What is the proper way to clean burnt flux from tip?

[Eric H]

Pro's in any trade (I'm a carpenter) are very conservative when it comes to tools, and are frequently the last to adopt innovation.

Yeah, but we just purchased a AUD$7000 SMD rework station, and guess what, it has SPONGES!


I was just making an observation, I haven't used them personally.

Seems I should order one and see for myself.

I should have added that there's frequently a good reason for sticking with tools you know --and are known to work reliably.
Give it a try, though.

-Eric

[scratch]

I never use to use the 'wet sponge', but I do now ...

Got a soldering iron holder from Radio Shack and it came with a little sponge/tray builtin, and yeah it helps keep the tip clean and it lasts longer.

What also helps is a little box with a diode inline with the AC to the soldering iron and a switch to short it out (the diode that is!) with the switch open, the soldering iron only gets half the AC, and doesn't run as hot, flip the switch wait a minute or two, and your at full heat ... Works great and it's cheap.

Pulled this out of "Electronic Projects for Musicians"

[syzygy]

I used to solder with a cheap RadioSlack iron for years without a sponge and the tip on it now looks like a black knotty club, so that's why I just recently bought a new temperature controlled one.  With the new one I've used both the shavings and the wet sponge and thought the shavings were easier (even enjoyable?) to use, and it seemed to make more sense than putting a hot iron with molten metal on a cold, wet sponge.  Also I noticed solder (containing poisonous lead) would build up on the wet sponge in balls and roll off on the table and floor.  I'm not happy if there is solder anywhere but in my electronics or the trash can or the spool.    In my novice opinion, the brass is very nice.  If using a web sponge isn't necessary over brass shavings, I'll stop using the wet sponge.

[syzygy]

I used this iron one time at 600 degrees F for maybe 90 minutes (I let it cool when I wasn't using it, with the tip tinned) using 63/37 Kester solder.  Does this look like too much black on the tip for one session? What is the best way to clean it?  I'm not sure I should feel comfortable filing it like someone said.  Suggestions?

[niftydog]

it's absolutely fine as is. Just keep the very tip of the tip looking like that and you'll have no worrys. Trust me, filing will only do damage the plating on that tip.