I have been hooking the wires of my control panel for my layout to the terminal strips. There's a lot of soldering to toggle terminals and splicing wires, etc. I'm using a Weller 35 watt soldering iron.
My problem is that I am having a hard time keeping the tip clean. It seems to constantly build up carbon deposits. I try to keep it clean by dipping it in flux then using a wire brush to brush it off. That seemed to work for a while, but it gets to the point that I can't get it to tin. This makes soldering very difficult and a very slow and frustrating process. I've still got a lot of soldering points to go, so it seems overwhelming. Any help on this would be greatly appreciated.
Tom,
It will seem kinda pricey -- last one I bought was like $8? -- but find a Radio Shack (if you still can) and get their 64-020, Tip Tinner and Cleaner. You simply dip and roll the hot iron tip in the little tin of stuff and it instantly is cleaned and prepped. You'll wonder how you ever did without it. The tin is small, but trust me it lasts and lasts. The amount of time and frustration avoided is well worth the cost.
Mike Lehman
Urbana, IL
E-L man tom I have been hooking the wires of my control panel for my layout to the terminal strips. There's a lot of soldering to toggle terminals and splicing wires, etc. I'm using a Weller 35 watt soldering iron. My problem is that I am having a hard time keeping the tip clean. It seems to constantly build up carbon deposits. I try to keep it clean by dipping it in flux then using a wire brush to brush it off. That seemed to work for a while, but it gets to the point that I can't get it to tin. This makes soldering very difficult and a very slow and frustrating process. I've still got a lot of soldering points to go, so it seems overwhelming. Any help on this would be greatly appreciated.
It's actually pretty easy. The trick is to get an old wash cloth and get it wet, squeeze out the excess water so it isn't dripping or saturated but wet. Then take the tip of the hot iron and rub it on the rag round the different sides. Do it fairly quickly so you don't burn up the rag, but enough to quickly rub it and it will come fairly clean. Some soldering stations even have a spot for a sponge used for the same purpose, but I don't have one of those so I use use the old wet wash cloth method.
I have a 40 Watt Weller and it seems to work well with it. Tips can wear out too - I had an old Radio Shack soldering iron and used it for years and even took a file to the tip to abrade off the bad and carbonized surface, but it was very old and worn out now. The new Weller works quite well as long as I clean it as I described. After cleaning the tip on the damp cloth, tin it with a bit of solder to help it flow when solding wire etc.
It's also important the the metal you solder be clean too and apply flux with a bursh, and it should flow well.
Rio Grande. The Action Road - Focus 1977-1983
The sponge or rag trick does work, but there's something relatively new out there that's better IMO. Radio Shack and others sell a weighted round thing that holds what is basically a metal pan scrubber thingee. I don't think it's copper, maybe aluminum? In any case, you use it like a sponge, but it's dry so avoids the water needed with the sponge. And none of the general nastiness the sponges take on after a few months.
I use the tip cleaner for cleaning the tip, but the metal "sponge" to do light cleaning and to remove the excess solder that builds up on the tip.
The damp sponge does work, but I prefer using the handy item that I think Mike is describing. The little curls of metal may be brass or bronze? The Radio Shack tip cleaner/tinner in the little can works good too, but too much use seems to accelerate degradation of the tip.
Regards, Peter
mlehmanI use the tip cleaner for cleaning the tip, but the metal "sponge" to do light cleaning and to remove the excess solder that builds up on the tip.
I have one of these "pot scrubber" things like Mike mentioned and I like it quite a bit. If I'm doing several joints in fairly quick succession I'll just give the tip a quick wipe on the slightly damp sponge but if the iron has been idle for a few minutes or more, I'll poke the tip around in the "scrubber".
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00FZPGDLA/ref=s9_al_bw_g328_i5
I opened the housing up and added a pretty hefty weight into the bottom of it.
As others have pointed out, the slightest bit of contamination will cause rapid oxidation that turns into nasty gunk on the tip.
Sometimes, it seems to me anyway, the tip just gets too nasty and needs to be replaced. I'm talking about after several years, of course, but some tips seem to last longer and others have disintegrated a little sooner.
Good Luck, Ed
peter,
You're likely right in your caution to not overuse the tip cleaner stuff. It is a chemical reaction of some kind, so it may very well erode the tip over time. I tend to use it for heavy cleaning and the springy metal stuff for standard tip cleaning.
But I tend to think of tips as a wear item to be replaced as needed after suffering with a bad tip for far too long before figuring all these options out. If you have a worn tip, best to start fresh for good results.
mlehman The sponge or rag trick does work, but there's something relatively new out there that's better IMO. Radio Shack and others sell a weighted round thing that holds what is basically a metal pan scrubber thingee. I don't think it's copper, maybe aluminum? In any case, you use it like a sponge, but it's dry so avoids the water needed with the sponge. And none of the general nastiness the sponges take on after a few months. I use the tip cleaner for cleaning the tip, but the metal "sponge" to do light cleaning and to remove the excess solder that builds up on the tip.
