Make an Old Soldering Iron Tip New, Quick, Easy N Free

A dirty soldering tip may increase the time to melt the solder when you touch it. Also it wont tin or hold solder

Tools required

• Drill machine
• Wet sponge
• Sand paper ( 300 grit or above )
• Screw driver

Skills required

none

Step 1: The Super Easy Fun 4 Min Job

• Heat the soldering iron and clean it with wet sponge
• Cool it down and take out the tip by unscrewing either of the screws.
• Insert it in the drill and turn on the drill
• Use the sand paper to clean that black old layer on the tip
• Insert it back in and tin it

Comments

[stalker145]

This is why, as I was originally instructed in school, I always have a wet sponge to clean the tip when I solder. I also heavily tin the tip prior to turning off the iron to help protect the tip from oxidation. Simple daily maintenance like that has allowed me to avoid more difficult maintenance like this.

Thank you, though, for showing a good way to clean up those nasty tips ;)

[Diy Tech]

Heavily tin the tip prior to turning off << This will definitely keep u away from this 4 min renewal of tip, thanks stalker for your input :)

[tytower]

The most difficult bit is the tinning . I have found getting the tip back to copper is important and getting solder and flux on it quickly is important .

Maybe someone has some good tips for tinning??

[mrsmerwin]

What does 'tin it' mean?

[BeachsideHank]

"Tinning" a soldering iron tip using solder is a process meant to enhance heat transfer when using the hot iron to melt a workpiece together. When replacing or renewing an iron, simply flood the tip during it's initial heat before oxides form a barrier. The name comes from the fact that most solder is an alloy of tin/ lead, hence the slang "tin it". The procedure is the same whether the iron is used for electronics or other trades such as copper roofing, jewelry, etc. ☺

[Diy Tech]

Thanks man for giving detailed info on " tin it". I shouldn't have removed the tinning part from my video. I actually made it but camera was too shaky as i was holding it in one hand and working from the other.

[fishhead455]

TIN IT: Melt fresh solder all over the useful area of the tip, wipe it off on the wet sponge...it will be shiny silver looking.- ready to use.

[Diy Tech]

And guys can anybody tell me what that white coating is on the tip. ( that part what goes in soldering iron has some white coating )