[sdiy] weller soldering tip

[patchell]

Tom FitzGibbon wrote:

> what are the advantages of upgrading to a regulated power soldering station?
> thanks
> -Tom

    The problem with an un-controlled iron is that when you put the tip on what
you are going to solder, the heat gets sucked out of the tip.  So generally,
un-controlled irons run pretty hot so that when you use it, the temperature
doesn't go down too far, but this tends to make the solder on the tip oxidixe
much faster.  A long time ago, I had one that ran so hot you could see the
tinning oxidize when you wiped it with a sponge.

    A regulated iron running at 700 C will tend to only slowly oxidize (takes
minutes, rather than seconds), plus, when you put the iron on what you are going
to solder, it will pump power into the tip to keep it at temperature.

    A regulated iron is not nessesary to do good soldering, it just makes it a
lot easier.

--
 -Jim
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