Tinning a soldering iron
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Forum Name: General Discussion
Forum Discription: General Mobile Electronics Questions and Answers
URL: https://www.the12volt.com/installbay/forum_posts.asp?tid=12954
Printed Date: May 10, 2024 at 1:33 AM
Topic: Tinning a soldering iron
Posted By: Mr_Kite
Subject: Tinning a soldering iron
Date Posted: April 29, 2003 at 8:09 PM
I am wondering how to tin a soldering iron tip. I tried applying some solder to the tip like some web sites say, but all it did was burn and ruin the tip...... How do i tin a tip without burning it?
Replies:
Posted By: esmith69
Date Posted: April 30, 2003 at 6:23 AM
what type of solder are you trying to use? and what wattage is the iron?
Posted By: Mr_Kite
Date Posted: April 30, 2003 at 11:44 AM
The iron is a butane pencil torch with a solder tip. The solder is 60/40. Thanks!
Posted By: Blazermedic
Date Posted: April 30, 2003 at 12:02 PM
I always do exactly what you described and it's always worked fine for me. I'm not sure how much temperature control you have with that portable torch, but try to keep the tip as hot as possible and use a very small amount of solder and wipe it off with an oven mitt right away after you do it.
Cary
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Posted By: TomEllis
Date Posted: April 30, 2003 at 1:18 PM
What do you mean by "but all it did was burn and ruin the tip......"
Does the tip have black stuff on it?
If it does, then you need to clean that off first, the tip will not take any solder unless it is clean.
Tom
Posted By: Mr_Kite
Date Posted: April 30, 2003 at 2:41 PM
Thanks for the replys! Yes it has black stuff on it now, from when i tried to tin it....... I got it hot and put solder on it then wiped it off with a wet sponge. Then it was black. :( How should i clean it off? Wire brush? Alcohol?
Posted By: Simplemitch
Date Posted: April 30, 2003 at 3:25 PM
To clean your iron a wet sponge is the ideal method.There are also special tip cleaning pots you can buy that contain what is basically a copper scrub pad. Most Radioshacks and electronics supply catalogs sell them for about $4.
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Mitchell Whitney, Installer/technician
Mainstreet A/V
Posted By: chkdsk
Date Posted: April 30, 2003 at 3:39 PM
Mr_Kite wrote:
How should i clean it off? Wire brush? Alcohol?
Don't use a wire brush as many tips have a special coatings to allow for proper operation. If the coating is removed, then it may not hold any solder OR it may burn the solder. When you are done with soldering, clean your tip with a wet sponge, then apply solder to the entire tip and turn off iron. Some solder will turn black but that doesn't matter as you want a proper coverage over the "special coating" to keep it from oxidizing (I think). In the past, I have found some solders' seem to tin and/or solder better than others - specially the more expensive stuff.
Posted By: chkdsk
Date Posted: April 30, 2003 at 3:51 PM
chkdsk wrote:
In the past, I have found some solders' seem to tin and/or solder better than others - specially the more expensive stuff.
Sorry - I should be more specific, I mean that some of the Solder itself tins/flows better than others, not the Irons themselves. Too long of a day...
Posted By: Mr_Kite
Date Posted: April 30, 2003 at 4:11 PM
Well i got one guy tellin me BLACK/ burnt is bad and it wont "take" solder. Yet another says some will turn black but that dosent matter. lol Way back when i took electronics, before i ditched it every day : ), i was taught to heat the wire and touch the solder to the wire, because if i touched the solder to the tip it would burn and ruin the tip. So how does "tinning" differ so that it dosent burn and ruin the trip?
Posted By: TomEllis
Date Posted: May 01, 2003 at 12:05 PM
Mr_Kite wrote:
Well i got one guy tellin me BLACK/ burnt is bad and it wont "take" solder. Yet another says some will turn black but that dosent matter. lol
If the TIP is black, then it will not take solder. If the solder turns black, then it is ok.
Like said above, heat the iron up, clean it on a WET sponge, add the solder to the entire tip, and let it cool. This is the best way to keep the tip clean and reasy to use again.
