EP52 Tip Check | Good & Bad Soldering Tip Habits | Why don't my soldering tips last long?

[@Videolinquency]

That's exactly what most tutorials are missing. I had to find it out by myself over dozens of years. Thank you for providing an alternative to that!

[@phrogfibsh]

I’m a beginner in soldering and I feel much more confident when I prepare myself for projects :)

[@arcaine2]

You should lower your new intro volume a bit. It's quite loud compared to your voice before and after the intro. Great tip about the tips ofc ;-)

[@TheArtofRepair]

For sure, I can do this. Next time I will try to have it equalized better! Thank you for your comment!

[@morrisonAV]

@@TheArtofRepair I'd also suggest getting your mic off of the table. Every time your hand/arm landed on the table, my subwoofer jumped! Did love the tip maintenance info.

[@Chaosman88]

bro either you should speak louder, or turn down the volume of your intro. I turned up the volume to hear you, and than frightened as shit on the intro.. :D

[@nandobike]

same here

[@networkcrasher]

anyone got any detergent so I can clean my underoos?

[@LameGaming]

yeah, almost dont want to watch it now

[@STIZEN9]

yeah man dont do that again, I respect your productions man but that tihs was LOUD. AHHHHHHHHH. YOU HEAR ME? OF COURSE U DO, BECAUSE IM TURNT UP ALL THE WAY.. Nah just jokin but seriously.... RAHHHHHHH

[@s.h.guitarworks3309]

Maybe its just your personality and your multi view camera work, but that's how its done!! Great job man and thank you.

[@TheArtofRepair]

I appreciate you taking the time to leave a compliment on my channel! Thanks so much! Hope to see you in the comments again guitar works!

[@ecurepair]

Start of each soldering action for me begins with a brass jabbing, then ends with a brass jab and a dab of clean solder on tip. Seems very effective at keeping tips in excellent shape.

[@justaguy4real]

8:40 dude after watching many videos and still wondering, you just explained perfectly. kudos

[@TheArtofRepair]

Right on I’m glad it helped! And it’s great to hear you’ve seen so many 😎 hope your repair journeys going well!

[@chue]

No need to blast the intro music... great video otherwise.

[@patmb2011]

I agree, no need to blast music... or even include it at all? kinda comical if not annoying :)

[@nandobike]

i thought it was publicity

[@Simply-AI-Solutions]

You just changed my life thank you brother! God bless your heart.

[@TheArtofRepair]

💪💪💪 make me proud out there!

[@cchemmes-seeseeart3948]

Thanks for the video. I'm starting soldering. This tip you give, to start soldering with cleaning/ tinning, sounds absolutely like the best time to do it--- right as you begin to solder. That makes a lot of sense. I value this suggestion. (I must add, it's a bit funny, as a person who has not yet begun soldering... equipment is in the mail... to hear all the different pro's contradicting each other. One jabs the soldering iron into the brass. The other says you must insert it gently and just twist... although it IS softer than the tips/ that is why it is used. One says use tip tinner as last resort... or like here- use it every time you begin to solder, rather than applying flux core solder... which another pro says is enough. Yes, this video says you can do whatever you want. Just an observation, that I've watched a bunch of pro's & seen major contradictions. But they all agree on regular cleaning & keeping the tip clean & tinned). Peace. Blessings. Love wins.

[@robblenda6049]

Advice for the beginner in soldering. It is much appreciated. Excellent and direct review. Thanks ...

[@shmaknapublar]

The chisel tip on my old 936 must be a freak of nature in regards to it's ability to maintain a clean oxidation free surface with nothing other than frequent use of a wet sponge. I wipe it off almost constantly while using it and it still looks like wet solder after around 10 years. No tinning before shutting down, and no tinning before it hits the sponge for the first time in the morning, and it always looks like fresh wet solder right after it comes off of the sponge. Must be lucky or something. I love my old Hakko!

[@TheArtofRepair]

One of the rare good ones! =D

[@defme]

You mean the Atten AT936D?

[@shmaknapublar]

@@defme It looks like the old Hakko 936 but I've heard the components aren't as high quality. Basically a cheaper clone.

