Best soldering tip FYI

dlloyd:
Love using solder with silver alloy ... makes any tip work better (improved wetting properties).

Certainly does if you have to use lead free solder.
I find bent tips useful if i have to use a mag glass.
Which is every time these days.

Wish someone would make an "anti-shake" iron, like those gyro stabilized binoculars. >:(

Wish someone would make an "anti-shake" iron, like those gyro stabilized binoculars. >:(

I know what you mean.
I rest the heel of my hand on the desk top, this keeps things from moving to a minimum.

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LarryD:
BTW
Using distilled water on the solder iron sponge keeps the salts in the water from building up on/in the soldering iron stand.

I think you just solved a problem I didn't really know I had. I always wondered why I'd clean my tip and immediately have junk on it again.

outsider:
Wish someone would make an "anti-shake" iron, like those gyro stabilized binoculars. >:(

I am suffering too, soldering and keeping still. Its impossible for me to do surface mount prototyping.

Last night I had an idea to make a pair of robotic hands, that I would use operating a pair of jog dials, with a footswitch to dip-down the soldering iron. The time it would take me to make that would distract from the rest of my projects.

I'm always looking for better tools, jigs to help.

@DocStein99
If you are considering SMD devices, a hot air rework station may be your answer.

These might be of interest:

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Prop-Forge:
I think you just solved a problem I didn't really know I had. I always wondered why I'd clean my tip and immediately have junk on it again.

I gave the brass mesh sponge in a tin a try after the damp sponge method. Brass mesh sponge is indescribably better.

LarryD:
@DocStein99
If you are considering SMD devices, a hot air rework station may be your answer.

I just get the mother in law to breath on it :slight_smile:

Yes that would work :slight_smile:

You can get solder to quickly solidify by submitting it to the cold shoulder from the wife.

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I am NOT considering SMD. All of those tools will not help me hold, place those tiny components. I already have a tough enough time reading labels on DIP sized chips.

That's where I was, so I got a stereo microscope.
I wont be without one now.

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@DocStein99
Hot Air soldering:

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DocStein99:
I am NOT considering SMD. All of those tools will not help me hold, place those tiny components. I already have a tough enough time reading labels on DIP sized chips.

I find a cheap USB microscope useful for this.
Placing smd components i find increasingly difficult (shakes).

I wonder how the upcoming generation and new students handle this with fewer components being available in thriough hole packages.

Here is a good idea to get one stable hand :wink:

Edit:
In the version I made, I added a third, middle alligator clip at the center of the rod therefore there are 3 of them.
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i use something like this.

https://www.machinemart.co.uk/p/clarke-3-inch-vice-cdv30c/?da=1&TC=GS-040314019&gclid=COWAhveMgdACFdTNGwodrDEEsg

That has parallel jaws though, mine has a 2mm lip for sheet metal which is ideal for solderig PCBs.

Very solid so only twitch is the soldering iron.

Better pic, but mine is better. 2 quid from a boot sale

Those are good, got one in the shop too.

A good panavise is also a nice thing to have.

https://www.google.ca/search?q=panavise&rlz=1C9BKJA_enCA713CA713&hl=en-US&prmd=isvn&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&fir=DlHmuUzVTivrFM%253A%252C7GKe0iTB2S-OXM%252C_%253BZ9yyQh5mtQp_8M%253A%252C6pGGiMzKpwEG0M%252C_%253B_P_ns-eA084uAM%253A%252CIocbmGRqPFtgLM%252C_%253BTALzZwTBt54NOM%253A%252Cxr7lY8-Nlld7BM%252C_%253BbrnmygzzUBLVkM%253A%252C5vInuSy8npVyYM%252C_%253BZt69FgDMsLxquM%253A%252CHZyUMrk8k6GiMM%252C_%253BZ1EZo9iUdZrS_M%253A%252CiA4wgppLkFGzlM%252C_%253Bp_JzQ8P-D9UZmM%253A%252C6pGGiMzKpwEG0M%252C_%253Bekw2y67qnBp_dM%253A%252CuYQC-sa58sGOBM%252C_%253BEZJNm8d0dYvv9M%253A%252CjCReC05vKai06M%252C_&usg=__8-sRjp7zosv5gcvrXNczRsDeBYc%3D&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjRusLTjoHQAhVN7mMKHRM3BGUQsAQIYg&biw=1024&bih=748

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I use a rotisserie jig to hold circuit boards, is nice. Has a spring to move in and out to hold the board, flips around, and holds position. I would show a picture of it here, except the forum won't allow me to insert pictures (with ease). I bought it at a flea market for like $5.00 and had no idea what it was until I looked it up when I got home. It's old and indestructible. They are rare, I've never seen one for sale on any modern electric tool supply.

I have the panavise at work, with this pcb holder :

and is indeed useful for pcb repair/rework. For assembly I have this one from Weller :

nice to own, but I have not used it so much.
Both are not so cheap, but not very expensive.

Ciao, Ale.

I have seen these around but have not used them:
omni vice.

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Yes, mine looks like the "panavise" on Larryd's post at the top. I havent seen any of the other tools, they are interesting.