[Boatanchors] SOLDER TIPS

[David C. Hallam]

  I have never sen a Wen tip like you describe.  All of the ones I have 
seen or used were a chromed, I think, tube with a heating element 
running through the middle of the tube and some type of material around 
it to insulate it from the tube.  The material was probably ceramic or 
maybe magnesium oxide.  The tip was connected to the tube.  The tip 
would oxidize and loose its connection to the tube or the wire would 
break off in the gun where it made connection to the transformer.  The 
wire wasn't very large in diameter and there was a big set screw in the 
transformer connection.. After it was tightened a few time the wire broke.

David
KW4DH

On 9/6/2010 11:28 AM, Gary Schafer wrote:
> The "trick" is not to let the tip get too hot. You have to work the trigger
> a lot to control the temperature. In order to be able to keep the heat down
> you must always make sure that the tip is properly wetted with fresh solder
> or you will not have proper heat transfer to the item you are trying to
> solder/unsolder.
>
> When unsoldering a connection for example, wet the tip as soon as it will
> melt the new solder. Place it against the connection that you are trying to
> heat up and feed in a small amount of new solder to the junction of the gun
> tip and work. This will be a big help in getting the heat transfer junction
> good and it will keep the solder gun tip from overheating.
>
> Never let the solder gun tip get red hot. That will shorten its life
> quickly.
>
> When I got my first solder gun at age 12 or so I was going thru tips almost
> weekly. Once I learned how to control the tip temperature the tips last for
> many years. I still have that original solder gun. I think it is a wen with
> the long skinny tip that connects right into the plastic housing. 100 watts.
> It is still my favorite soldering tool.
> I do have some 250 watt weller guns too for heavier work.
> I don't think that I have replaced a gun tip in over 10 years and they have
> gotten a fair amount of work.
>
> The 100 watt weller unit with the long tip has copper rods going to the gun
> but the tip is another material. Part iron?
>
> Never had too much success with home made tips.
>
> 73
> Gary  K4FMX
>
>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: boatanchors-bounces at mailman.qth.net [mailto:boatanchors-
>> bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of David C. Hallam
>> Sent: Monday, September 06, 2010 6:38 AM
>> To: john fitzsimmons
>> Cc: boatanchors at mailman.qth.net
>> Subject: Re: [Boatanchors] SOLDER TIPS
>>
>>    You must know a secret about Wen gun tips I don't know.  When I was
>> using a solder gun, I used a Wen because of the quicker heating but tip
>> life was miserable.  After Wen went out of business and tips were no
>> longer available, I tossed the guns out.
>>
>> David
>> KW4DH
>>
>> On 9/6/2010 12:56 AM, john fitzsimmons wrote:
>>> Get an old Wen soldering gun.  Almost instant heat and the tips are
>> indestructible.
>>> I've been using the same Wen gun my dad bought in the late 50s...
>>>
>> --
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>

-- 
There are four boxes to use in defense of Liberty:
SOAP, BALLOT, JURY AND AMMO. Please use in that order.
VOTE for REAL CHANGE in 2010, 2012 and 2014.