[@razaelll]

I have been using the same set of tips for almost three years. Daily soldering on the large chisel and medium bent. I literally just put some solder on the tip when I'm done. And no tip tinner, that stuff is like crack to soldering tips, you need more and more as time goes by.

[@mat.b.]

if you dont use tinner then what do you suggest different?

[@razaelll]

@@mat.b. as I said, just put some solder on the tip when you're done and leave it to cool down. I'll have holes in my tips before having no tin on them. I'll go through a cheap weller tip in about a month, then just replace it because it has a hole in it. More expensive rf ones last me years before needing replacement because they simply wear off to the point I can't make good contact because of tip geometry.

[@Electronzap]

Very nice, will start doing that.

[@rustystrat50]

I just found this video yesterday and got the brass sponge and tip tinner today. I tried this method and it works great. It's my new process. Thanks for the video.

[@zomaardan]

Loved this serie.

[@TheArtofRepair]

Appriciate ya bro! Have you been fixing anything these days?

[@zomaardan]

@@TheArtofRepair No, i worked and build all year up to where i have 13 phones to fix and ordered all parts begin december and i did not recieve anything yet. No idea what is going on, i wait for the result of investication to postal service. So im kinda f☆cked. If it rains it pours right.

[@TheArtofRepair]

@@zomaardan oh man! you didnt get a tracking? =(

[@zomaardan]

@@TheArtofRepair Yes i had al tracking but it never got here. Some items are now resend but months pass.

[@braken8642]

What a masterpiece!! So simple. NO BIG DEAL.

[@G5Hohn]

The best way to keep tips alive is to use a proper station with "standby" or "sleep" mode and temperature control. Use the lowest temperature that works, and keep it hot only when you actually need the heat. Do that and keep the tips tinned and they will last a looong time.

[@TheArtofRepair]

a quick workaround for any station that doesn't have standby like the unit shown in the video is to just purchase and use an inline foot pedal and only have it down while you work the joint, and let go. Easy 20$ conversion for any 936 station =) But you are correct! in terms of temp, you need to be using the lowest possible temp that will still get your work done properly. =)

[@G5Hohn]

@@TheArtofRepair foot pedal is a brilliant idea.

[@amerikraine3401]

I use a piece of copper wire for my tips, you don't need to but tips. It works perfectly

[@Stephen-cm3fs]

First, love the new intro man. I agree with a comment below maybe a bit too loud but it fits well! Also keeping the vids to about 10 minutes in my opinion is perfect! You're doing things correctly.

[@MarkPalmer1000]

Excellent advice. I do the same thing, just using a water sponge and tinning with my regular 60/40 solder at startup and on occasion while working. Keep the tips clean and tinned, they work like magic and last a long time. Let them get crusty, forget it. I worked at an amusement game manufacturer in Buffalo for one day and quit at the end of the day when they didn't want to give me a $3.00 new tip for the Weller soldering station that I was using, the supervisor saying it was "fine" when it wouldn't tin at all. They didn't even know what I was talking about in regards to a tinned tip- that brown, rusty, nasty tip was "fine." The deal is the same with vacuum desoldering stations. Let them get nasty, and they don't work and do nothing but aggravate you.

[@mrnuna4793]

After blasting my ear drums in The introduction, this became the best instructional tinning video out there....btw macro camera game is on point sir.

[@TheArtofRepair]

you know if this video didnt get so many dang views, id redo it. hahaha =D i appreciate the comment! you should go checkout the microsoldering 101-102 playlists i promise the audio it better =D

[@hellorodney]

FIVE STARS,,, ,,, i appreciate the simple, easy to understand teaching... :)

[@StitchesLovesRats]

Thanks. I'll try it. ...this is a nice change from talking to flat earthers. I almost forgot what is was like to leave a genuinely nice comment 😅

[@backflipp99]

really truly thank you. i thought i was just doing everyithing wrong. really i was just under supplied. i Didnt undersatnd how necessary tip tinner is to solder tip cleaning.

[@jimmysegovia2688]

wow! a little bit of knowledge go a long ways! thank you so much man for sharing that!.

