AWG stranded wire together but I can't really remember if it was that big, or if it just looked that big while tinned. Or would you even recommend going up to a D32? Which two or three chisel tips would you recommend? I was thinking the D12, D16, and D24. I'll probably only play around with computer keyboard PCBs, RC cars, and electric guitar wiring. Do you think a D08 is too small? Thanks!
honestly, in your use case, just grab the cheap aftermarket t12 pack on ebay for 30 bucks and you will have all you need. Normal rule of thumb is, "largest tip that can do the job" which ends up really opening the door for you once you realize how many irons can be used for anything as long as they fit the joint.
I was instructed to basically do this before I pack my iron up for storing. Would you recommend I follow these steps both after and before every session of soldering?
I have a brand new tip, but cannot get it to tin! does that sponge have to be brass? I have one that is silver toned. I don't know why I can't tin it...I am really getting pissed! I guess that tinning paste is a must.
Good video, except the intro music volume. Nice touch with the microscope! Do you know I can use Bakers flux and solder as a 3 step process (flux, clean, tin with solder)? Cheers mate.
This is also a very good idea as it prevents buildup at the tip itself. I appreciate the view and comment, hope to see you in the comments again in the future!
A clean, tinned tip is the first step in good soldering iron technique. Replaced my Weller station after 30 years hard use with an Edsyn 951x, and do find the "Pod" (the shroud the pencil lives in at rest) to slow oxidation. Also picked up a Hakko brass wool R2D2 like you have, which is not yet ready for refilling. However, research has brought up the benefits of loading kitchen scrubbers (washed and dried) with Kester 951 No Clean liquid flux. I had already been using the Kester product, which is 2% rosin in a water based carrier, and sells for around $50.00 a gallon. You can buy 2 oz quantities on the bay for $5.00 or so, which might be good for some as it has a shelf life of about 2 years iirc.
Good video!. I would like to add that when you are finished soldering, to keep a generous amount of solder on the tip. This blocks oxidation of the tip and is actually strongly mentioned in the Hakko videos on using your soldering iron to greatly prolong the life of your tips.
really truly thank you. i thought i was just doing everyithing wrong. really i was just under supplied. i Didnt undersatnd how necessary tip tinner is to solder tip cleaning.
It allows me to have more creative freedom in how I do my channel overall, I think it’s a very powerful tool for content creation. :) thanks for your view and question! Hope to see you in the comment section again!
Should you clean the tip before you put it in the holster? I would guess not since the residual solder would act as an oxygen barrier while the pen is at rest?
You should clean it with flux and tin it with fresh solder before holstering it and shut down. Then clean and tin first thing upon start up before your first joint. Then clean and tin every few joints. You are absolutely correct about the solder protecting the tip. The solder does a much better job of this when it is fresh and clean.
Best way to say it is, if you think you're cleaning and tinning too much, you probably need to clean and tin more often. I don't use tinning/cleaning compound. I use plain paste flux and solder wire. If I need deeper cleaning, I use plumbing flux and make sure to clean the plumbers flux off real well before doing another solder joint. I have a tub of plumbers flux that I use just for this. I treat it like tip tinner, just dip the hot iron in it and apply solder. Clean and repeat and clean again until desired level of tinning is reached. Cleaning is important, but it always needs to be followed by tinning. Cleaning removes the oxidation. Tinning prevents it from coming back.
Always remember the three big factors that affect all chemical reactions (such as oxidation.) 1. Time 2. Temperature 3. Surface area. Soldering is already at a disadvantage because it is hot, and the tin layer is thin (high surface area.)
I am new to soldering and just purchased a Weller. Their company videos show using the tin block or wire brush to clean the tips and recommend using the tip tinner only once in awhile as they feel it's too acidic and will eat through the tips. Their info had me concerrned I was going to ruin the tips with that kind of tinner. I GUESS YOU SHOWED THEM UP! THANKS!
Don't you think that the producer knows better how not to ruin his tool? Unless they want to sell more tips and in this case it's a risky job as users will find out that another no name station is better than Weller...
@@UnulOarecare, aftet several buyouts/mergers, Weller (now Cooper, last I remember) ain't the company they used to be; as an example, the red soldering "station" that Weller sells through Home Depot for instance is a piece of crap, nothing more than an ordinary 120 volt AC iron plugged into a plastic box containg an electronic light-dimmer type circuit, which means you can turn the temperature *down* on the included 40 watt iron, but you can't turn it "up", and there's no heat regulation or thermal feedback. Contrast that with the old blue Weller PTC stations from 50 years ago that used a special tip and magnetic relay for temperature control; I used one of those every day as an audio repair bench tech for 20 years and the only thing that ever failed on them was the plug-in connector (we hardwired the irons to the station). The tips were good for months of heavy use and about once a year I'd clean the contacts of the relay. You can buy an electronically controlled soldering station from Harbor Freight for 45 bucks, a much better choice than the cheesy $60 Weller; HF also sells a fancier version with a digital display for 3 times as much money but I find it interesting that the $45 HF unit has a metal-shell screw-on connector, a much better connector than the molded DIN plug found on the more expensive unit, which will likely oxidize, overheat, and fail. Newbies should be made aware that they really ought to buy better tips for the HF unit because the 3 tips included are apparently made completely of iron or steel and are strongly magnetic from one end to the other, as opposed to high quality tips which should be made of copper with iron plating only at the very tip (to resist the dissolving effects of hot solder and flux). I posted a video on my channel recently about how to use a magnet to tell good tips from bad. Copper tips provide fast, efficient, heat transfer; iron or steel tips do not. Many people aren't aware of this and they buy the cheapest tips they can find on eBay, Amazon or Ali- Express , and then they wonder why they're struggling to achieve good solder connections. The other thing that chafes my butt is that many soldering stations, whether good or bad, often include only pointy "conical" tips, which I find to be useless for most soldering. A so-called chisel tip with a blunt rounded end is far more appropriate for most soldering jobs.
A brass sponge is specifically designed for cleaning soldering iron tips. Brass is softer than steel, so it won't scratch or damage the soldering iron tip as easily as a steel sponge might. Brass has lower thermal conductivity, which means that it will not cool down the soldering iron tip as quickly as a steel sponge would. Rapid cooling can lead to thermal shock, which may shorten the lifespan of the soldering iron tip. I hope this helps! Thanks for leaving a comment. Hope to see you commenting on other videos 😎💪
I have soldring iron tip tapered and not get iron broblume how to clean it and iron conect on it I sanded it and removed the black layer, but it still doesn't catch the lead. What is the reason?
I was wondering if it would be better to store the tip into some sort of flux-bath or tin-bath when the soldering iron is off? So the tip is submerged into something that is great for the tip.
I would say yes, If you can store it in any sort of oxygen free environment that would help the tip live longer. But also on that note, alot of the stations i grew up using did not have any auto sleep settings, so I got in the habbit of either using a foot pedal and keeping the device on. so It would only stay on as needed. or so just turn it off asap when im done with the iron. This will keep things nicer even longer.
Yes. Just use a moist/damp (soldering) sponge. Brass wool as a second measure. The tip tinner actually should only be used as a last measure for really oxidized tips, since it's acidic and eats away the iron plating on the tip over time.
If you always have solder on your tip, you don’t need that acidic stuff. And it’s not recommended to always turn on/off station because the temperature variations will shortened tip lifetime. Just try to have solder always on tip and you will see the difference.
Thank you so much! This video really helped me. I just started soldering as a part time job and I found I have problems with breathing in the smoke and stuff... Any recommendations on how to vent properly?
