Changing soldering iron tips - advice needed

[medical-nerd]

Hiya

I have a selection of antec soldering iron tips of the style below.

When put on the iron , the bracket is moved down to secure the tip.
The problem I have is when I need to change the tip - seemingly the bracket should be easily moved back up the tip (using pliers to open it).
I find this almost impossible to do, The tips jam, I can't move the bracket without a lot of difficulty and am afraid that I will crack the element with excessive force trying to open the bracket and accidentally bending the iron slightly. It certainly makes horrible noises when I try to do it.


How is this routinely done?

Cheers

[Ian.M]

With difficulty - its probably best to grip the bit by the solid part of its body so there is minimal stress on the element shaft or iron handle and continue sliding the spring ring clip away from the tip till its free of the bit, then clean the inside of the spring clip and reinstall on the cold bit, off the iron from the tip end with a very light smear of paraffin wax on the solid part of the body to lubricate the spring clip as you slide it up to just short of the end of the split in the bit as illustrated above.  If I had to do it often I'd make up a ring-sliding tool.

[P90]

I keep a few different irons with different size tips, rather than change tips all the time.

[Shock]

Just looks like poor design at least for regularly swapping tips. Make sure the tips you are using as genuine as well.

It's likely just oxides building up and expansion. If it was jammed and you pry it off it without lubricant it will probably key in tiny lands and grooves and get worse over time.

When the tip is cold I'd try polishing the rest of the tip a bit then put a couple of carefully placed drops of mineral oil (machine oil) in the sleeve and rub a little on where it moves to. If you grip the solid section and use some flat blade pliers you might be able to tap the sleeve gently open. You don't want to grip the sleeve or where it moves as this will just cause a tighter fit. When the tip is off you can clean it and alcohol should clean off any excess oil and remaining will burn off.

Failing that contact Antec.

[tautech]

How is this routinely done?

No idea but I just tried the X25 that I inherited from my father in law.

The split ring should be driven towards the handle with a square edged tool until it is clear of the tip entirely.
I used the handles of a cheap auto crimp tool, tap tap tap.
The tip then easily slides off and the split ring that has an enlarged leading edge can be driven back onto the tip after installation. The shank of the tips on these get a bit rusty so a clean up with some emery will help refitting of the retaining ring. Install it just to the slots in the tip and tap the ring down most of the way to the handle after installation onto the element.
BTW, I've just done this ^ and the process of reinstalling the ring cleans the rust from the outside of the tip quite well.

The element on this one was as clean as a whistle and quite smooth so if it needed a clean up you'd want to use some fine wet and dry, say ~300+ grit.
As for locking on prevention, it need be clean and if tip replacement was regular I'd use nothing.
Otherwise from my kit of tricks......copper based anti seize, nickel based antiseize or good old plain graphite powder, take your pick. 

Edit.
With little effort a hollow tool could be made to drive the retaining ring off the tip while HOT and then just invert the iron for the tip and ring to fall off.
I'm beginning to like this old Antex.

[medical-nerd]

Thank you.

I've obviously been driving the bracket the wrong way along the tip for removal.
I have been doing it this way on the cheaper antex irons for over 30 years and never realised - doh!!!!   

Cheers

[stj]

ditch the antex, i used one for almost 10years without realising how bad they where till i got my first real station!

get something T12 based - skip the M900 step most people go through.

M900 stations.

[Ian.M]

Antex irons aren't bad for an electric 'firestick' - Slim and easy to handle, plenty of thermal mass and the external bit gives improved heat transfer and cant jam due to corrosion (you can always pry it apart enough to free it), but the non-temperature controlled models are certainly inferior to just about any >40W temperature controlled iron or station.

[tautech]

Antex irons aren't bad for an electric 'firestick' - Slim and easy to handle, plenty of thermal mass and the external bit gives improved heat transfer and cant jam due to corrosion (you can always pry it apart enough to free it), but the non-temperature controlled models are certainly inferior to just about any >40W temperature controlled iron or station.

+1
Ian, this X25 that I have is the best 'firestick' I've encountered and is now my goto iron for portability and outside use. I've never used the temp adjustment on the handle and always wondered how much heat range it really offers. 
For the rare occasion my station won't deliver enough heat for ground plane work I get this Antex out and use it in tandem with the station.
I've said before in other posts, these X25's box well above their weight.