[@TheRealDealAirsoft]

Really good video

[@cate01a]

Im a beginner and upset you didnt explain how long on how hot a tip will last before it gets oxidized, if when soldering your tip stays deoxidised or perhaps you should clean it every 5 mins its on, and if the iron should be full heat when using the sponge and tinning it and how to apply that deoxidizing stuff to your tip if you're just using solder wire

[@padmad3k63]

Just turn your solderstation off when you're not soldering and always keep the tip tinned. My Weller WS81 gets to the temp within a couple seconds.

[@neoc03]

I didn't realize tip tinner was supposed to be used this way. I thought it was only to rejuvinate dead tips. Thank you so much!

[@richardscott9797]

Thank you for the lesson. Brilliant. And you're right, it's no big deal. Clean the tip and keep it tinned. Much appreciated.!

[@Gensic385]

If you always have solder on your tip, you don’t need that acidic stuff. And it’s not recommended to always turn on/off station because the temperature variations will shortened tip lifetime. Just try to have solder always on tip and you will see the difference.

[@johnchase8510]

A clean, tinned tip is the first step in good soldering iron technique. Replaced my Weller station after 30 years hard use with an Edsyn 951x, and do find the "Pod" (the shroud the pencil lives in at rest) to slow oxidation. Also picked up a Hakko brass wool R2D2 like you have, which is not yet ready for refilling. However, research has brought up the benefits of loading kitchen scrubbers (washed and dried) with Kester 951 No Clean liquid flux. I had already been using the Kester product, which is 2% rosin in a water based carrier, and sells for around $50.00 a gallon. You can buy 2 oz quantities on the bay for $5.00 or so, which might be good for some as it has a shelf life of about 2 years iirc.

[@TheArtofRepair]

oh wow! im def going to look into adding the flux, I already thought about using the kitchen scrubbers once just didnt know about the flux addition!

[@SevenDeMagnus]

Cool, thanks

[@dalevanderzee4086]

Good video!. I would like to add that when you are finished soldering, to keep a generous amount of solder on the tip. This blocks oxidation of the tip and is actually strongly mentioned in the Hakko videos on using your soldering iron to greatly prolong the life of your tips.

[@TheArtofRepair]

Your correct! Great add! Will be in the update video whenever it comes out 💪😎

[@CooLDEaFY4204Me]

Awesome video thanks man

[@mike0rr]

Dont be deterred by the intro volume, this is a great video on iron maintenance.

[@Michaelblog456]

What about tinning your soldering iron with clean layer of solder before turning it off?

[@TheArtofRepair]

This is also a very good idea as it prevents buildup at the tip itself. I appreciate the view and comment, hope to see you in the comments again in the future!

[@jjbailey01]

The thing I notice a lot of folks doing is running their iron way too hot. Most electrical soldering does not require the hottest setting. Dial it way back. Too much heat burns flux, oxidizes the tip faster and causes you to have to re-tin within seconds. When you run too hot, the problems come at you faster. Burnt flux doesn't let the solder flow, then the tendency is to turn the heat up higher, because more heat melts solder, right? Wrong! Lower your temps to just hot enough to quickly flow the solder without burning the flux. Flux is your friend. Don't burn it and use plenty. Clean often, tin often. Oxidation is enemy #1.

[@AbideinChristFully]

The best tip cleaning video! Subscribed

[@markphilpot8734]

In the soldering world, there are hobbyist level, general level and precision levels. I deal with the latter on an extreme level compared to the J STD on a level 3 of that standard. This is the highest standard of soldering excellence you can achieve. You are correct about not altering your tip’s original configuration. The tip selection offered for your iron is all you have. This is not an issue on the more expensive stations as the irons have many tip choices and you aren’t as limited in tip selection. Buying off branded tips is usually met with unpleasant consequences like poor plating or tip material compromises. For some, this is not an issue, but in critical circuit ops, this is a no tolerance situation where compromise could mean loss of performance yielding failure leading to loss of life and or capital asset failure and mission failure. This is an extreme grade of work, but the responsibility of the operators is high and so is the reliability of the equipment they work on being critical. Compromise leads to failure and failure is not an option at this level. Procedures are followed and are more time consuming than basic soldering ops. Not all are able to perform at this level. It takes a whole different mindset and focus most are not able to achieve. I can break it down if anyone is interested. The rules are harsh for good reason. Human life is precious and mission failure is intolerable. It’s that simple. Press on and never compromise your work! Stay safe mates!😊👍🏻😷

[@cchemmes-seeseeart3948]

What process do you follow?