The thing I notice a lot of folks doing is running their iron way too hot. Most electrical soldering does not require the hottest setting. Dial it way back. Too much heat burns flux, oxidizes the tip faster and causes you to have to re-tin within seconds. When you run too hot, the problems come at you faster. Burnt flux doesn't let the solder flow, then the tendency is to turn the heat up higher, because more heat melts solder, right? Wrong! Lower your temps to just hot enough to quickly flow the solder without burning the flux. Flux is your friend. Don't burn it and use plenty. Clean often, tin often. Oxidation is enemy #1.
Hey Justin, can you give some words about the hot air station you are using compared to Hakko and Weller. I need a new station the Quick 861DE is on my list as well. Thank you!
Get the Quick before the price climbs to high, best bang for the buck on the market right now. I went ahead and purchased a few of them myself, the 861 is about to become a classic.
Got a good contact on aliexpress for 861w truly remarkable peice kit.. n justin recommended it, threw the hakko out not even in same league in my opinion...
The wet sponge is a final thermal SHOCK to the system to remove final oxidative coatings. it works based extreme temp differentials due to the water absorbing so much energy and reacting violently with the oxidation. But it only works to a small extent, ie a final last measure to help clean. If you solder all day, it means nothing really. If you solder only during blue moons, it can help. =)
This made perfect sense why when I'm trying it goes okey when I start but the longer I work and leave it on. The harder it gets. I don't have a sleep function on mine aither. I will most definitely buy a bras spunge and retinner now and start working on those soldering habbits. Thanks.
Does the wire scrubber thing need to brass, is that the best type? Is there any alternative I could use, cus I'm sitting here trying to finish a job and can't find my tin with my cleaner in it, and I honestly have no clue what else I could use that won't ruin or do something weird to my tip. I'm self taught with this been learning what I can from youtube, and random people I encounter at like hardware stores and electronic repair stores, but I don't have anyone who's experienced to learn from or call up to ask dumb questions like this. I'm sure I sound like a total novice here, which I am, I admit. But im trying to learn and have less learning the hard way. Thank you
When i google “tip tinner”, i mostly get listings for “tip activators”, is that the same thing as a tip tinner? Just want to be sure i’m buying the correct materials 😅
I’m trying to set myself up on a low budget starter kit for repair. Can you recommend a good hot air soldering rework station? I just bought a Weller WE1010 soldering iron and would like to also have the ability do hot air soldering if necessary.
Soldering tinner is a low melt highly acidic metal that eats away the soldering iron tips to help clean it. Flux, while it is a barrier, and a detergent of sorts. It does lack the metal content that recoats the tip. I hope this help and answers your question!
like the video i tin then clean then add some solder then start soldering every few solder joints i repeat the process and it allways looks nice and shiny
Great vid. Really needed something like this, I let my first tip go to shit since I had no idea what I was doing. If I don't have any of the tip tinner, am I good to just tin it with the solder wire itself?
Hey Justin. Great video my man. Buuut one thing i would suggest [ based on yrs of editing with an eraser ] could you make the intro even louder? That way I can hear all the criticism from the comments in hifi. So lucky to have that vast library of knowledge from OG TH-camers. If I offended anyone with my humour im truly sorry, I couldn't think of a funnier comment.
Seriouly though. Your a very patient kind guy. You responded to 3 dozen ppl who all had the same comment, complaint. Lol read before you review ppl lol
I use a damp sponge for cleaning and always keep the tip tinned. I solder a ton and my tips last about 2-3 months for the smaller 30 watt weller iron. I still don't understand why the tips get eaten away so quickly on my 150 watt weller though. It's the horseshoe style tip and the end always gets thin and eventually comes apart. Any advice on how to make those tips last longer? Is a damp sponge poissibly causing it?
not sure if it's still gonna help after all these years (just found this video) but if you believe that the sponge is causing your issue try to use only the metal wool or bras, how they call it
The damp sponge method isn't preferred anymore. It's not as bad if you use distilled water, but most people use tap water and all of the minerals and stuff in the water burn onto the tip and oxidize it. Preferred method is the dry brass sponge as seen in this video.
@@Joesbeasty, The damp sponge tends to thermally shock the tip and damages the iron plating that is factory applied to quality-made tips. People also have a tendency to make the sponge too wet ---- I watched a video recently where plumes of steam were coming up from the sponge as the tip was wiped against it ! which likely meant both that the tip temperature was too high and that the sponge was saturated with water. I prefer the brass wool tip cleaner, although I don't see any reason why one couldn't save a few bucks and use a curly metal kitchen scrubber, be it copper or stainless steel. Otherwise, one thing that newbies haven't yet learned the hard way is that the internet is awash in cheaply made, counterfeit or knockoff soldering iron tips, garbage solder, and corrosive fluxes. I posted a video about cheap soldering iron tips on my channel recently: the short-form version is that if the tips are strongly magnetic throughout then they're garbage; they won't transper heat quickly/efficiently and they'll pit, corrode and oxidize quickly. Tips should be made of copper with iron plating at the pointy end because copper would quickly be dissolved by the molten solder and flux, but iron resists the dissolving effects of the solder yet still allows solder to wet to it for an efficient transfer of heat. Buying soldering iron tips (or solder and flux) from AliExpress, Amazon or flea Bay is a crap shoot and you're most likely going to get an inferior product. Even if the knock off soldering station aomebody buys works okay, the tips included with it are likely to be junk , as I discovered when I bought a Harbor Freight soldering station recently: the entire tip is apparently made of iron or steel and is strongly magnetic from one end to the other, whereas a copper tip would only be magnetic at the pointy end, where it is ---- or should be ---- iron plated. The provided Harbor Freight tips are also conical and pointy; but I've been soldering for over 50 years ( Including 20 years as a full-time audio equipment bench technician) and 99% of the time I prefer a rounded, blunt, so-called "chisel tip" for better heat transfer. I don't know where the owner of this channel came up with the idea of soldering as being some kind of cold weld that forms under a vacuum, because it's not true.Soldering creates an alloy between the metals as they dissolve into each other. If the preposition here was true , then you could solder to aluminum, but anybody who's ever tried it knows that it's virtually impossible!
I get by at about 350c but alot of people think im crazy for it. Its a bit low, but it works for me. Most people just max it out and go for broke at 370c+
It depends on how good your iron is really. If it's a cheapo non-cartridge one then you need to use a higher temp otherwise you'll constantly be dipping too low. Also you'll need a bit higher temp for non-leaded work. For my JBC w/ leaded wire 350-360C is fine. At least 400C for hot air.
Great video, very interesting. I only solder occasionally, is there anything you should do between sessions to protect the tip? Also, is it worth using the tip tinner, just wondering what the advantages are
Weller says to store your tip well tinned to block the oxidation of the copper. BTW, mixing 2 metals into 1 is called "alloying". The cleaner and hotter metals are, the more likely they are to alloy. Tin and copper alloy very quickly if very hot, other metals alloy too, just slower to much slower.
I don't know where this guy got the idea that he was "cold welding" metals together in a "vacuum" with a soldering iron; If that was true then we could solder any metal to any metal, including aluminum, and anyone who has tried it knows that this isn't possible! A true example of a "cold weld" is a crimp that is done to military specifications.
I solder wire splices on wire harnesses every day at work. Though usually I only solder 5-10 all at once every 1.5-2 hours. I just want to clarify, it is bad to leave it hot? And do I need to tin the tip before I turn it off?
Letting an iron run at say 350°C when not actually using it, just degrades and oxidizes the tip faster. If your iron can heat up fast, then just turn it off when not using it. The next best thing would be to turn the heat way down while it's "idling".