Peter,
That image you have of the curly wire in the container is likely a brass pan scrubber - I read that they are good for cleaning soldering irons but never got around to buying one.
Chris.
Loco Guy - is a state of mind - not an affinity to locomotives.
Sit back and enjoy your track...
Wipe the tip with the damp sponge or cloth every time you put the iron back in the stand or holder. It slows down the buildup.
George In Midcoast Maine, 'bout halfway up the Rockland branch
I have the copper wool thing, it came with my soldering station. I find this superior to wet sponges or rags since it doesn't cool down the tip. Also to wet the sponge you use use distilled or de-ionized water so as to not have contaminents that will jsut corrode the tip. The tip cleaner stuff is sal ammoniac, I use it fairly frequently and I'm still using the same tip on my soldering station that came on it 7 years ago. I don't think it will eat the tip or the plating.
If you've used sandpaper or other abrasive and worn off the plating, just get a new tip, you will NEVER be able to keep the exposed copper tip clean.
A true temperature controlled soldering station is almost a must. I did without until about 7 years ago, and the first time I used it I was kicking myself for not buying one sooner. A regular soldering iron just heats constantly, as long as it is plugged in, until it reaches an equilibrium with how fast the heat is given off vs how fast the element can heat it up. This doesn;t occur until the temperature is WAY beyond what you need to solder. ANd it just encouraged the tip to oxidize that much faster. A true temperature controlled unit (Those $40 or so Weller ones where the soldering iron itself has a standard 3 prong plug that plugs in to the base with the control knob are NOT temperature controlled!) cycles the element on and off and keeps the temperature at a relatively precise setting. Insanely expensive ones can regulate to a degree ror less, whcih is definitely not needed for model railroad work. They're not expensve - my Xytronics was $49. Unlike an old regular iron,w hile I am working I find the tip stays fairly shiny between connections without having to constantly wipe it down. If I need to do some manula work between soldering joints, I can turn it all teh way down to help prevent oxidation. On the lowest setting it even shrinks heat shrink without melting it. I learned to solder with the plain irons, but like I said, I could kick myself for not invensting in even a modestly priced temperature controlled unit like this years ago. So much easier to work with.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
I just have a modestly priced Weller pencil iron which is working well right now, but when that fails, I look into the Xytronics - $49 isn't too bad.
Thanks for the advice guys!
I have a couple of other questions: I've been using a brass wire brush to clean the tip, every time I use the soldering iron. Will that damage the plating on the tip? I don't see any exposed copper (I don't think). Also, from what I see in these posts, it appears exposed copper will not take tinning, Should I get a new tip if this is so?
Don't overlook cleaning the tip where it attaches to the iron. A temperature controlled unit is the answer.
Jim
I have used heavily eroded tips and the tip cleaner and they still work. The tip can get a bit wonky as it erodes. Part of the reason you don't want the exporuse is because it's softer metal and wears faster than the outside.
Personally, I rely on the stip cleaner until things get that bad, then I just take a file to it as a holding pattern until I get around to buying a new tip in relatively short order.
With the tip cleaner, you'll find the need to brush the tip reduced. Now when you dip it, you leave some "skull" as they call it in the steel mills, a crusty deposit right above the depth you plunged the tip to. I leave it, but a light brushing just to knock that off won't hurt anything if you still felt the need to put that brush to use.
BTW, I'll second the recs to try a temp controlled sodlering station. Got mine from Radio Shack and it's much nicer to use than the big ol' iron. Keep the iron, as some bigger jobs will still need it. I build brass kits from time to time and they're still handy for the bigger parts.
I have been soldering for 50 years. I have never used anything but a damp sponge to clean the tips.
Dave
Lackawanna Route of the Phoebe Snow
I've found a damp paper towel to be a suitable sub for the damp sponge. Then dip the tip in rosin flux and tin IMMEDIATELY.
Should be good for an hour or so of control panel wiring.
Another good idea is to get all your soldered joints prepped first. Then you just go down the rows and columns, a few seconds per each.
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)
I use the damp sponge method, and know about the brass dish cleaning sponge
While looking around for some tutorials on good soldering techniques, I came across this oldie but goodie (1980s) video tutorial series from PACE concerning soldering for electronics (it's 9 parts, but they go fast).I think even the most jaded of us can get something out of the series (there are others series as well).
Some good information here (scroll down to tips and cleaning:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soldering_iron
And here: (at a minimum, read page TWO)
http://www.newark.com/pdfs/techarticles/oki-metcal/extendingTipLife.pdf
Ed
Great post since I too can benefit from soldering suggestions. I used to clean the tip w/ a file, but was told about the copper like sponge thing. Amazon had one that I purchased for about $5 bucks. The damp sponge works, but one mentor suggested using the metal thing. Doing that should get the tip very clean fast.
Radio Shack's soldering irons are very unreliable. I had two and they both stopped working, so I purchased one from HD. While quite a bit more expensive, it heats up much faster and has an LED (cue the ooohs and aahhhs).