[@markphilpot8734]

@@cchemmes-seeseeart3948, it is classified as critical circuit soldering under the new J STD 006 level 3. In my first exposure to it was DOD STD 2000-1. This is and was then the hardest standard for soldering as it pertains to circuitry that is life critical, avionics in the military fall under this ruling, satellite electronics do also. Any medical electronics would fall under this standard. Human life and capital assets are at risk thus justifying the highest level of soldering available. You may look it up and learn a lot on the internet. The highest quality of soldering isn’t obtained by many people as this level of soldering demands 100% of your attention, your skill and your abilities. Your focus must be at a level that most are not capable of reaching. It isn’t forgiving as compromise is as far from this level as you can get. No wonder few ever achieve it. Military contractors have to utilize it for weapons systems. When you are dependent on any electronics, this is the standard used. Leaded or lead free solder is used in this standard.

[@cchemmes-seeseeart3948]

@@markphilpot8734 Wow. I can get your point of why this would be so critical. I keep learning so much I never dreamed of. Thanks.

[@autumnjeserich2689]

I been soldering professionally everyday for a year and a half and both my irons have original tips. I didn't know this was a problem lol

[@TheArtofRepair]

Oh lord, yes haha, i think most shops i visit had tips that look like they survived a world war.

[@goodun2974]

​​@@TheArtofRepair, Those shops either don't teach and insist upon tip hygiene, or perhaps are buying junky tips, cheap knockoff/counterfeit "compatible" tips from AliExpress, Amazon or eBay. You never talked about the tip materials or how to differentiate good tips from bad ones, so I'll do it for you: soldering tips should be made of *copper* with two types of plating, iron and chrome. Copper is the most practical and affordable metal for fast heat transfer; but plain copper would actually DISSOLVE into the solder and flux, and an unplated (or filed/sanded down) copper tip will quickly erode, pit, and oxidize so that solder won't wet to it. The very tip of the tip 😉 is supposed to be *plated with iron* because iron resists the dissolving effect of solder and flux but will still allow solder to "wet" to it so that you'll get quick transfer of heat to the board. The rest of the tip is typically plated with chrome or some similar shiny metal that resists solder entirely, so that only the pointy end of the tip will accept and wet with solder. The "cold weld in a vacuum" analogy given in the video is incorrect: soldering creates an ALLOY out of compatible metals because heat and flux allows the metals to dissolve into each other at the surface. If what you said was correct, then we would be able to solder to aluminum just as easily as we can to copper, brass, steel, soldering anything to anything; but anyone who's tried soldering to aluminum knows that it's virtually impossible. The simplest way to differentiate good quality tips from bad is with a magnet because good tips will be strongly magnetic only at the pointy end while bad tips may be strongly magnetic throughout including at the rear of the tip. You can see this test, and watch a bunch of cheesy tips fail it, in a video on my channel. If the tip is strongly magnetic throughout then it's presumably made of iron or steel and it will not transfer heat anywhere near as efficiently as it would if it was plated copper, leading to grainy, resistive "cold" solder connections, and increased soldering time, which can cause copper foil traces to debond from circuit boards, as newbies all too often learn the hard way. Unfortunately, many soldering irons or soldering stations bought cheaply by beginners come with crap tips that aren't made of copper. The provided tips are often the wrong shape as well: typically conical (pointed), not chisel shaped.I've been soldering for about 55 years and spent 20 years as an audio-equipment repair technician ---- using almost exclusively so-called "chisel" tips. You never discussed solder alloys, nor flux cores, nor the use of additional flux while soldering. The internet is awash in counterfeit, mislabeled or poorly manufactured solder and soldering fluxes. I'm retired now, but when I was still working, my boss, who was a bit of a cheapskate, tried buying solder and fluxes directly from China, and much of what we received turned out to be junk, especially the liquid or paste fluxes ---- despite being advertised as good for electronics use, we'd discover when the bottle arrived that it t specifically says in small print in the rear of the bottle "not for electrical/electronics use". We also ran into lots of fake, relabeled or counterfeit electronics devices such as transistors (especially mosfets ) and CD laser mechanisms. The moral of the story here is to buy solder, soldering tips, fluxes and components from trustworthy USA-based electronics-specialty distributors, who will refund your money if the product turns out to be not as advertised. PS, don't even get me started on leadfree solder, which is an abomination....that's a conversation for another day.