Jason is right, leaving it hot without looking after the tip is not good for the longevity of the tip for sure. Best to do as Jason mentioned, either that or pickup a unit that has a sleep feature.
@@TheArtofRepair, Those shops either don't teach and insist upon tip hygiene, or perhaps are buying junky tips, cheap knockoff/counterfeit "compatible" tips from AliExpress, Amazon or eBay. You never talked about the tip materials or how to differentiate good tips from bad ones, so I'll do it for you: soldering tips should be made of *copper* with two types of plating, iron and chrome. Copper is the most practical and affordable metal for fast heat transfer; but plain copper would actually DISSOLVE into the solder and flux, and an unplated (or filed/sanded down) copper tip will quickly erode, pit, and oxidize so that solder won't wet to it. The very tip of the tip 😉 is supposed to be *plated with iron* because iron resists the dissolving effect of solder and flux but will still allow solder to "wet" to it so that you'll get quick transfer of heat to the board. The rest of the tip is typically plated with chrome or some similar shiny metal that resists solder entirely, so that only the pointy end of the tip will accept and wet with solder. The "cold weld in a vacuum" analogy given in the video is incorrect: soldering creates an ALLOY out of compatible metals because heat and flux allows the metals to dissolve into each other at the surface. If what you said was correct, then we would be able to solder to aluminum just as easily as we can to copper, brass, steel, soldering anything to anything; but anyone who's tried soldering to aluminum knows that it's virtually impossible. The simplest way to differentiate good quality tips from bad is with a magnet because good tips will be strongly magnetic only at the pointy end while bad tips may be strongly magnetic throughout including at the rear of the tip. You can see this test, and watch a bunch of cheesy tips fail it, in a video on my channel. If the tip is strongly magnetic throughout then it's presumably made of iron or steel and it will not transfer heat anywhere near as efficiently as it would if it was plated copper, leading to grainy, resistive "cold" solder connections, and increased soldering time, which can cause copper foil traces to debond from circuit boards, as newbies all too often learn the hard way. Unfortunately, many soldering irons or soldering stations bought cheaply by beginners come with crap tips that aren't made of copper. The provided tips are often the wrong shape as well: typically conical (pointed), not chisel shaped.I've been soldering for about 55 years and spent 20 years as an audio-equipment repair technician ---- using almost exclusively so-called "chisel" tips. You never discussed solder alloys, nor flux cores, nor the use of additional flux while soldering. The internet is awash in counterfeit, mislabeled or poorly manufactured solder and soldering fluxes. I'm retired now, but when I was still working, my boss, who was a bit of a cheapskate, tried buying solder and fluxes directly from China, and much of what we received turned out to be junk, especially the liquid or paste fluxes ---- despite being advertised as good for electronics use, we'd discover when the bottle arrived that it t specifically says in small print in the rear of the bottle "not for electrical/electronics use". We also ran into lots of fake, relabeled or counterfeit electronics devices such as transistors (especially mosfets ) and CD laser mechanisms. The moral of the story here is to buy solder, soldering tips, fluxes and components from trustworthy USA-based electronics-specialty distributors, who will refund your money if the product turns out to be not as advertised. PS, don't even get me started on leadfree solder, which is an abomination....that's a conversation for another day.
I have done it for yrs it looked like crap, might hold might not my old gun blew up I got another one one off eBay waiting on it in mail, I hope your advice works for me.Thanks great video 👍
In the soldering world, there are hobbyist level, general level and precision levels. I deal with the latter on an extreme level compared to the J STD on a level 3 of that standard. This is the highest standard of soldering excellence you can achieve. You are correct about not altering your tip’s original configuration. The tip selection offered for your iron is all you have. This is not an issue on the more expensive stations as the irons have many tip choices and you aren’t as limited in tip selection. Buying off branded tips is usually met with unpleasant consequences like poor plating or tip material compromises. For some, this is not an issue, but in critical circuit ops, this is a no tolerance situation where compromise could mean loss of performance yielding failure leading to loss of life and or capital asset failure and mission failure. This is an extreme grade of work, but the responsibility of the operators is high and so is the reliability of the equipment they work on being critical. Compromise leads to failure and failure is not an option at this level. Procedures are followed and are more time consuming than basic soldering ops. Not all are able to perform at this level. It takes a whole different mindset and focus most are not able to achieve. I can break it down if anyone is interested. The rules are harsh for good reason. Human life is precious and mission failure is intolerable. It’s that simple. Press on and never compromise your work! Stay safe mates!😊👍🏻😷
@@cchemmes-seeseeart3948, it is classified as critical circuit soldering under the new J STD 006 level 3. In my first exposure to it was DOD STD 2000-1. This is and was then the hardest standard for soldering as it pertains to circuitry that is life critical, avionics in the military fall under this ruling, satellite electronics do also. Any medical electronics would fall under this standard. Human life and capital assets are at risk thus justifying the highest level of soldering available. You may look it up and learn a lot on the internet. The highest quality of soldering isn’t obtained by many people as this level of soldering demands 100% of your attention, your skill and your abilities. Your focus must be at a level that most are not capable of reaching. It isn’t forgiving as compromise is as far from this level as you can get. No wonder few ever achieve it. Military contractors have to utilize it for weapons systems. When you are dependent on any electronics, this is the standard used. Leaded or lead free solder is used in this standard.
I use the tip tinner also, my tips also have lasted over 2 +years, and I stab it just exactly like you said. Caustic or not, I will continue to do it like that, because I know it WORKS. Proof like they say, is in the pudding..... Thanks again for a great video.
@JennaHasm just look into electro plating. But to be honest, tips are so cheap now. Even a nice cartridge tip that setting up to electroplate will cost more
Hey, new sub here, I like your style. You're obviously a smart guy that knows his shit, but you explained everything in a manner that I could understand what you were saying. Nicely done, thank you. Of all the videos I've watched on soldering, this one actually gave me an understanding of what I'm doing. Oh yeah, same as everybody else with the intro, but other than that, great video. Peace
Very instructive video thank you ! I’ve a FX951 but never use the tinner so no way to solder .... will buy 1kilo ! Question : you never put solder when you put it on the stand ? I mean in sleep mode .
You know, multiple people have mentioned this and I started to do it, not a bad idea at all and good to do in practice it seems. Just make sure you hold it infront of your exhaust when you do it XD
Bro any tips for a stuck tip? My soldering iron is new and on my third use the tip became unusable, solder doesn't stick on it and the tip is stuck and I can't change it.. and it's not like it kept on for long or something, please help
My personal shop is actually going through a re branding right now, which will be unveiled next month, outside of that AOR is also a repair company that can accommodate your board level needs if neede. =) Once the new stuff has launched it will be shown on the channel =)
Oh great, thank you. Also, big thanks for the PCB board viewer video (Free ZXW). It has cut down on my troubleshooting time greatly. Keep up the great work.
Right on! Def good to do throughout your work for sure. Gota keep things on point! I appreciate the view and comment, hope to see you in the comments again in the future!
How long does it take for a tip to become irrecoverable? I just bought a weller wps18mp and began soldering without knowledge of oxidation being the enemy. The thing is, the iron has been switched on for a sum of maybe 10 mins in the 3 times I’ve tried to use it, giving me problems as early as the 2 use. I know it’s not the greatest iron, but I’m not gonna be soldering enough to buy $100+ iron. Does this sound normal? Does it really go that bad that quick?
Hey people, I'm a true newbie and I'm just looking for a bit of help. All I have is "pen flux" and rosin core solder. Could I get by for a while without getting the tip tinner?