Way back when i took electronics, before i ditched it every day : ), i was taught to heat the wire and touch the solder to the wire, because if i touched the solder to the tip it would burn and ruin the tip. So how does "tinning" differ so that it dosent burn and ruin the trip?
I do not know how far back you mean by way back then, but if they were talking about solder that had an acid core, then yes it would ruin the tip. The solder prefered today uses rosin core and will not ruin or eat the tip of a soldering iron.
I hope this helps answer your questions, please let us know if we have confused you further.
Thanks,
Tom
Posted By: JasonL
Date Posted: May 01, 2003 at 1:59 PM
Mr_Kite wrote:
Well i got one guy tellin me BLACK/ burnt is bad and it wont "take" solder. Yet another says some will turn black but that dosent matter. lol
Way back when i took electronics, before i ditched it every day : ), i was taught to heat the wire and touch the solder to the wire, because if i touched the solder to the tip it would burn and ruin the tip. So how does "tinning" differ so that it dosent burn and ruin the trip?
I think you are confusing two different things. The first guy said you need to clean the tip before/during soldering, otherwise you can't solder properly. The 2nd guy said when you are storing the iron, the tip needs to be covered with solder to prevent oxidation. Both are true.
As for actual procedure; I use a wet sponge and wipe the tip until it is shiny. Put a small drop of solder directly on the tip, then touch the tip to the bottom of the wire, and the solder to the top of the wire. You put solder on the tip so it can make good contact with the wire. Be sure to clean frequently... after a while, the hot solder sorta turns sticky...
Hope that helps.
Posted By: Mr_Kite
Date Posted: May 01, 2003 at 9:15 PM
Thanks for the replys! I thought i knew how to solder lol....  So I need to make sure the tip is covered in solder by melting solder directally on to tip. And if it turns black its ok because it is rosin core because it will not ruin or eat the tip. Perhaps I got a whack tip.... It dosent seem to get hot enough and i thought that was because of the black solder burnt on the tip. Tomorrow ill go to Home Depot and buy another tip.
Posted By: TomEllis
Date Posted: May 02, 2003 at 11:06 AM
Mr_Kite,
You might be able to clean the tip you have and get it tinned.
with the tip cold, use some scotch bright to clean the tip, use a light touch, just enough to take the surface black off of it. Then, heat up the iron and apply some solder over the entire tip, Turn off the iron and let it cool with the solder still on it. After it cools down completely, You are now able to use it like it is supposed to be used, just be sure that you keep solder on the tip every time you turn it off.
Using this method, a tip will last you a long time and be ready to use each time it is heated up.
Good luck,
Tom
Posted By: Mr_Kite
Date Posted: May 02, 2003 at 1:52 PM
ok i cleaned the tip lightly and then heated it up and tinned it by applying solder. the solder rolled around the tip and it was covered in a light film. The i tried soldering a wire. The solder wouldnt flow to the wire, and the tip turned dark black. I dont think i can learn how to solder so im gonna dump the butane iron and use some sort of clip. Thanks Guys
Posted By: bdl666
Date Posted: May 13, 2003 at 1:25 AM
Before you give up, try using a different soldering iron .Something inexpensive like a 40 watts iron from Radio Shack. Practice with it and when you get it down then try it on your butane torch.If the tip is turning black you are either using to much heat or the wrong solder (get some at Radio Shack while you are there). Also try using really fine solder like .025 .It's easy to control the amount you are using so you don't put to much the joint. And like everyone said all ready keap the tip clean.
Posted By: bdl666
Date Posted: May 13, 2003 at 1:29 AM
Before you give up, try using a different soldering iron .Something inexpensive like a 40 watts iron from Radio Shack. Practice with it and when you get it down then try it on your butane torch.If the tip is turning black you are either using to much heat or the wrong solder (get some at Radio Shack while you are there). Also try using really fine solder like .025 .It's easy to control the amount you are using so you don't put to much solder on the joint. And like everyone said all ready keep the tip clean.
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