[@thokdesign]

Thanks man, this is great for a novice like myself

[@Bob_Adkins]

Weller says to store your tip well tinned to block the oxidation of the copper. BTW, mixing 2 metals into 1 is called "alloying". The cleaner and hotter metals are, the more likely they are to alloy. Tin and copper alloy very quickly if very hot, other metals alloy too, just slower to much slower.

[@goodun2974]

I don't know where this guy got the idea that he was "cold welding" metals together in a "vacuum" with a soldering iron; If that was true then we could solder any metal to any metal, including aluminum, and anyone who has tried it knows that this isn't possible! A true example of a "cold weld" is a crimp that is done to military specifications.

[@FireguyNtx]

I use the tip tinner also, my tips also have lasted over 2 +years, and I stab it just exactly like you said. Caustic or not, I will continue to do it like that, because I know it WORKS. Proof like they say, is in the pudding..... Thanks again for a great video.

[@TheArtofRepair]

My man, you know what the real deal is. Appreciate the comment, feel free to stop back by anytime!

[@AntonioWengratt]

Good one, Justin! Nice tips (the soldering, and the ones you give lol)

[@xderiwx]

Do you have a procedure for when you’re done for the day?

[@keelygreen6455]

I am new to soldering and just purchased a Weller. Their company videos show using the tin block or wire brush to clean the tips and recommend using the tip tinner only once in awhile as they feel it's too acidic and will eat through the tips. Their info had me concerrned I was going to ruin the tips with that kind of tinner. I GUESS YOU SHOWED THEM UP! THANKS!

[@UnulOarecare]

Don't you think that the producer knows better how not to ruin his tool? Unless they want to sell more tips and in this case it's a risky job as users will find out that another no name station is better than Weller...

[@goodun2974]

​​@@UnulOarecare, aftet several buyouts/mergers, Weller (now Cooper, last I remember) ain't the company they used to be; as an example, the red soldering "station" that Weller sells through Home Depot for instance is a piece of crap, nothing more than an ordinary 120 volt AC iron plugged into a plastic box containg an electronic light-dimmer type circuit, which means you can turn the temperature *down* on the included 40 watt iron, but you can't turn it "up", and there's no heat regulation or thermal feedback. Contrast that with the old blue Weller PTC stations from 50 years ago that used a special tip and magnetic relay for temperature control; I used one of those every day as an audio repair bench tech for 20 years and the only thing that ever failed on them was the plug-in connector (we hardwired the irons to the station). The tips were good for months of heavy use and about once a year I'd clean the contacts of the relay. You can buy an electronically controlled soldering station from Harbor Freight for 45 bucks, a much better choice than the cheesy $60 Weller; HF also sells a fancier version with a digital display for 3 times as much money but I find it interesting that the $45 HF unit has a metal-shell screw-on connector, a much better connector than the molded DIN plug found on the more expensive unit, which will likely oxidize, overheat, and fail. Newbies should be made aware that they really ought to buy better tips for the HF unit because the 3 tips included are apparently made completely of iron or steel and are strongly magnetic from one end to the other, as opposed to high quality tips which should be made of copper with iron plating only at the very tip (to resist the dissolving effects of hot solder and flux). I posted a video on my channel recently about how to use a magnet to tell good tips from bad. Copper tips provide fast, efficient, heat transfer; iron or steel tips do not. Many people aren't aware of this and they buy the cheapest tips they can find on eBay, Amazon or Ali- Express , and then they wonder why they're struggling to achieve good solder connections. The other thing that chafes my butt is that many soldering stations, whether good or bad, often include only pointy "conical" tips, which I find to be useless for most soldering. A so-called chisel tip with a blunt rounded end is far more appropriate for most soldering jobs.