I have a question. So every single time I put the iron in the holder I have to tin it every single time I pull it out? Like I'm about to do a analog stick in a Xbox one controller. Should only be a great 10 minute job. So I'll do a couple joints take a 1 minute break and put the iron in the holder. So I will need to do it again after only doing 2 or 3 solder joints? Please reply ASAP. I'm doing this Saturday. Rob
Even if it's not the actual tip tinner, you need to make sure you're keeping the end of your iron clean and tinned at all times, you do not want any sort of oxidation buildup. learning to make tinning part of your process will help you to remember it always, even if you are just adding the solder wire itself and not using the tinner cup.
TheArtofRepair I just watched some videos by Weller company and they said not to use tip tinner unless necessary. That the tip tinner has acid in it and will eat the tips if used too much. I bought the thermaltronics tip tinner off amazon.
Ya know, its funny, iv been hearing that for years, and im sure it does have acid in it, but also, ill say that I have had no issues using the tip tinner every day vs not using it in terms of tip life. But again, you can also buy an ingot of 63/37 or something and use that as your tinner base.
I just bought a solder station from Amazon. I am trying to remove tension module from ps5 controller.. the solder will not melt at all. I am not sure why. I was able to remove the replacement module needed to insert with no issues, but the ps5 solder will not melt...would ypu know why?
That's exactly what most tutorials are missing. I had to find it out by myself over dozens of years. Thank you for providing an alternative to that!
bro either you should speak louder, or turn down the volume of your intro. I turned up the volume to hear you, and than frightened as shit on the intro.. :D
same here
anyone got any detergent so I can clean my underoos?
yeah, almost dont want to watch it now
yeah man dont do that again, I respect your productions man but that tihs was LOUD. AHHHHHHHHH. YOU HEAR ME? OF COURSE U DO, BECAUSE IM TURNT UP ALL THE WAY.. Nah just jokin but seriously.... RAHHHHHHH
I’m a beginner in soldering and I feel much more confident when I prepare myself for projects :)
8:40 dude after watching many videos and still wondering, you just explained perfectly. kudos
Right on I’m glad it helped! And it’s great to hear you’ve seen so many 😎 hope your repair journeys going well!
Start of each soldering action for me begins with a brass jabbing, then ends with a brass jab and a dab of clean solder on tip. Seems very effective at keeping tips in excellent shape.
Loved this serie.
Appriciate ya bro! Have you been fixing anything these days?
@@TheArtofRepair No, i worked and build all year up to where i have 13 phones to fix and ordered all parts begin december and i did not recieve anything yet. No idea what is going on, i wait for the result of investication to postal service. So im kinda f☆cked. If it rains it pours right.
@@zomaardan oh man! you didnt get a tracking? =(
@@TheArtofRepair Yes i had al tracking but it never got here. Some items are now resend but months pass.
Maybe its just your personality and your multi view camera work, but that's how its done!! Great job man and thank you.
I appreciate you taking the time to leave a compliment on my channel! Thanks so much! Hope to see you in the comments again guitar works!
You should lower your new intro volume a bit. It's quite loud compared to your voice before and after the intro. Great tip about the tips ofc ;-)
For sure, I can do this. Next time I will try to have it equalized better! Thank you for your comment!
@@TheArtofRepair I'd also suggest getting your mic off of the table. Every time your hand/arm landed on the table, my subwoofer jumped! Did love the tip maintenance info.
No need to blast the intro music... great video otherwise.
I agree, no need to blast music... or even include it at all? kinda comical if not annoying :)
i thought it was publicity
You just changed my life thank you brother! God bless your heart.
💪💪💪 make me proud out there!
The chisel tip on my old 936 must be a freak of nature in regards to it's ability to maintain a clean oxidation free surface with nothing other than frequent use of a wet sponge. I wipe it off almost constantly while using it and it still looks like wet solder after around 10 years. No tinning before shutting down, and no tinning before it hits the sponge for the first time in the morning, and it always looks like fresh wet solder right after it comes off of the sponge. Must be lucky or something. I love my old Hakko!
One of the rare good ones! =D
You mean the Atten AT936D?
@@defme It looks like the old Hakko 936 but I've heard the components aren't as high quality. Basically a cheaper clone.
I have been using the same set of tips for almost three years. Daily soldering on the large chisel and medium bent. I literally just put some solder on the tip when I'm done. And no tip tinner, that stuff is like crack to soldering tips, you need more and more as time goes by.
if you dont use tinner then what do you suggest different?
@@mat.b. as I said, just put some solder on the tip when you're done and leave it to cool down. I'll have holes in my tips before having no tin on them. I'll go through a cheap weller tip in about a month, then just replace it because it has a hole in it. More expensive rf ones last me years before needing replacement because they simply wear off to the point I can't make good contact because of tip geometry.
I just found this video yesterday and got the brass sponge and tip tinner today. I tried this method and it works great. It's my new process. Thanks for the video.
Advice for the beginner in soldering. It is much appreciated. Excellent and direct review. Thanks ...
Thanks for the video. I'm starting soldering. This tip you give, to start soldering with cleaning/ tinning, sounds absolutely like the best time to do it--- right as you begin to solder. That makes a lot of sense. I value this suggestion. (I must add, it's a bit funny, as a person who has not yet begun soldering... equipment is in the mail... to hear all the different pro's contradicting each other. One jabs the soldering iron into the brass. The other says you must insert it gently and just twist... although it IS softer than the tips/ that is why it is used. One says use tip tinner as last resort... or like here- use it every time you begin to solder, rather than applying flux core solder... which another pro says is enough. Yes, this video says you can do whatever you want. Just an observation, that I've watched a bunch of pro's & seen major contradictions. But they all agree on regular cleaning & keeping the tip clean & tinned). Peace. Blessings. Love wins.
I have one soldering iron tip thats about 20 years old and still good.
One thing I would recomend is last thing when finished soldering is clean and tin before switching off I always start with a clean tip every day.
This is also an amazing habit to form. Thanks for sharing bro!
I do that too :)
I always put a blob of solder on the tip when I turn it of the only problem I have is the thread on tips they always break of then the whole soldering iron is useless
Do you have a procedure for when you’re done for the day?
Excellent advice. I do the same thing, just using a water sponge and tinning with my regular 60/40 solder at startup and on occasion while working. Keep the tips clean and tinned, they work like magic and last a long time. Let them get crusty, forget it. I worked at an amusement game manufacturer in Buffalo for one day and quit at the end of the day when they didn't want to give me a $3.00 new tip for the Weller soldering station that I was using, the supervisor saying it was "fine" when it wouldn't tin at all. They didn't even know what I was talking about in regards to a tinned tip- that brown, rusty, nasty tip was "fine." The deal is the same with vacuum desoldering stations. Let them get nasty, and they don't work and do nothing but aggravate you.
I’m a beginner at this and your video has great advice. I do have one question though, what is a good temp to run a soldering station? On average 350F or higher?
@@edwinvonessen1165 yea I think it’s more important to pick the largest tip or nozzle to fit the target joint or joints. This will do better for you than hiking temp up.
350 to start. Move up till it works with that largest possible tip
You got this!
The best way to keep tips alive is to use a proper station with "standby" or "sleep" mode and temperature control. Use the lowest temperature that works, and keep it hot only when you actually need the heat. Do that and keep the tips tinned and they will last a looong time.
a quick workaround for any station that doesn't have standby like the unit shown in the video is to just purchase and use an inline foot pedal and only have it down while you work the joint, and let go. Easy 20$ conversion for any 936 station =)
But you are correct! in terms of temp, you need to be using the lowest possible temp that will still get your work done properly. =)
@@TheArtofRepair foot pedal is a brilliant idea.
