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Post subject:soldering irons
 Posted: Apr 05, 2007 - 03:50 AM #6162
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Power User
Joined: Apr 04, 2007
Posts: 93
Location: Florida
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I looked through the threads as well as I could but didn't find an answer so...I need to know the 'proper' procedure for tinning a soldering iron. I am currently using the Sievert propane fueled irons. None of the three I have are working properly and when I purchase replacements I need opinions as to whether these propane heated irons are better or worse than the pot heated irons. I have only used the propane type. Please excuse my lack of terminology I work in a bit of a sheetmetal backwater.
Thanks! |
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Post subject:RE: soldering irons
Posted: Apr 05, 2007 - 06:15 AM #6167
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Power User
Joined: Apr 17, 2004
Posts: 258
Location: Central Ohio
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Buy yourself a bar of Sal Amoniac from the same place you get your soldering supplies. It is generally a 2"x2"x4" white block. Heat your iron to a deep red glow. Take the iron, the sal block and some solder outside. Rub the hot iron on the block of sal amoniac and keep your head out of the cloud of smoke that will arise. Add some solder to the iron tip on the block and rub all sides of your iron tip on the block and solder. The sal cleans the copper and the solder gets a good hold on the tip before the surface can oxydize. Watch out for spitting and splashing solder! Wear eye protection! This tinning process will last until you "burn your irons up" by overheating them. P in the A! But you just have to wire brush them off and re-tin them.
You will also need a dip jar to dip the tip of your iron into to brighten the tip for efficient soldering. Get a small glass, jar fill 2/3 with water, take a knife and shave a teaspoon of sal amoniac shavings into the water. Stir well and serve over ice...opps wrong recipe. Dip the end of your tinned iron into the mix when you bring it from the heat and start to solder. The shiny tinned area transfers heat much better. |
_________________
Steve
Blissfully Ignorant Copperhead
www.copperthings.com
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Post subject:RE: soldering irons
Posted: Apr 06, 2007 - 12:22 AM #6177
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Power User
Joined: Apr 04, 2007
Posts: 93
Location: Florida
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| Thank you. I did try the Sal once but I did not get the iron to that deep red glow point. I will try the water/ sal tech. thanks for that. Now here is where I sound foolish. I solder about 90% stainless steel and copper regularly. My irons do not like to switch back and forth between the two tasks. Will the Sal Ammoniac solve this? I try to segregate a copper iron and a stainless iron but with the shop as it is no one worries about this but me...I currently tin by rubbing ( please do not cringe) the tips in Ruby fluid while coating with solder. It just doesn't seem to work well. Do you prefer the propane irons or the pot heated irons? |
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Post subject:RE: soldering irons
Posted: Apr 11, 2007 - 11:58 PM #6206
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Power User
Joined: Apr 17, 2004
Posts: 258
Location: Central Ohio
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I don't know about the effects of switching between SS and copper with the irons because I rarely work with anything but copper. However, I do occasionally tune up my irons by dipping them into my clean ruby jar and then rubbing solder on the tips while they are still bright copper colored. This works in a pinch, but the tinning doesn't seem to last as well as the full on Sal Ammoniac tinning.
As for the type of irons, I have found that I need to use irons that are larger than those I've seen available for the propane irons. I have friends who use them on smaller 16oz work and swear by them. It is nice to pull a long solder joint without having to lift for a new hot iron though. I have generally found that as my soldering skills improved I gravitated toward larger hotter irons. Working with heavier copper has necessitated larger irons as well, so I'm heating mine up over a propane pot. |
_________________
Steve
Blissfully Ignorant Copperhead
www.copperthings.com
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Post subject:RE: soldering irons
Posted: Apr 12, 2007 - 06:56 PM #6214
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Joined: Apr 12, 2007
Posts: 3
Location: Michigan
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| If you keep the iron properly wetted during use you should not have to re-tin it as often. While you are soldering periodically feed a small amount of solder onto the irons work surfaces. This also increases heat transfer to the work improving solder flow. The solder on the iron forms a heat bridge to the work giving a better path for the heat to flow than just surface to surface. A de-wetted or oxidized tip just doesn't flow solder. When re-tinning the iron it is important to make sure the surface is clean. the salamoniac block will help remove a small amount of oxides or contamination but you may want to remove the heavier contaminants using a wire brush before trying the tinning method explained above. The cleaner the surface is prior to tinning the better the tinning will be. The biggest difference when switching from SS to copper and back is the stronger flux requirements for SS. Because the flux is more aggressive for SS it will also eat away at your soldering coppers. Again keeping the tip wetted during use will help keep the copper surface from direct contact with this agressive flux. Once the flux is in direct contact with the copper, the copper surface is exposed directly to the air and will oxidize more rapidly. There are also electric powered soldering irons available in large industrial sizes. See American Beauty irons on thier web site at www.americanbeautytools.com for available sizes. |
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Post subject:RE: soldering irons
Posted: Apr 14, 2007 - 06:48 AM #6235
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Power User
Joined: Apr 04, 2007
Posts: 93
Location: Florida
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Thanks to all of you! My hard drive died so it took me a few days to get back. I will try al of your comments. Steve2 your comment is well taken...I think sometimes we are too focused on production so our irons seem too slow. We solder stainless most of the time and I for one have never used pot heated irons. I will have to try them out. b dog, thanks you as well.
"Again keeping the tip wetted during use will help keep the copper surface from direct contact with this agressive flux. Once the flux is in direct contact with the copper, the copper surface is exposed directly to the air and will oxidize more rapidly."
Thanks for this explanation, I have always wondered why the tips oxidize and why it was important to keep them tinned. Much needed info, and I am very glad to have fially found a place to get it! Thanks!
Now then, can you guys tell me how to solder without getting horribly sick? Thanks in advance! |
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