Posted by Angel on January 22, 2003 at 01:10:48:
In Reply to: dirty iron posted by sissy on January 21, 2003 at 22:24:33:
Can't believe there's still somebody wiping a tip on a sponge after all the preaching I've done. Ok, get yourself some paper shop towels. They come in rolls or boxes (Scott RAGS). Wet one...wet, not just damp...fold it in quarters or eighths. Wipe your tip on this every time you pause in soldering. When it gets grungy just turn to a fresh surface. After your project is done, toss it in the trash.
You just wipe gunk back on a tip when you use sponges. With a shop towel, you have a clean surface every time. You'll SEE just how much gunk is on that tip. You will also spend less on paper shop towels than you will on expensive sponges made for Soldering Iron tips. NEVER use kitchen sponges because they contain sulfur that burns onto the tip and adds to the problem. Shop Towels are also good for just about everything else you do in a glass room. Boxes of 200 at Home Depot, Lowes, Sam's Club and hardware stores.
: I clean my iron on sponge after every line I solder. I use a couple of sponges and keep them clean. I also brush off the tip every couple of lines. Yet I still get black or yellow marks in my solder lines. how come? I use regulator with my iron and my iron is at 60 - 65. I use Glastar Flux and I have a new Hakko 456 iron. What's wrong?