Thanks bro should i put some iron on tip when im done with the soldering iron to store it away after a tinned it and cleaned it ?
First, love the new intro man. I agree with a comment below maybe a bit too loud but it fits well! Also keeping the vids to about 10 minutes in my opinion is perfect! You're doing things correctly.
question can you use a copper pot scrubber instead of brass? great vid and very informative . thank you.
I mean..... I have in the past XD its just about solid abrasion and prob will work just fine =)
After blasting my ear drums in The introduction, this became the best instructional tinning video out there....btw macro camera game is on point sir.
you know if this video didnt get so many dang views, id redo it. hahaha =D i appreciate the comment! you should go checkout the microsoldering 101-102 playlists i promise the audio it better =D
What's going to be the standard size/shape tip for general use? The FX951 on Amazon that comes with one tip uses a D16, but the bundle that comes with 5 tips comes with D08, D12, D24, D32 and D52. I believe I read that the FX888D uses a D16 by default.
I think my old workplace used a D24 for soldering 22AWG stranded wire together but I can't really remember if it was that big, or if it just looked that big while tinned. Or would you even recommend going up to a D32?
Which two or three chisel tips would you recommend? I was thinking the D12, D16, and D24. I'll probably only play around with computer keyboard PCBs, RC cars, and electric guitar wiring. Do you think a D08 is too small? Thanks!
honestly, in your use case, just grab the cheap aftermarket t12 pack on ebay for 30 bucks and you will have all you need. Normal rule of thumb is, "largest tip that can do the job" which ends up really opening the door for you once you realize how many irons can be used for anything as long as they fit the joint.
Thanks!
I was instructed to basically do this before I pack my iron up for storing. Would you recommend I follow these steps both after and before every session of soldering?
Finally someone who explains in an intelligent, proper way. Ty, now I understand. 😊
Im glad that this information helped you and that it came across in an easy to understand way. Hopefully you will watch more of my videos =D
I have a brand new tip, but cannot get it to tin! does that sponge have to be brass? I have one that is silver toned. I don't know why I can't tin it...I am really getting pissed! I guess that tinning paste is a must.
A new tip should tin straight away. Sometimes they come pre-tinned (with some solder already on them for protection). Was it a cheap Chinese one?
Good video, except the intro music volume. Nice touch with the microscope!
Do you know I can use Bakers flux and solder as a 3 step process (flux, clean, tin with solder)? Cheers mate.
Very nice, will start doing that.
Hi. What type of gloves you should use for soldering small components?
Mario DL the ones I use are in my videos description :)
TheArtofRepair Nitrile gloves?, I just trying to find them on Amazon. I hate when my hands sweet during soldering
Mario DL yea 3-4mill textured nitrile seem to work great. Just gota crank the ac 😂
What about tinning your soldering iron with clean layer of solder before turning it off?
This is also a very good idea as it prevents buildup at the tip itself. I appreciate the view and comment, hope to see you in the comments again in the future!
A clean, tinned tip is the first step in good soldering iron technique.
Replaced my Weller station after 30 years hard use with an Edsyn 951x, and do find the "Pod" (the shroud the pencil lives in at rest) to slow oxidation.
Also picked up a Hakko brass wool R2D2 like you have, which is not yet ready for refilling.
However, research has brought up the benefits of loading kitchen scrubbers (washed and dried) with Kester 951 No Clean liquid flux.
I had already been using the Kester product, which is 2% rosin in a water based carrier, and sells for around $50.00 a gallon.
You can buy 2 oz quantities on the bay for $5.00 or so, which might be good for some as it has a shelf life of about 2 years iirc.
oh wow! im def going to look into adding the flux, I already thought about using the kitchen scrubbers once just didnt know about the flux addition!
wow! a little bit of knowledge go a long ways! thank you so much man for sharing that!.
Good video!. I would like to add that when you are finished soldering, to keep a generous amount of solder on the tip. This blocks oxidation of the tip and is actually strongly mentioned in the Hakko videos on using your soldering iron to greatly prolong the life of your tips.
Your correct! Great add! Will be in the update video whenever it comes out 💪😎
Hey, what is thickness of solder that you use for iPhone motherboard repairs?
What a masterpiece!! So simple. NO BIG DEAL.
really truly thank you. i thought i was just doing everyithing wrong. really i was just under supplied. i Didnt undersatnd how necessary tip tinner is to solder tip cleaning.
Quick question, why are you using a green screen?...
It allows me to have more creative freedom in how I do my channel overall, I think it’s a very powerful tool for content creation. :) thanks for your view and question! Hope to see you in the comment section again!
@@TheArtofRepair I almost didn't catch it, good job mate!
Thanks. I'll try it.
...this is a nice change from talking to flat earthers. I almost forgot what is was like to leave a genuinely nice comment 😅
Should you clean the tip before you put it in the holster? I would guess not since the residual solder would act as an oxygen barrier while the pen is at rest?
You should clean it with flux and tin it with fresh solder before holstering it and shut down. Then clean and tin first thing upon start up before your first joint. Then clean and tin every few joints.
You are absolutely correct about the solder protecting the tip. The solder does a much better job of this when it is fresh and clean.
Bullfrog said it best!
Best way to say it is, if you think you're cleaning and tinning too much, you probably need to clean and tin more often.
I don't use tinning/cleaning compound. I use plain paste flux and solder wire. If I need deeper cleaning, I use plumbing flux and make sure to clean the plumbers flux off real well before doing another solder joint. I have a tub of plumbers flux that I use just for this. I treat it like tip tinner, just dip the hot iron in it and apply solder. Clean and repeat and clean again until desired level of tinning is reached. Cleaning is important, but it always needs to be followed by tinning. Cleaning removes the oxidation. Tinning prevents it from coming back.
Always remember the three big factors that affect all chemical reactions (such as oxidation.)
1. Time
2. Temperature
3. Surface area.
Soldering is already at a disadvantage because it is hot, and the tin layer is thin (high surface area.)
Just turn your solderstation off when you're not soldering and always keep the tip tinned. My Weller WS81 gets to the temp within a couple seconds.
Best tips/soldering iron combo for smt work?
This will be its own video here soon. No worries. But tbh, short answer is whatever fits the pad with the most surface area =)
I am new to soldering and just purchased a Weller. Their company videos show using the tin block or wire brush to clean the tips and recommend using the tip tinner only once in awhile as they feel it's too acidic and will eat through the tips. Their info had me concerrned I was going to ruin the tips with that kind of tinner. I GUESS YOU SHOWED THEM UP! THANKS!
Don't you think that the producer knows better how not to ruin his tool? Unless they want to sell more tips and in this case it's a risky job as users will find out that another no name station is better than Weller...
@@UnulOarecare, aftet several buyouts/mergers, Weller (now Cooper, last I remember) ain't the company they used to be; as an example, the red soldering "station" that Weller sells through Home Depot for instance is a piece of crap, nothing more than an ordinary 120 volt AC iron plugged into a plastic box containg an electronic light-dimmer type circuit, which means you can turn the temperature *down* on the included 40 watt iron, but you can't turn it "up", and there's no heat regulation or thermal feedback. Contrast that with the old blue Weller PTC stations from 50 years ago that used a special tip and magnetic relay for temperature control; I used one of those every day as an audio repair bench tech for 20 years and the only thing that ever failed on them was the plug-in connector (we hardwired the irons to the station). The tips were good for months of heavy use and about once a year I'd clean the contacts of the relay. You can buy an electronically controlled soldering station from Harbor Freight for 45 bucks, a much better choice than the cheesy $60 Weller; HF also sells a fancier version with a digital display for 3 times as much money but I find it interesting that the $45 HF unit has a metal-shell screw-on connector, a much better connector than the molded DIN plug found on the more expensive unit, which will likely oxidize, overheat, and fail. Newbies should be made aware that they really ought to buy better tips for the HF unit because the 3 tips included are apparently made completely of iron or steel and are strongly magnetic from one end to the other, as opposed to high quality tips which should be made of copper with iron plating only at the very tip (to resist the dissolving effects of hot solder and flux).
