Weller Soldering Iron tips..

[Scale7JB]

Hi all,

Me and my trusty Weller 40w iron have done some things in the past that I couldn't even hope to achieve at the moment with my lack of workbench time and practice, but I bought some new tips the other day hoping to crack on a bit when this happened..



I bought a 3 pack of tips from eBay for £8, which is pretty cheap, but I thought as they were weller originals they should last a little while...

Nope! The damage above happened in 35 minutes, and the tip is unusable...!

After trying to tin with some cored solder, first off I was using the standard flux that Eileens sell, and then the power flow flux...

Anyone any ideas? I'll grab some of the high quality tips from Eileen's this weekend, but shurely this isn't right?!

JB.

 

[richard carr]

Get a decent soldering iron in the first place if you ask me

I might even be able to help

 

[Scale7JB]

I know a few people sware by Ersa irons, but I really can't fault the iron itself with a decent tip..

I've done a lot of work with it that I'm very proud of, just the tips don't seem to last anywhere near as long as they used to, even the high quality ones if I'm honest.

I'm sure the first decent tip I had lasted about 6 months of constant use almost day in day out..

JB.

 

[Overseer]

I have a 40W Weller iron amongst my soldering irons. It is very useful in certain situations - getting plenty of heat into thickish brass quickly. The bits/tips are unplated copper and do wear away much more quickly than good iron plated bits from Antex, and even Weller on their temperature controlled irons. A couple of passes with a course file followed by tinning with cored solder will sort out the one shown for another session, repeat filing until it is too short to use. I would assume the bits from Eileen's would be the same Weller product, not sure whether they sell them separately or as packaged in 3 by Weller but if in the packet their price looks very reasonable. I find that using resin cored solder helps the bits last longer, as does switching off the power when it is not actually in use. But if you do find some better bits for these irons, especially iron plated ones then let us know.

 

[Mike W]

My favourite iron is a Weller 80W with a nice "feel" to it. Think it was a birthday present many, many years ago. I have no training in this sort of work but in what way are other irons better - any iron just has a copper bit and gets hot - isn't that all there is to it?

Mike

 

[Dikitriki]

- any iron just has a copper bit and gets hot - isn't that all there is to it?

Mike

Ooooh, can of worms warning

I used to use Weller (or similar) irons, and was forever cleaning and reshaping the bit.

I now use an Antex temperature controlled iron with a digital readout and iron tipped bits. I find they are much easier to keep clean, last well (and mine is used daily) and being temperature controlled, are used for nearly all soldering operations with different temperature solders. If I don't have enough heat, I use a microflame.

I would never go back to a traditional iron.

Richard

 

[Scale7JB]

I must admit, my 25w antex iron and Richard Carr's temperature controlled iron bits seem to go on forever...

Maybe I do need to think about changing irons..

Can anyone recommend an iron that has a goodly sized tip as I like to have a bit of reserve hear after the initial touching of the iron to the work metal..

JB.

 

[Ian G]

I have used weller 25 & 40 watt for many years, by tips are visable copper, once pitted I file back to shape tin with cored solder and carry on.

Ian G

 

[richard carr]

You can get an ERSA 80 watt iron for £120 from Amazon, its temperature controlled with 3 presets. Its very good I use it for everything from big thick brass to adding a stay alive capacitor to a Loksound decoder, but before you do speak to me at Kettering.

I also suspect that the flux is part of the problem, I'm using the stuff from Building O gauge online its a lot less aggressive than phosphoric acid based fluxes and just as effective if you ask me.

 

[mickoo]

I'll second Richards recommendation, ESRA 80 and I have two tips, a bit fat one (supplied with the iron) for large pieces that need a lot of heat and small thin one (bought separately ) for finer work, like Richard I also use Building O gauge safety flux, I've never had to clean of file back either tip in two years, just heat up, wipe on a wet sponge and solder.

The critical bit seems to be when your not actually soldering, hot tips with solder, slag and flux sat there just destroy the tip, with the ESRA you just drop the temp back to 150 and it's fine, for fixed temp it's good practice to wipe the tip before you store it in the holder ready for the next application, or turn it off, actually, it's good practice to wipe both before storing.

Mick D

 

[Scale7JB]

Thanks Richard, will do...

JB.

 

[Scale7JB]

I must admit Mick, wiping the tip after use is something that I'd forgotten that I used to do...

How can I forget something like that.. I'll have a go with a new tip tonight and see how I fare.

JB.

 

[Mr Grumpy]

All my Antex bits have lasted well over two years. I re-tinned the large tip for the first time yesterday.
The 4mm tip is used 95% of the time and is as good as new. The same tips are used for white metal/pewter and brass, just clean with sponge and raise/lower temp setting.
As I have mentioned before, I only ever use LaCo flux and solid wire solder.