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Well I don't have a very well tooled machine shop at all,
but my first soldering iron had a brass or bronze tip,
and other people have remarked about how new tips
don't last as long as rare or unobtainable brass ones
from times gone by.
I can't say how good this is yet since I just made it
and will compare it to the other tips as far as wearing
out goes. Brass is supposed to be copper and zinc,
but just about any other yellow alloy using copper
may also be called brass, and dark coppers bronze.
Another reason I want to make soldering tips is that
I plan to try to make a very tiny soldering iron for SMD's
that I will have to solder under a microscope for
interesting one-time projects. One such project
may be phonographic (sounds groovy!) in nature.
but my first soldering iron had a brass or bronze tip,
and other people have remarked about how new tips
don't last as long as rare or unobtainable brass ones
from times gone by.
I can't say how good this is yet since I just made it
and will compare it to the other tips as far as wearing
out goes. Brass is supposed to be copper and zinc,
but just about any other yellow alloy using copper
may also be called brass, and dark coppers bronze.
Another reason I want to make soldering tips is that
I plan to try to make a very tiny soldering iron for SMD's
that I will have to solder under a microscope for
interesting one-time projects. One such project
may be phonographic (sounds groovy!) in nature.
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Signing UpStep 1What you need
Tools and Parts. Here are the ones I used:
1.A regular moderately cheap soldering iron.
(not the 99 cent ones that melt in your hand though)
2.A brass rod similar in diameter to the iron's non-brass tip.
3.A rotary motor tool kit like a dremel.
4.safety glasses
5.solder
6.flux
7.Something not very important to solder the first time.
1.A regular moderately cheap soldering iron.
(not the 99 cent ones that melt in your hand though)
2.A brass rod similar in diameter to the iron's non-brass tip.
3.A rotary motor tool kit like a dremel.
4.safety glasses
5.solder
6.flux
7.Something not very important to solder the first time.
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2) The "new" (actually a few decades old, at least) "iron" tips are actually better and last longer. (My current "pcb tip" is about 18 years old and still looks the same as when it was new (plus heat discoloration).
3) If you want to make a tip, get a real die for the thread the iron uses. (Different irons use different threads. Take the original tip to a GOOD hardware store [or a machinist] and find out what thread it is.) Thread the end of the rod. Cut off the length you want. Shape the cut-off end.
For a new tip, just flux it, heat it and, as it starts to get hot enough, rub the normal solder you're going to use all over it. A thin film is enough. Once it's all "tinned" (that actually means "covered in solder", not "covered in tin"), wipe it on a wet sponge (which you should always have handy when you're using the iron - keeping the tip clean is an important part of good soldering).
My ways may not be the ones you'll read in the books, but most of those books weren't written (the authors weren't even born yet) when I learned to solder about 62 years ago. And my ways have worked for 62 years so far.
Did it last longer, or did it fail sooner?
I might attach a photo later. The path from my camera to here is very circuitous.
The only tips I can find for it are the same as the one it comes with.
Soldering station
Tips
However I can't replace it...
However I couldn't replace it because the heater was too tighly wrapped around it - not built to be replaced.
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If you can carefully sand/file the tip to a circle...
Grab a chunk of copper, and shape it in into a new tip.
Now, drill a hole 3-5 thou undersized, hole depth should be 3/4 total bit length.
Stick your whole solder iron in the freezer.
when it's nice and cold(24 hours, give or take?) prepare your work surface in the kitchen.
clamp(c-clamp works fine) the frozen solder iron onto the counter, with the tip hanging in open air. Grab the new tip in pliers(or hemostats, or tongs, or whatever you have). stick that bugger in the stove flame till it's glowing nice and cherry.
Now QUICKLY slide the new tip over your old, re-formed tip.
Within a few milliseconds, they should be irrevocably joined.
Another technique I've used, for "make it work cause we can't afford a new one" is slightly easier, much less dangerous, and not quite as good.
Make the new tip, reshape the old tip, drill for a clearance fit, and assemble onto the old tip with thermally conductive epoxy( the Omegabond 200). The epoxy can withstand 500F, and most soldering is done below that value. The repair will chew slightly more electricity for the same heat, but if you have to make due, this will last a good couple years.
BIG BOLD DISCLAIMER
This second technique is NOT to be used on flame heated solder irons. While they achieve similar tip tempatures, the use of open flame(at or above 2000 degree F) can cause nastiness with the epoxy. If it doesn't cause outright failure of the joint, it can BURN the epoxy making noxious vapors.
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