I posted a video on my channel recently about how to use a magnet to tell good tips from bad. Copper tips provide fast, efficient, heat transfer; iron or steel tips do not. Many people aren't aware of this and they buy the cheapest tips they can find on eBay, Amazon or Ali- Express , and then they wonder why they're struggling to achieve good solder connections.
The other thing that chafes my butt is that many soldering stations, whether good or bad, often include only pointy "conical" tips, which I find to be useless for most soldering. A so-called chisel tip with a blunt rounded end is far more appropriate for most soldering jobs.
I didn't realize tip tinner was supposed to be used this way. I thought it was only to rejuvinate dead tips. Thank you so much!
Is there a particular reason a brass sponge is better than a normal kitchen steel sponge?
A brass sponge is specifically designed for cleaning soldering iron tips.
Brass is softer than steel, so it won't scratch or damage the soldering iron tip as easily as a steel sponge might.
Brass has lower thermal conductivity, which means that it will not cool down the soldering iron tip as quickly as a steel sponge would. Rapid cooling can lead to thermal shock, which may shorten the lifespan of the soldering iron tip.
I hope this helps! Thanks for leaving a comment. Hope to see you commenting on other videos 😎💪
@@TheArtofRepair Could not have dreamed of a more extensive answer, thank you!
Good one, Justin! Nice tips (the soldering, and the ones you give lol)
I have soldring iron tip tapered and not get iron broblume how to clean it and iron conect on it I sanded it and removed the black layer, but it still doesn't catch the lead. What is the reason?
I was wondering if it would be better to store the tip into some sort of flux-bath or tin-bath when the soldering iron is off?
So the tip is submerged into something that is great for the tip.
I would say yes, If you can store it in any sort of oxygen free environment that would help the tip live longer. But also on that note, alot of the stations i grew up using did not have any auto sleep settings, so I got in the habbit of either using a foot pedal and keeping the device on. so It would only stay on as needed. or so just turn it off asap when im done with the iron. This will keep things nicer even longer.
I use a piece of copper wire for my tips, you don't need to but tips. It works perfectly
Really good video
Could you still clean it without the cleaning paste? (Tip tin cleaner)
Yes. Just use a moist/damp (soldering) sponge. Brass wool as a second measure. The tip tinner actually should only be used as a last measure for really oxidized tips, since it's acidic and eats away the iron plating on the tip over time.
@@Duglum666 Yeah that's what I don't understand. Every other video says tip tinner should only be used when you're already having issues...?
If you always have solder on your tip, you don’t need that acidic stuff. And it’s not recommended to always turn on/off station because the temperature variations will shortened tip lifetime. Just try to have solder always on tip and you will see the difference.
can these methods work on wood burning tips as well?
Thank you so much! This video really helped me. I just started soldering as a part time job and I found I have problems with breathing in the smoke and stuff... Any recommendations on how to vent properly?
The thing I notice a lot of folks doing is running their iron way too hot. Most electrical soldering does not require the hottest setting. Dial it way back. Too much heat burns flux, oxidizes the tip faster and causes you to have to re-tin within seconds. When you run too hot, the problems come at you faster.
Burnt flux doesn't let the solder flow, then the tendency is to turn the heat up higher, because more heat melts solder, right? Wrong! Lower your temps to just hot enough to quickly flow the solder without burning the flux. Flux is your friend. Don't burn it and use plenty. Clean often, tin often. Oxidation is enemy #1.
Hey Justin, can you give some words about the hot air station you are using compared to Hakko and Weller.
I need a new station the Quick 861DE is on my list as well. Thank you!
Get the Quick before the price climbs to high, best bang for the buck on the market right now. I went ahead and purchased a few of them myself, the 861 is about to become a classic.
Got a good contact on aliexpress for 861w truly remarkable peice kit.. n justin recommended it, threw the hakko out not even in same league in my opinion...
doesnt cleaning it with the sponge remove solder? that part of the process confuses me, it removes oxidization but if its oxidized how is it tinned?
The wet sponge is a final thermal SHOCK to the system to remove final oxidative coatings. it works based extreme temp differentials due to the water absorbing so much energy and reacting violently with the oxidation. But it only works to a small extent, ie a final last measure to help clean. If you solder all day, it means nothing really. If you solder only during blue moons, it can help. =)
This made perfect sense why when I'm trying it goes okey when I start but the longer I work and leave it on. The harder it gets. I don't have a sleep function on mine aither. I will most definitely buy a bras spunge and retinner now and start working on those soldering habbits. Thanks.
Does the wire scrubber thing need to brass, is that the best type? Is there any alternative I could use, cus I'm sitting here trying to finish a job and can't find my tin with my cleaner in it, and I honestly have no clue what else I could use that won't ruin or do something weird to my tip. I'm self taught with this been learning what I can from youtube, and random people I encounter at like hardware stores and electronic repair stores, but I don't have anyone who's experienced to learn from or call up to ask dumb questions like this. I'm sure I sound like a total novice here, which I am, I admit. But im trying to learn and have less learning the hard way. Thank you
The best tip cleaning video! Subscribed
FIVE STARS,,, ,,, i appreciate the simple, easy to understand teaching... :)
When i google “tip tinner”, i mostly get listings for “tip activators”, is that the same thing as a tip tinner? Just want to be sure i’m buying the correct materials 😅
Seems like the right thing, throw a link to justin@artof.repair and ill confirm it for you.
@@TheArtofRepair It’s a dutch shop, you probably won’t be able to read it. I’ll send it anyways.
@@samover6603 I live in the Netherlands. I’ll manage ❤️
I’m trying to set myself up on a low budget starter kit for repair. Can you recommend a good hot air soldering rework station? I just bought a Weller WE1010 soldering iron and would like to also have the ability do hot air soldering if necessary.
Are Soldering tinner and soldering flux same thing?
Soldering tinner is a low melt highly acidic metal that eats away the soldering iron tips to help clean it. Flux, while it is a barrier, and a detergent of sorts. It does lack the metal content that recoats the tip. I hope this help and answers your question!
@@TheArtofRepair ohh.. understand.. thanks ..
like the video i tin then clean then add some solder then start soldering every few solder joints i repeat the process and it allways looks nice and shiny
Right on dude, you know the drill. I appreciate the view and comment, hope to see you in the comments again in the future!
Can you use solder to tin it?
Sure. The tip tinner stuff should probably only be used when the brass shavings can't get the tip clean.
Yes, both will both, usualy tip tinner is a little more agressive.
My hakko 888d get super hot where its glowing red, i tried reseting it but nothing. How can i fix this issue ?
Great vid. Really needed something like this, I let my first tip go to shit since I had no idea what I was doing. If I don't have any of the tip tinner, am I good to just tin it with the solder wire itself?
please dont say any bad words :(
Dont be deterred by the intro volume, this is a great video on iron maintenance.
Hey Justin. Great video my man. Buuut one thing i would suggest [ based on yrs of editing with an eraser ] could you make the intro even louder? That way I can hear all the criticism from the comments in hifi. So lucky to have that vast library of knowledge from OG TH-camers.
If I offended anyone with my humour im truly sorry, I couldn't think of a funnier comment.
