Choosing a Soldering Iron Tip to Use for Your Soldering Job

A soldering iron tip, the business end of a soldering iron, transfers heat to solder, which melts and holds things together. The tips usually have a copper core, because copper conducts heat well. The copper is covered with nickel, then iron. The iron layer protects the copper from molten tin in the solder, which would dissolve the copper if it touched it directly. The back part of the tip is plated with nickel-chrome to prevent solder from sticking to it. On the front, the part that touches the solder, the iron is exposed so that a little bit of solder will stick to it while you are working.

Types of Soldering

Tips for soldering irons come in as many varieties as there are kinds of soldering jobs. Soldering is used on electric wiring, circuit boards, stained glass windows and plumbing, among other things. Soldering irons range from hand-held models that plug into a wall socket, to soldering stations that allow you to control the temperature accurately, to battery powered units, to butane powered irons for outdoor use. Every manufacturer makes tips for their soldering irons, but other companies make tips as well.

Types of Tips

The right soldering iron tip is the one that is the right size and shape. They range from flat ends for large pieces of wire, to very sharp points for delicate soldering of circuits onto a board. Choose the one that will melt just enough solder to do the job right. The largest tip that makes a good contact between the tip and the solder is best. The end result should be a neat covering of solder that holds the pieces together and doesn't look messy. Your tip needs the right amount of heat for the job

Maintenance of Tips

Every new tip should be "tinned," which means covering it with solder. This provides good heat transfer to the solder you use, and prevents the tip from oxidizing. When the tip is covered, clean it by wiping it with a damp sponge. Of course you should make sure not to touch the tip when it is hot. When you start to work with a soldering iron, get a little bit of solder on the tip. This is called "wetting" the tip. When you are finished, clean excess solder off of the tip. Do not bang the tip against the area being soldered, that could crack the iron coating and expose the copper core. Examine your tips for signs of cracking, losing their wetting, and other wear before each use. Flux, a core inside the solder that cleans the surface, can gather on the tip, so wipe it off as well.

The choice of tip is based on the type of soldering iron being used, and the type of job that is being done. If you choose all your equipment well, you should have a nice neat soldering project when you are done. Keep your irons and tips maintained and they will server you for a long time to come.