As someone suggested, soldering should get done in bulk. I would add painting or gluing to this list. This makes the respective processes more efficient b/c you save time--less clean up and restarts.
~Lee
kasskaboose Radio Shack's soldering irons are very unreliable. I had two and they both stopped working, so I purchased one from HD. While quite a bit more expensive, it heats up much faster and has an LED (cue the ooohs and aahhhs). ~Lee
Sounds like you got the same iron I bought at HD - LED lights on it - kinda cool and actually a bit helpful too!
Cheers, Jim
My soldering station is 40 watts, which is sufficient power to do track - in fact the main reason i got it was to start building Fast Tracks turnouts. Many different tip sizes and shapes are available for it - I bought a few when I bought it, but am still on the original one, which is small enough for soldering electronics to PC boards and decoder wires, yet worked well soldering rails for frog points and soldering rail to the PC ties.
For attaching feeders to the #14 and #12 bus wires - I have a 150 watt soldering gun. A small iron will never work for something like that. Well, it sort of does - but by the time the joint area is hot enough to flow the solder, the bus wire is too hot to hold for 10 feet on either side of where you are working. Proper tool, proper job. The two have become my complete arsenal of soldering tools. I used to have 3 or 4 different size irons plus the gun.
Seems like every time I need a new tip, I end up having to buy a whole new soldering iron because I can never find a tip that fits the old one.
Think about it this way. If you're into model railroading for the long haul, you'll find yourself doing all kinds of soldering jobs. So amortize the cost of a real, quality temperature controlled soldering station over, say, 10 or 15 years. If you do that, you'll see a Hakko FX-888D or Weller WES51 will cost you about $10/year. Since my other hobby is building vacuum tube audio gear, it's easy to justify for me. And you won't deal with cheap tips that can't be replaced, dropping temperatures after each joint, and crap connections. The Hakko comes with the coiled brass brush others have mentioned, and it works well. I do prefer to use a sponge, myself. But with a decent soldering station, temperature drops from a wet sponge aren't an issue. And if you do things ranging from DCC decoder installations to soldering track feeders, having an accurate range of stable temperatures available will be a godsend.
If you can find some that can silver solder, have them coat the tip of your soldering iron. Should last forever and need minimal cleaning.
My problem; I can't find anyone to do it.
South Penn
Sounds to me like the tip is burned. When did you last replace it?
Disclaimer: This post may contain humor, sarcasm, and/or flatulence.
Michael Mornard
Bringing the North Woods to South Dakota!
E-L man tom My problem is that I am having a hard time keeping the tip clean. It seems to constantly build up carbon deposits. I try to keep it clean by dipping it in flux then using a wire brush to brush it off. That seemed to work for a while, but it gets to the point that I can't get it to tin. This makes soldering very difficult and a very slow and frustrating process...
My problem is that I am having a hard time keeping the tip clean. It seems to constantly build up carbon deposits. I try to keep it clean by dipping it in flux then using a wire brush to brush it off. That seemed to work for a while, but it gets to the point that I can't get it to tin. This makes soldering very difficult and a very slow and frustrating process...
Is your soldering iron adjustable? In other words - does it have a knob so that you can adjust the temperature up or down? For electronic soldering, 650-700F is quite adequate. If your tip is small, temperatures above 750 will excelerate (shorten) the life (tinning) of the tip.
Another good method: If your soldering iron is going to remain unused for longer than a minute, get into the habit of coating your tip with solder before putting it back into its holder. This will keep the air from oxidizing the tip and keep it tip shiny. If you think you won't be using your soldering iron for 5 minutes or longer, coat your tip then just turn the iron off. Irons generally heat up pretty quickly so you won't lose that much time.
The brass metal pads do work very well and I, too, prefer those over a damp sponge. Your soldering iron temperature doesn't have to continually recover each time you wipe your tip clean.
FWIW...
Tom
https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling
Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.
tstageTom, Is you soldering iron adjustable? In other words - does it have a knob so that you can adjust the temperature up or down? For electronic soldering, 650-700F is quite adequate. If your tip is small, temperatures above 750 will excelerate (shorten) the life (tinning) of the tip. Another good method: If your soldering iron is going to remain unused for longer than a minute, get into the habit of coating your tip with solder before putting it back into its holder. This will keep the air from oxidizing the tip and keep it tip shiny. If you think you won't be using your soldering iron for 5 minutes or longer, coat your tip then just turn the iron off. Irons generally heat up pretty quickly so you won't lose that much time. The brass metal pads do work very well and I, too, prefer those over a damp sponge. Your soldering iron temperature doesn't have to continually recover each time you wipe your tip clean. FWIW... Tom
No, its not an adjustable iron. Good advice on tinning the tip before turning off or storage. I'm also looking into getting an adjustable temp. soldering station.
There's an outfit out of Florida, Marlin P. Jones & Associates, who has several models that are quite inexpensive. I have their catalog, which has all their contact information. I do have about 70+ more soldering points to go, so I think this will speed things up as well as being easier on tips plus better and neater soldering joints.