Seriouly though. Your a very patient kind guy. You responded to 3 dozen ppl who all had the same comment, complaint. Lol read before you review ppl lol
I use a damp sponge for cleaning and always keep the tip tinned. I solder a ton and my tips last about 2-3 months for the smaller 30 watt weller iron. I still don't understand why the tips get eaten away so quickly on my 150 watt weller though. It's the horseshoe style tip and the end always gets thin and eventually comes apart. Any advice on how to make those tips last longer? Is a damp sponge poissibly causing it?
not sure if it's still gonna help after all these years (just found this video) but if you believe that the sponge is causing your issue try to use only the metal wool or bras, how they call it
The damp sponge method isn't preferred anymore. It's not as bad if you use distilled water, but most people use tap water and all of the minerals and stuff in the water burn onto the tip and oxidize it. Preferred method is the dry brass sponge as seen in this video.
@@Joesbeasty, The damp sponge tends to thermally shock the tip and damages the iron plating that is factory applied to quality-made tips. People also have a tendency to make the sponge too wet ---- I watched a video recently where plumes of steam were coming up from the sponge as the tip was wiped against it ! which likely meant both that the tip temperature was too high and that the sponge was saturated with water. I prefer the brass wool tip cleaner, although I don't see any reason why one couldn't save a few bucks and use a curly metal kitchen scrubber, be it copper or stainless steel. Otherwise, one thing that newbies haven't yet learned the hard way is that the internet is awash in cheaply made, counterfeit or knockoff soldering iron tips, garbage solder, and corrosive fluxes. I posted a video about cheap soldering iron tips on my channel recently: the short-form version is that if the tips are strongly magnetic throughout then they're garbage; they won't transper heat quickly/efficiently and they'll pit, corrode and oxidize quickly. Tips should be made of copper with iron plating at the pointy end because copper would quickly be dissolved by the molten solder and flux, but iron resists the dissolving effects of the solder yet still allows solder to wet to it for an efficient transfer of heat.
Buying soldering iron tips (or solder and flux) from AliExpress, Amazon or flea Bay is a crap shoot and you're most likely going to get an inferior product. Even if the knock off soldering station aomebody buys works okay, the tips included with it are likely to be junk , as I discovered when I bought a Harbor Freight soldering station recently: the entire tip is apparently made of iron or steel and is strongly magnetic from one end to the other, whereas a copper tip would only be magnetic at the pointy end, where it is ---- or should be ---- iron plated. The provided Harbor Freight tips are also conical and pointy; but I've been soldering for over 50 years ( Including 20 years as a full-time audio equipment bench technician) and 99% of the time I prefer a rounded, blunt, so-called "chisel tip" for better heat transfer.
I don't know where the owner of this channel came up with the idea of soldering as being some kind of cold weld that forms under a vacuum, because it's not true.Soldering creates an alloy between the metals as they dissolve into each other. If the preposition here was true , then you could solder to aluminum, but anybody who's ever tried it knows that it's virtually impossible!
Thank you for the lesson. Brilliant. And you're right, it's no big deal. Clean the tip and keep it tinned. Much appreciated.!
How hot do you have your soldering iron at when soldering
I get by at about 350c but alot of people think im crazy for it. Its a bit low, but it works for me. Most people just max it out and go for broke at 370c+
@@TheArtofRepair I see you have mini ovens that you can buy at target or costco. Do you use those to repair boards?
It depends on how good your iron is really. If it's a cheapo non-cartridge one then you need to use a higher temp otherwise you'll constantly be dipping too low. Also you'll need a bit higher temp for non-leaded work. For my JBC w/ leaded wire 350-360C is fine. At least 400C for hot air.
Hey justin glad your back hope your staying cool with the new AC
My man, sooo much better now, It was terrible without the ac!
Great video, very interesting. I only solder occasionally, is there anything you should do between sessions to protect the tip? Also, is it worth using the tip tinner, just wondering what the advantages are
Just try not to keep the iron on when not in use, you could always keep it in an oxygen free environment if its possible.
Weller says to store your tip well tinned to block the oxidation of the copper.
BTW, mixing 2 metals into 1 is called "alloying". The cleaner and hotter metals are, the more likely they are to alloy. Tin and copper alloy very quickly if very hot, other metals alloy too, just slower to much slower.
I don't know where this guy got the idea that he was "cold welding" metals together in a "vacuum" with a soldering iron; If that was true then we could solder any metal to any metal, including aluminum, and anyone who has tried it knows that this isn't possible! A true example of a "cold weld" is a crimp that is done to military specifications.
Do you recommend Masters Soldering Paste used by plumbers and steel wool to tin tips?
I solder wire splices on wire harnesses every day at work. Though usually I only solder 5-10 all at once every 1.5-2 hours. I just want to clarify, it is bad to leave it hot? And do I need to tin the tip before I turn it off?
Letting an iron run at say 350°C when not actually using it, just degrades and oxidizes the tip faster. If your iron can heat up fast, then just turn it off when not using it. The next best thing would be to turn the heat way down while it's "idling".
Jason is right, leaving it hot without looking after the tip is not good for the longevity of the tip for sure. Best to do as Jason mentioned, either that or pickup a unit that has a sleep feature.
I been soldering professionally everyday for a year and a half and both my irons have original tips. I didn't know this was a problem lol
Oh lord, yes haha, i think most shops i visit had tips that look like they survived a world war.
@@TheArtofRepair, Those shops either don't teach and insist upon tip hygiene, or perhaps are buying junky tips, cheap knockoff/counterfeit "compatible" tips from AliExpress, Amazon or eBay. You never talked about the tip materials or how to differentiate good tips from bad ones, so I'll do it for you: soldering tips should be made of *copper* with two types of plating, iron and chrome. Copper is the most practical and affordable metal for fast heat transfer; but plain copper would actually DISSOLVE into the solder and flux, and an unplated (or filed/sanded down) copper tip will quickly erode, pit, and oxidize so that solder won't wet to it. The very tip of the tip 😉 is supposed to be *plated with iron* because iron resists the dissolving effect of solder and flux but will still allow solder to "wet" to it so that you'll get quick transfer of heat to the board. The rest of the tip is typically plated with chrome or some similar shiny metal that resists solder entirely, so that only the pointy end of the tip will accept and wet with solder.
The "cold weld in a vacuum" analogy given in the video is incorrect: soldering creates an ALLOY out of compatible metals because heat and flux allows the metals to dissolve into each other at the surface. If what you said was correct, then we would be able to solder to aluminum just as easily as we can to copper, brass, steel, soldering anything to anything; but anyone who's tried soldering to aluminum knows that it's virtually impossible.
The simplest way to differentiate good quality tips from bad is with a magnet because good tips will be strongly magnetic only at the pointy end while bad tips may be strongly magnetic throughout including at the rear of the tip. You can see this test, and watch a bunch of cheesy tips fail it, in a video on my channel. If the tip is strongly magnetic throughout then it's presumably made of iron or steel and it will not transfer heat anywhere near as efficiently as it would if it was plated copper, leading to grainy, resistive "cold" solder connections, and increased soldering time, which can cause copper foil traces to debond from circuit boards, as newbies all too often learn the hard way.
Unfortunately, many soldering irons or soldering stations bought cheaply by beginners come with crap tips that aren't made of copper. The provided tips are often the wrong shape as well: typically conical (pointed), not chisel shaped.I've been soldering for about 55 years and spent 20 years as an audio-equipment repair technician ---- using almost exclusively so-called "chisel" tips.
