Iron on the way... soon. What tips to buy???

[y_not]

My new/new to me, Weller TCP series station will be on the way soon.

I'm wondering what tips I should be buying?

Here's where I'll be starting...

Playing around on random PCBs that suit my fancy. Old MBs from 2005/6 and prior. Through hole, dinkin' with SMD and seeing if I can get somewhere with that, just the usual drill of learning how to hone my solder skills with a "REAL IRON". LOL

Working my way up to doing some actual repair work on the various LCD's I have lying around here; 2 Samsungs manuf. '06 & '08, an ancient Compaq 15", 2 Gateway 22" LCDs from about '05/'06, also a Hyundai from '06. Recapping an G4 eMac, as well as some real re-cap work on boards that need to be fixed. An old AMD Socket A dual proc MSI svr. board, Intel 865 series board /w bad Nichicon HM caps and so on.
Some Convergence ICs on some CRT RPTVs, maybe even mess /w a CRT or 2. Yes, I know how to safely discharge them and have done so before.

I have read I should use a screwdriver tip for all of this and to only use a conical tip if I'm doing itty bitty SMD work.

So the questions are...
- What size chisel tip, or tips, should I use?
- What temps?
**Some say never use 800, too hot, use 600/700 MAX! Other's say only use 800F. I see Weller has special 900F tips too (not on the list). YIKES!!
- Long or short?
- I presume short holds more heat, long is for hard to reach places?
- And what's the difference between a screwdriver and a "single flat" tip?

Here's Weller's list for this series.
http://www.apexhandtools.com/brands/...t2=PT%20Series

Thanks all.

[retiredcaps]

Re: Iron on the way... soon. What tips to buy???

3.2mm chisel tip for desoldering.

1.6 and 2.4mm chisel tip for "everyday" use.

I set my Hakko to 350C and pretty much leave it there for general use. I might bump it up to 400C if there is a huge copper plane (desoldering) or lower it to 300C for small SMD work.

[y_not]

Re: Iron on the way... soon. What tips to buy???

Oh, celsius, celsius. Yeah, it's more accurate than Fahrenheit, but golly... such a pain. Your numbers are nice round numbers in Celsius, not here, LOL.

So 700F for general use, 800F for big heavy stuff and 600F for SMD?
So no need for the 900F (482C) tips, huh?

The conical flat still looks like a screwdriver point, but has about 1/3rd the bevel as opposed to the screwdriver tips which have a much longer bevel.
Any idea as to the purpose of those? Maybe they retain even more heat?

What kind of solder should I buy? It looks like I should get 63/37 SN/Pb as it's somehow better than the old 60/40?
Doing SMD, I'd want really tiny solder is my understanding, yeah?

I'd normally just buy the manual clean rosin core stuff, as I really hate that sticky gunk the no-clean type leaves behind. Plus, I don't mind cleaning it. I like cleaning boards, makes 'em purdy!!

[retiredcaps]

Re: Iron on the way... soon. What tips to buy???

Check out Dave's 3 part soldering tutorial where he answers all the questions at

http://www.eevblog.com/episodes/

Search for Soldering Tutorial.

PS. I prefer 60/40.

[selldoor]

Re: Iron on the way... soon. What tips to buy???

Oh, celsius, celsius. Yeah, it's more accurate than Fahrenheit, but golly... such a pain. Your numbers are nice round numbers in Celsius, not here, LOL.

Perhaps update your profile with country and mains voltage?

[y_not]

Re: Iron on the way... soon. What tips to buy???

Perhaps update your profile with country and mains voltage?

Aah, good show, good show!!
Done!

[y_not]

Re: Iron on the way... soon. What tips to buy???

What sort of solder dispenser ya'll use?

I have looked at quite a few, some are decently priced and other's are OUCH!
I'm liking the price and simplicity of this guy.
Weller SM1 Solder-Mate
Any other good ideas? DIY or otherwise.

Although I have never used one, I really like the idea of the bronze wool metal tip cleaner "puff ball".
I found one with a heavy base, about 10oz. for about $10 shipped.
But then I found this.
Weller Dry Tip Cleaner
It costs a bit more, but I really like the idea of the heat resistant rubber rimmed area that you can tap the iron on to fling the excess into before you stuff it in the bronze wool. Weller says it makes the dry cleaner puff ball last longer.
What do you all think? Does tapping, nicely, the iron like that cause damage over time?

Those are all the questions I'll bore you with for now. I'm sure I'll come up with many more later.

PS.
Still have to watch more of the video you linked to.
That dude's CWAAZY!! I have seen him on YouTube in the past, he's super funny though. A real joy to watch, you definitely don't get bored watching him, that's for sure.

[ratdude747]

Re: Iron on the way... soon. What tips to buy???

PS. I prefer 60/40.

I personally prefer 63/37. No semi-solid state that way. Brand: MG chemicals (kester makes good stuff too). Thickness: 1mm IIRC (I may go to thinner down the road). Core flux: no-clean.

Tip wise, (IIRC) I use a 3mm for usual use and a 1.5mm for fine pitch. Both chisels. My Iron is a Weller W60-P, the kind with thermal regulation via magnets in the tips (curie point). The 3mm is an 800°F and the 1.5mm a 700°F.

Solder dispenser: None. I use it straight from the spool. Nothing fancy needed for me.

Tip cleaning: wtted cellose sponge, with a SS scrubber pad in a holder made from half a pop can... Cheap but it works. May go to a hakko metal scrubber down the road... but for now I have no reason to.

[y_not]

Re: Iron on the way... soon. What tips to buy???