[@tjdonaldson6923]

Hey Justin. Great video my man. Buuut one thing i would suggest [ based on yrs of editing with an eraser ] could you make the intro even louder? That way I can hear all the criticism from the comments in hifi. So lucky to have that vast library of knowledge from OG KZbiners. If I offended anyone with my humour im truly sorry, I couldn't think of a funnier comment.

[@tjdonaldson6923]

Seriouly though. Your a very patient kind guy. You responded to 3 dozen ppl who all had the same comment, complaint. Lol read before you review ppl lol

[@zarzarel1910]

Thanks for the advice...however, the advice is for professional or semi-professional soldering stations, quite expensive for the common man, who needs a maximum of 3-4 solderings in a month...and, especially , I for one am tired of "advice" like: "buy something more expensive, many problems (for example: the flux does not stick to the soldering tip) will be solved "by themselves"...many people have soldering stations made in China (I, for example, have a Baku702B) and I have been using it successfully for almost 6 years, the only problem being the lack of consumables (heating element A1322 or the hose-heating element assembly for the hot air blower), a fact that determined me to buy a Gordak 936A, for now...and it does the job I bought it for at this reduced price...as for fludor and flux, or fludor tweezers and tape, I do well with Cynel or BST 506 solder paste...I don't want and I'm not willing to pay more for something like Amtech or other more expensive ones with "extraordinary qualities" compared to the cheapest ones...it would be appropriate to present the way of working with soldering stations are more "cheap and common" than challenging people with expensive equipment that they will never be able to afford...and professionals who use expensive equipment should not forget that they also learned to work and train with cheap things hand for today's micro soldering

[@snipermanboss]

like the video i tin then clean then add some solder then start soldering every few solder joints i repeat the process and it allways looks nice and shiny

[@TheArtofRepair]

Right on dude, you know the drill. I appreciate the view and comment, hope to see you in the comments again in the future!

[@jameshottinger4331]

Hey justin glad your back hope your staying cool with the new AC

[@TheArtofRepair]

My man, sooo much better now, It was terrible without the ac!

[@countryboycharlie9793]

I have done it for yrs it looked like crap, might hold might not my old gun blew up I got another one one off eBay waiting on it in mail, I hope your advice works for me.Thanks great video 👍

[@NickGaster]

Thanks Justin for another great technical video. Keep up the great work!!!

[@TheArtofRepair]

Many more are on the way! Thank you!

[@bricofast]

Thanks for the video 👌

[@shavguru]

Hey, new sub here, I like your style. You're obviously a smart guy that knows his shit, but you explained everything in a manner that I could understand what you were saying. Nicely done, thank you. Of all the videos I've watched on soldering, this one actually gave me an understanding of what I'm doing. Oh yeah, same as everybody else with the intro, but other than that, great video. Peace

[@sparktite]

I was instructed to basically do this before I pack my iron up for storing. Would you recommend I follow these steps both after and before every session of soldering?

[@GreyGhost-r4z]

I’ve had the same tip on my Weller WP25 for 6 years.

[@Tsunseyu]

Very useful thank you 🙏🏼

[@darattaqwa]

Excellent content, no nonsense, straight to the point, explained clearly and in a simple manner with a good measure of humour, keep up the good work! I’ve been binge-watching your videos and you speak from the heart, you genuinely and sincerely want novices to succeed, seriously more people need to know about your channel, PLEASE can you start a series on diagnosing laptop motherboard repairs, or general motherboard repairs or common components that fail (shorted caps, mosfets, etc), thanks again from UK

[@dannelson8556]

