Homebrew PCBs

hallo!
first of all, let me say i'm not an english speaker so forgive me if 
i have mistakes.
i'm soldering a lot, using a cheap 5$ iron. i'm some problems:
after a short while soldering, the the metal part on the iron get 
covered with a black crust and after anoter while the metal starts 
to literary disappear- and finaly the whole "head" of the iron is 
like eaten slowly. what sould i do? sould i use a wet sponge? should 
i use a soldering paste? and if i should, how do i use it? i even 
tried grinding the black crust with my grinder.is that ok? should i 
buy a soldering station? hope you understand what i wrote, and i'm 
sure there is a name to the black crust on the iron, and to 
the "disappearence" of my iron.
thanks a lot,
mumin.

Mumin:  

The problem you are having is common with "solid copper" tips.  When solder 
is liquid (hot!), it acts upon the copper as does hot water on sugar or salt!  

This is why "better" soldering-iron tips are "iron plated".  That is, the 
copper is heavily electroplated with elemental IRON (Eisen).  Iron can be 
"tinned" with solder with some difficulty, but if NEVER chipped nor filed nor sanded 
(abraded), the iron will not DISSOLVE as does copper.  Thus, it acts as a 
SHIELD, to prevent the copper from coming into contact with the solder.

This iron is relatively thin (less than 0.3 mm?), as it is a POOR conductor 
of heat.  Copper is an excellent conductor of heat.  Also, you must NEVER wipe 
the iron-plated tips on any flux (Lotmittel) other than that in "electronics 
solder" (also called "rosin core" or "rosin flux").  The "soldering stands" 
with yellow sponges on them are for cleaning off that "black stuff" you 
mentioned.  Keep the tip "wetted" with fresh solder, and "fling it off" (onto an 
ash-tray, etc, NOT the floor!) ever time you pick it up to use.  If "dirty looking", 
apply some fresh solder to the tip, and "fling it off" again.  When really 
nasty, use the sponge to wipe off the dirty solder, and apply some fresh right 
away, but do NOT "carry" solder on the tip to the joint!  Always fling or wipe 
off the excess, place the iron on the joing, and the solder immediately to the 
joint and the iron (that is, across the line where the two meet).  

Older-style copper-only tips were expected to "dissolve away", so we "old 
boys" became skilled in maintaining tip-shape with files or emery-cloth (good 
sandpaper).  This might "keep the tip-shape", but the LENGTH of the tip gets 
shorter, so it must be replaced when there isn't enough left to hold it on the 
soldering iron!

OK?  Jan Rowland, OLD [deleted]


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

> i'm soldering a lot, using a cheap 5$ iron. i'm some problems:

A Cheap $5 iron can be a problem but they can work.

If you have a copper tip it is expected for the tip to wear, and can 
be reshaped with a file, a grinder might be a bit too much as it is 
just copper

If you have a tip that is iron clad coated you do not want to file 
or grind as you do not want damage the iron coating.  These tips 
will last a long tip if maintained.

The Black can be cleaned off, I use a wet sponge, it is best to use 
the sponges sold for soldering irons that come with alot of the 
soldering iron stands.  Keep the tip clean and apply solder right 
after cleaning, do not leave excess solder on tip just needs to be 
coated not a blob.

Also be sure the tip is tight so that there is good heating of the 
tip.

Be sure and use rosin core solder, most commonly use is the 60/40 
rosin core.

Also some of the off brand solders do not work very well, Kester is 
one of the most popular brands.

In article <bimdb6+fa78@...>,
   Ben H. Lanmon <bhleavi@...> wrote:

> Be sure and use rosin core solder, most commonly use is the 60/40 
> rosin core.

Don't know if you can find it, or even if they still make it, but a
company called "Multicore Solders" of Hemmel Hempstead, here in the uk,
used to sell solder called "Savbit" for plain copper irons. According to
the sales blurb it actually contained some copper which slowed the rate
which copper was dissolved from the iron.

Stuart.

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101 uses for a Pentium: No1 - A slow cooker.

What is the best soldering method?? 

-------Original Message-------
 
From: Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com
Date: Thursday, August 28, 2003 9:21:51 PM
To: Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [Homebrew_PCBs] Re: heaving problems with my soldering iron!!!
 
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