It's the stock tip on a Weller 40w iron. Is it from overheating, or is it just the tips that are junk?
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Soldering Iron Issues
- Thread starter Joey Cash
- Start date
It's the stock tip on a Weller 40w iron. Is it from overheating, or is it just the tips that are junk?
That is an inappropriate tip for the job. You want a conical tip that looks like a pencil.
i dunno, i find chisel tips way better for guitar stuff; it lets you lay an actual flat surface against the work, greatly speeding up heat transfer.
anyway, tips wear out and need to be replaced, it's a normal thing.
shape aside, i don't see any solder "tinning" on there, and were you pushing with any kind of force while using it?
a "dry" iron won't transfer heat very well, and you should never have to use any force on the iron.
I attempted tinning the tip. The solder would just burn right off of it. Also, this was my first time using it, so it didn't wear out or anything.
eww no!
lead-free sucks. you also need way more heat to use it.
you want regular lead solder for electronics, specifically "63/37" mix so it melts right, the thin kind with "rosin-core" flux in it.
I figured it was fine since it does say it's for electronics, and it has a rosin core. I guess I was wrong.
And on the 63/37 thing... I've read 60/40 is the way to go. Do you feel that works better for these applications?
I just learned how to solder in order to install a new harness in a Kay P bass.
I used the stuff you buy at Home Depot. Its lead free with a Rosin core.
I didnt have any problems.
Im wondering why your solder burns right up when you try and tin the tip? That doesnt make sense.
I used the stuff you buy at Home Depot. Its lead free with a Rosin core.
I didnt have any problems.
Im wondering why your solder burns right up when you try and tin the tip? That doesnt make sense.
I'm just relearning how to solder better & recently bought a cheap little station. Nice thing is it has digital temp control and I read that the 60/40 I'm using melts at 374 or so. So I set the machine to 400. I'm using a spade tip too so I can heat a length of wire quickly and I let the solder just run down the wire. Never touched the tip and got a neat clean contact.
Lose the lead-free solder. It's hard to use, and sometimes it "spits" when you use it. You're not talking about a lot of exposure just soldering guitar parts.
And once you're ready to replace the Weller (if you get serious about soldering), get a Hakko 888. Soldering instantly becomes a *pleasure*. I probably had between 6-10 cheaper irons before I just bit the bullet and...(...asked for a Hakko 888 for Christmas). Buy quality once, and be happy.
And once you're ready to replace the Weller (if you get serious about soldering), get a Hakko 888. Soldering instantly becomes a *pleasure*. I probably had between 6-10 cheaper irons before I just bit the bullet and...(...asked for a Hakko 888 for Christmas). Buy quality once, and be happy.
Hard to tell from the picture. As mentioned earlier, you need to tin your tip first, otherwise it'll be near impossible to solder. If the tip is dirty, it'll be harder to tin. I recommend using something like this to clean it (and/or a wet sponge):
Once your tip is clean enough (and assuming it's hot enough), solder will start to stick to it, maybe just in one spot. Let the solder build up on your tip and work the solder around both sides. Then use the tip cleaner (picture) to "spread" and clean off the solder, and repeat until both sides of your tip are nice and shiny with tin.
EDIT: Typos.
Once your tip is clean enough (and assuming it's hot enough), solder will start to stick to it, maybe just in one spot. Let the solder build up on your tip and work the solder around both sides. Then use the tip cleaner (picture) to "spread" and clean off the solder, and repeat until both sides of your tip are nice and shiny with tin.
EDIT: Typos.
That's what made me think about just getting one with a temp control so I could just set it at what it should be and not worry about it overheating.
I don't think there's anything wrong with a 40w Weller: It's plenty good enough for hobby / light duty type work. I've had mine for about 2 decades and done plenty of projects with it.
I think Frank nailed it with his responses above. I watched a couple how to vids and followed what they said to a T
I have a day job as an electronics tech: I solder pretty much everyday! 
I appreciate everyone helping. The thing that concerns me, now that I've looked up my iron (SP40NUS) on Amazon, is there were a few people that had the same problem as me. Is it possible this model is of different quality than other Weller 40Ws?
