Electronics > Beginners
Soldering tip melts
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Brumby:
Two other points, while I'm here...
1. Overheating.  This is where the iron it hotter than it needs to be.  This can cause several problems:
 - Greatly increased risk of damaging components, PCB tracks and wire insulation
 - Accelerated aging of the iron, especially the tip
 - Burning off the flux before it can do its job
 - Accelerated oxidation of the metals you're trying to join, if you have no effective flux
... not to mention the corrosive effect of a hot acidic flux on any metal it touches.

2. Lead free solder.  As a hobbyist, stay away from it if you can.  It's a challenge to use, especially if you are new to the skill.  Lead free is specified because of the sheer volume of products that are soldered in the commercial world.  The small amount used (by comparison) of even the most avid hobbyist, is of little consequence.
soldar:
I am also surprised by the butane instead of electric as it must be much more expensive, complicated, inconvenient and impossible to regulate well. I would think it would only make sense if there is no access to electricity.
Ian.M:
Actually, I used to prefer my Oryx Portasol gas iron to a Weller TCP solderstation.  It has a much shorter wrking distance between the grip annd the tip, heats up quicker, and at full flow has more power.  Although it doesn't have closed loop temperature control, with enough practice, you could regulate it well enough for most work and was quicker and easier to adjust compared to changing TCP Magnastat bits to change the temperature.   The Weller TCP only got switched on for *long* soldering sessions.  Gas was a negligible consumable cost, as regular sized cans of butane were available from the dollar store and each gave many fills.   I no longer have the Weller TCP station as maintaining the Magnastat switch in the iron was becoming increasingly difficult,  and spares for the iron were becoming ever more expensive.

Zinc chloride is hygroscopic and deliquescent, so even if you start with dry zinc chloride, it adsorbs any traces of moisture available and tends to eventually liquefy.   In solution it partially disassociates to form zinc hydroxides and hydrochloric acid.  Heating hydrated zinc chloride liberates hydrogen chloride fumes.  The only fluxes more evil than it are fluoride based brazing fluxes.

Hydrochloric acid is notorious for its fumes corroding metal surfaces, ruining precision equipment.  It can flash rust steel in minutes, and the usual advice is never store it in the same room as precision equipment unless its in a well ventilated fume cupboard.   One bottle of conc. hydrochloric acid with a stopper that isn't an absolutely perfect seal can ruin a whole workshop full of machine tools  in only a few months.
soldar:

--- Quote from: Ian.M on February 02, 2019, 11:27:49 pm ---Actually, I used to prefer my Oryx Portasol gas iron to a Weller TCP solderstation.  It has a much shorter wrking distance between the grip annd the tip, heats up quicker, and at full flow has more power.  Although it doesn't have closed loop temperature control, with enough practice, you could regulate it well enough for most work and was quicker and easier to adjust compared to changing TCP Magnastat bits to change the temperature.   The Weller TCP only got switched on for *long* soldering sessions.  Gas was a negligible consumable cost, as regular sized cans of butane were available from the dollar store and each gave many fills.   I no longer have the Weller TCP station as maintaining the Magnastat switch in the iron was becoming increasingly difficult,  and spares for the iron were becoming ever more expensive.

--- End quote ---


I have never used a gas iron and your post makes me think I could use one on many occasions. Not infrequently I see myself walking with a hot, unplugged iron to where I need to work and then walking back to plug it in again when it cools down.

My electric irons do not have temperature control and I am quite used to working around that. If it has been a while in the holder and I need less heat I blow on it. If I just used it and I need a lot of heat I'll wait a bit. I might look into a gas iron although I guess I cannot buy them on eBay or by mail due to the gas.
Ian.M:
Of course you can buy them mail order.  The manufacturers purge the gas after testing them.   I used to regularly fly with a Portasol iron and never had any problems with security inspections as I always vented as much gas as possible out before flying and packed a note that it had no gas in it with it.  However that did mean I always had to buy a can of gas locally on arrival.
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