You never discussed solder alloys, nor flux cores, nor the use of additional flux while soldering. The internet is awash in counterfeit, mislabeled or poorly manufactured solder and soldering fluxes. I'm retired now, but when I was still working, my boss, who was a bit of a cheapskate, tried buying solder and fluxes directly from China, and much of what we received turned out to be junk, especially the liquid or paste fluxes ---- despite being advertised as good for electronics use, we'd discover when the bottle arrived that it t specifically says in small print in the rear of the bottle "not for electrical/electronics use". We also ran into lots of fake, relabeled or counterfeit electronics devices such as transistors (especially mosfets ) and CD laser mechanisms. The moral of the story here is to buy solder, soldering tips, fluxes and components from trustworthy USA-based electronics-specialty distributors, who will refund your money if the product turns out to be not as advertised.
PS, don't even get me started on leadfree solder, which is an abomination....that's a conversation for another day.
I have done it for yrs it looked like crap, might hold might not my old gun blew up I got another one one off eBay waiting on it in mail, I hope your advice works for me.Thanks great video 👍
In the soldering world, there are hobbyist level, general level and precision levels. I deal with the latter on an extreme level compared to the J STD on a level 3 of that standard. This is the highest standard of soldering excellence you can achieve. You are correct about not altering your tip’s original configuration. The tip selection offered for your iron is all you have. This is not an issue on the more expensive stations as the irons have many tip choices and you aren’t as limited in tip selection. Buying off branded tips is usually met with unpleasant consequences like poor plating or tip material compromises. For some, this is not an issue, but in critical circuit ops, this is a no tolerance situation where compromise could mean loss of performance yielding failure leading to loss of life and or capital asset failure and mission failure. This is an extreme grade of work, but the responsibility of the operators is high and so is the reliability of the equipment they work on being critical. Compromise leads to failure and failure is not an option at this level. Procedures are followed and are more time consuming than basic soldering ops. Not all are able to perform at this level. It takes a whole different mindset and focus most are not able to achieve. I can break it down if anyone is interested. The rules are harsh for good reason. Human life is precious and mission failure is intolerable. It’s that simple. Press on and never compromise your work! Stay safe mates!😊👍🏻😷
What process do you follow?
@@cchemmes-seeseeart3948, it is classified as critical circuit soldering under the new J STD 006 level 3. In my first exposure to it was DOD STD 2000-1. This is and was then the hardest standard for soldering as it pertains to circuitry that is life critical, avionics in the military fall under this ruling, satellite electronics do also. Any medical electronics would fall under this standard. Human life and capital assets are at risk thus justifying the highest level of soldering available. You may look it up and learn a lot on the internet. The highest quality of soldering isn’t obtained by many people as this level of soldering demands 100% of your attention, your skill and your abilities. Your focus must be at a level that most are not capable of reaching. It isn’t forgiving as compromise is as far from this level as you can get. No wonder few ever achieve it. Military contractors have to utilize it for weapons systems. When you are dependent on any electronics, this is the standard used. Leaded or lead free solder is used in this standard.
@@markphilpot8734 Wow. I can get your point of why this would be so critical. I keep learning so much I never dreamed of. Thanks.
I use the tip tinner also, my tips also have lasted over 2 +years, and I stab it just exactly like you said. Caustic or not, I will continue to do it like that, because I know it WORKS. Proof like they say, is in the pudding..... Thanks again for a great video.
My man, you know what the real deal is. Appreciate the comment, feel free to stop back by anytime!
@@TheArtofRepair How do you recoat with nichel the sides of the soldering shaft to avoid corrosion and toxic fumes?
@JennaHasm just look into electro plating. But to be honest, tips are so cheap now. Even a nice cartridge tip that setting up to electroplate will cost more
8:41 that’s what she said
XD
pretty sure hes a guy
Hey, new sub here, I like your style. You're obviously a smart guy that knows his shit, but you explained everything in a manner that I could understand what you were saying. Nicely done, thank you. Of all the videos I've watched on soldering, this one actually gave me an understanding of what I'm doing. Oh yeah, same as everybody else with the intro, but other than that, great video. Peace
I've tried doing that but for some reason the very tip won't heat up enough to melt solder or to properly use a the wick wire🤧 idk why
Thanks man, this is great for a novice like myself
Very instructive video thank you ! I’ve a FX951 but never use the tinner so no way to solder .... will buy 1kilo ! Question : you never put solder when you put it on the stand ? I mean in sleep mode .
You know, multiple people have mentioned this and I started to do it, not a bad idea at all and good to do in practice it seems. Just make sure you hold it infront of your exhaust when you do it XD
Bro any tips for a stuck tip? My soldering iron is new and on my third use the tip became unusable, solder doesn't stick on it and the tip is stuck and I can't change it.. and it's not like it kept on for long or something, please help
Thanks
Just curious Justin, what is the name of your company?
My personal shop is actually going through a re branding right now, which will be unveiled next month, outside of that AOR is also a repair company that can accommodate your board level needs if neede. =) Once the new stuff has launched it will be shown on the channel =)
Great, Best of luck! Would you happen to know good forums communities for board level repairs?
/r/mobilerepair on reddit is good, we also have an active discord server =) Links in the description.
Oh great, thank you. Also, big thanks for the PCB board viewer video (Free ZXW). It has cut down on my troubleshooting time greatly. Keep up the great work.
Taxis is in bad ways
Great video. I am new to soldering. Thanks
Great comment. I am old to commenting. No thanks.
Hey, Mike here. I want to start learning soldering, which Station do you recommend me? I like Hakko ones... thanks!
Metcal
That's great to know. I was only doing it at the beginning.
Right on! Def good to do throughout your work for sure. Gota keep things on point! I appreciate the view and comment, hope to see you in the comments again in the future!
Cool, thanks
How long does it take for a tip to become irrecoverable? I just bought a weller wps18mp and began soldering without knowledge of oxidation being the enemy. The thing is, the iron has been switched on for a sum of maybe 10 mins in the 3 times I’ve tried to use it, giving me problems as early as the 2 use. I know it’s not the greatest iron, but I’m not gonna be soldering enough to buy $100+ iron. Does this sound normal? Does it really go that bad that quick?
I would say once the very tip cannot hold solder anymore is about when its done. Never a good idea to actually shave or reshape the tips.
Hey people, I'm a true newbie and I'm just looking for a bit of help. All I have is "pen flux" and rosin core solder. Could I get by for a while without getting the tip tinner?
No. Yes. Maybe.
I have a question. So every single time I put the iron in the holder I have to tin it every single time I pull it out? Like I'm about to do a analog stick in a Xbox one controller. Should only be a great 10 minute job. So I'll do a couple joints take a 1 minute break and put the iron in the holder. So I will need to do it again after only doing 2 or 3 solder joints? Please reply ASAP. I'm doing this Saturday.
Rob
Even if it's not the actual tip tinner, you need to make sure you're keeping the end of your iron clean and tinned at all times, you do not want any sort of oxidation buildup. learning to make tinning part of your process will help you to remember it always, even if you are just adding the solder wire itself and not using the tinner cup.
TheArtofRepair I just watched some videos by Weller company and they said not to use tip tinner unless necessary. That the tip tinner has acid in it and will eat the tips if used too much. I bought the thermaltronics tip tinner off amazon.
Ya know, its funny, iv been hearing that for years, and im sure it does have acid in it, but also, ill say that I have had no issues using the tip tinner every day vs not using it in terms of tip life. But again, you can also buy an ingot of 63/37 or something and use that as your tinner base.
I just bought a solder station from Amazon. I am trying to remove tension module from ps5 controller.. the solder will not melt at all. I am not sure why. I was able to remove the replacement module needed to insert with no issues, but the ps5 solder will not melt...would ypu know why?
I’ve had the same tip on my Weller WP25 for 6 years.