Why can't I tin my iron? And other stupid soldering questions

[MasterofNone]

I'm at a loss. Tried my hand at soldering today, but can't seem to tin my 80 watt iron, can't seem to tin anything but the wire, so I can't make a connection. Sad panda right now what am I doing wrong?


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[MasterofNone]

My tip doesn't look like brass....


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[BuzzKilla]

get some solder flux... that should take care of the items, also helps the wire...

and invest in one of these to clean your solder tip.
Soldering Iron Tip Cleaner (Army Green) - Free Shipping - DealExtreme
(don't mind the link, it was the first one on Google, i would shop around)

 

[bapgood]

Your tip is likely toast, tips have a coating on them and once that coating is gone the tip wont tin and its time to replace the tip.

I use a tip cleaner like buzz linked. I clean and tin the tip before and after using, and my tips last a long time.

 

[MasterofNone]

That stinks, since this was my first time using it- just bought, and it never looked brass, and has never taken a tin


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[bapgood]

Maybe it is the solder your using then or something else. If its new then it should tin easily.

 

[BuzzKilla]

are the parts clean?

getting solder to stick to parts with grease from your fingers is painful, and next to impossible...
some isopropyl alcohol, and solder flux, is key to having a solder joint with a bullet proof connection.

watch some videos on youtube, and make note of how they prep the surfaces...

can you see the brass core of your solder tip or is it just crud build-up?
it will still work, but will just be more of a headache than it is worth, especially for someone starting out.

A clean tip, is a happy tip... lol

here is some reading material
http://www.rctech.net/forum/radio-electronics/336870-how-solder-correctly-not-so-brief-lesson.html

read ALL of it, THEN try again

 

[tom_chang79]

Get some steel wool and scrape any gunk off your tip, then get a tip tinner from radio shack, dip the tip of the iron while hot into the tinner, then turn off the iron and leave that blob of tin hanging on the tip... Let it cool. Fire your iron up again, this time, wipe the excess tin blob that you left on a wet sponge... Your tip should be tinned. If not, repeat these steps a few more time (skipping the steel wool scraping if repeating)...

Alternatively, if you don't have access to a tinner, flow a blob of solder on the tip, leave the blob on, let your iron cool off...


Also, a tip for everyone who solders, it's always a good idea to leave a blob of tin before powering your iron off, it seals the tip from oxidation while not in use, and while the tip cools, it'll hit the critical temperature for a eutectic bond between tip and tin...

I have been soldering for 25+ years...

I highly recommend NOT using any No-Clean flux and/or Solder. If No-Clean type of flux isn't properly gassed, it will corrode and eat your metals, I recommend rosin-based soldering of anywhere that doesn't involve any inhalation path during vaping off your DIY vape mod...

 

[WCSR]

Get some steel wool and scrape any gunk off your tip, then get a tip tinner from radio shack, dip the tip of the iron while hot into the tinner, then turn off the iron and leave that blob of tin hanging on the tip... Let it cool. Fire your iron up again, this time, wipe the excess tin blob that you left on a wet sponge... Your tip should be tinned. If not, repeat these steps a few more time (skipping the steel wool scraping if repeating)...

Alternatively, if you don't have access to a tinner, flow a blob of solder on the tip, leave the blob on, let your iron cool off...


Also, a tip for everyone who solders, it's always a good idea to leave a blob of tin before powering your iron off, it seals the tip from oxidation while not in use, and while the tip cools, it'll hit the critical temperature for a eutectic bond between tip and tin...

I have been soldering for 25+ years...

I highly recommend NOT using any No-Clean flux and/or Solder. If No-Clean type of flux isn't properly gassed, it will corrode and eat your metals, I recommend rosin-based soldering of anywhere that doesn't involve any inhalation path during vaping off your DIY vape mod...

This^


I have been micro soldering professionally for over 20 years myself, and keeping your tips tinned at all times is quite important. I've got a solder tip on one of my irons that I've been using every day for quite a few years, and it still takes solder as good as the day it was new.

 

[DNA1000]

Try using high quality electronic solder and a tip cleaner--both of these can be found at an an electronic parts store.
Also be sure the parts you are soldering are clean--if all these suggestions fail--replace the tip on your soldering iron.