I personally prefer 63/37. No semi-solid state that way. Brand: MG chemicals (kester makes good stuff too). Thickness: 1mm IIRC (I may go to thinner down the road). Core flux: no-clean.

Hey ratdude!!
Are you talking about the eutectic temp I have read about? Where the solder as a whole melts all at one temp, instead of different stages?
Sorry, I'm new to some of this. I get the concepts and have done some soldering... just not well versed in "all" of the application and specification aspects.

What exactly is the advantage of thinner diameter is better /w solder?
Is MC chemicals as good as Kester, but maybe cheaper? Or is it all the same?
Do you use a flux pen at all?
From what I have read and watched videos on, as well as read on this forum. It's quite advantageous to have one for getting old joints to wet.

Tip wise, (IIRC) I use a 3mm for usual use and a 1.5mm for fine pitch. Both chisels. My Iron is a Weller W60-P, the kind with thermal regulation via magnets in the tips (curie point). The 3mm is an 800°F and the 1.5mm a 700°F.

Yup, same iron tech here. Just got the WTCPS station, new old stock for $76 shipped. YAAYYY!!

I'm planning on buying 2 - .125" tips @ 700F & 800F. (PTC7 & PTC8)
Then 1 - .093" 700F tip. (PTB7)
2 - .062" tips @ 600F & 700F. (PTA7 & PTA6)

Think that's enough of a wide range of tips @ the right temps for most things that I'll encounter?
I wouldn't worry about it too much, but I can't get them locally. It's a vacuum here!! So I have to try and consolidate as much as I can all in one order.

What about a 4.75mm or 6mm 800F screw driver tip?
Are any of those monsters needed for board work? Or is that only for doing ultra massive joints on huge gauge wire?
Will a PTC8 tip even work if I have to do a big heatsink on a CRT RPTV? The kind that's the size of loaf of bread, sometimes larger.

Solder dispenser: None. I use it straight from the spool. Nothing fancy needed for me.

I have never used a large spool, I figured it'd be easier to just have a holder that I can feed it from. Dunno until I do it, plus I guess it's one of those things where you don't know what you were missing until you have used it.

Tip cleaning: wetted cellulose sponge, with a SS scrubber pad in a holder made from half a pop can... Cheap but it works. May go to a hakko metal scrubber down the road... but for now I have no reason to.

So you just used one of those kitchen scrubbing pads? Aren't those impregnated /w soap?

[y_not]

Re: Iron on the way... soon. What tips to buy???

My iron came in the mail. New, never been used Weller WTCPS unit.
Super jazzed!!
Jazzed to have a "real tool" for the job so I can get serious with this stuff instead of draggin my feet.

I still need to order tips & solder.
*He kinda looks stern, this is better.
If I could get some confirmation and input as to the questions found in my last post, regarding iron tips & solder diameter for my needs, that'd be awesome.

I'll add to it that I see Kester solder is more expensive at the 2-3 smallest diameter wire sizes compared to the same weight roll, 1lb. ??

Thanks again for all your input and knowledge everyone.

[selldoor]

Re: Iron on the way... soon. What tips to buy???

If you are a computer repairer perhaps you can give something back by responding to pleas for help from other members. As you are buying all this equipment I am guessing you must already have some knowledge of repairing motherboards graphics cards xboxes etc.

[y_not]

Re: Iron on the way... soon. What tips to buy???

If you are a computer repairer perhaps you can give something back by responding to pleas for help from other members. As you are buying all this equipment I am guessing you must already have some knowledge of repairing motherboards graphics cards xboxes etc.

I have responded to a few posts on things I can help with, but I'm quite the noob when it comes to component repair. I have dinked around with component level repair for over a decade now, but just never got serious about it. So I know a fair amount, but most if it is just theory. Meaning I haven't put any of it to practical use do to the the lack of tools, the money to buy them and setting aside the time to actually do it all. Not to mention not buying the tools when I did have the money, because I was too busy either working or procrastinating on buying them. I'm good at that. I would procrastinate on procrastinating if that were possible. In fact, I think I have made it a reality at times.

Back to the reality at hand...
I had no idea there was a PC help forum on here.
Then again I didn't go looking for it, but I certainly didn't trip over it. I almost never congregate there, being that it's my job I get kinda sick of it.

I'd be be happy to, but I have been eating up all my time researching fluxes, solder types, all this no-clean BS and so on. UGH!
A lot of info, very few answers and much confusion among the industry experts.

I'll help when and where I can.
However, doing them over the internet is about 10x harder than doing it over the phone, which is already about 10x harder than doing it in person. LOL
I stay quite busy, being I don't like sitting still, with little time for much else. In between working, continuing education, research, development, and honing my skills on this as well as exploring my other hobbies. Pool Chemistry, alternative fuels, AV stuff, anything remotely engineering or science based... YOU NAME IT!!!
I stay quite busy.
But I do give back whenever I find help somewhere in a forum or what not. I'm like a loyal dog. Once you feed me, I stick around forever.

Some background info on myself....
I have approaching 20yrs of experience in the industry and the combined knowledge of working on 1000's of machines over the years as well as business IT work. Yeah, I know, it's not 10's of thousands, small town, small area & not exactly a "Buy More - Nerd Herders" setup.
I started my own company when I was 17 and just beat my head against the wall, learning by the seat of my pants until I made a successful business out of it. I excel at solving problems that are seemingly impossible or that there's supposedly "no solution" for, or my favorite "it can't be done/it's impossible". HEHE
I tend to laugh at those and forge ahead, knowing I can do it, regardless of what anyone else thinks.