According to Hakkos tech notes, Those tip tinners are extremely abrasive and highly caustic. They are only intended to be used sparingly to rejuvenate heavily oxidized tips. Daily use of TIP TINNERS is strongly discouraged as doing so will cause premature failure of the tip plating. Otherwise great video. And yes the 202's have gotten far to expensive for what they are. I would much prefer A new Hakko fX-951 to a used 202. Rather than a generic auto-off feature, The FX-951 has a programmable auto sleep feature that puts the iron to sleep when placed on the stand greatly extending tip life. I have mine set to go to sleep as soon as it's placed in the stand. It takes about 10 seconds for it to ramp up to temp and it beeps to let me know. As far as I'm concerned the composite tips combined with auto sleep are the two greatest advancements in modern soldering iron technology all the other features are pretty much just useless feature bloat. The last thing I need is a "smart iron" with a 30+ item nested menu system The way the sleep system works is when you place the iron in the stand the Iron temp is dropped below the melting point of the solder. The solder solidifies on the tip and protects the tip. Then when removed from the stand the temp quickly ramps back up to operating temp (about 5 to 10 seconds depending on tip) and the Iron beeps to let you know its ready. In practice the iron is up to temp before you reach the PCB

[@kracin]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/hqubfWSqqrBliLM hakko video shows them using one and calling it "non corrosive chemical paste", maybe it's different, but they all seem to do the same job and look the same too.

[@rockerpaluza]

Yes that what i used to read previously about tip tinner..

[@Beardwhip]

Ofc hakko would say that... they sell tips...

[@stephblackcat]

@@Beardwhip I mean on the surface level this makes sense. But Nintendo says you shouldn't put your game carts in water and they sell game carts...so that line of logic would imply not only that we can but SHOULD put game carts in water.

[@jjbailey01]

I don't listen to manufacturers. I never have problems. I usually find the the manufacturer suggestions cost me more than not listening to them. YMMV, do your own testing and research. Always suspect those who sell you stuff as doing exactly that. They want to sell you stuff, wether you actually need it or not.

[@picklerick2324]

8:41 that’s what she said

[@TheArtofRepair]

XD

[@will6831]

pretty sure hes a guy

[@WWFYMN]

I tin it before putting it in the holder

[@TTT-V]

Thanks

[@Dub-C-30]

love these vids. best teacher

[@RRoosa]

Great video. I am new to soldering. Thanks

[@will6831]

Great comment. I am old to commenting. No thanks.

[@LILRHONDALEE]

I have a brand new tip, but cannot get it to tin! does that sponge have to be brass? I have one that is silver toned. I don't know why I can't tin it...I am really getting pissed! I guess that tinning paste is a must.

[@sinkhole777]

Good video, except the intro music volume. Nice touch with the microscope! Do you know I can use Bakers flux and solder as a 3 step process (flux, clean, tin with solder)? Cheers mate.

[@NavyGuy1991]

Excellent video!!

[@NightVisionOfficial]

I've suggested this on another video about the same topic. You should not use a tip activator as a tin for tinning. Tips activators are always acid, cause else they won't work with rusty irons. You're eating away your tip slowly but surely.

[@TheArtofRepair]

From experience over the years from myself and from students and what I teach and see in class. It only really tends to be a problem with thinly coated tips and micro points. So a larger t12-t15 tip. No problems I’ve got a box of them used in this fashion for years without issues. This coming from an fm202 station that does not back a setback feature. I’ll concede and say that if you have a setback feature that you can do this same thing without tinner and just use regular solder. On newer 245-210 style tips I don’t recommend using tip tinner at all. Maybe once in a blue moon.

[@NightVisionOfficial]

@@TheArtofRepair idk, i never got to a point where i needed tip tinner, and for what i know, at least with my tip tinner (they all look the same outside), that I've still got to use, it says it's corrosive and there's plenty of people, also from Weller's, which says it's not a thing you would want to do every time you're soldering. I've bought my Pinecil a year or 2 ago, didn't used it as much as i would like to (I'm still finishing school and I'm focusing more on 3D graphics than electronics right now), but i use flux when i use it for dirty soldering, or just solder i have (from Philips, a great solder to me), and it's still in good shape. I apply some solder before cooling it down, and leave it there till the next time i use it. I think that maybe, the fact that you use brass wool, and the fact that you are quick when you dip it, helps to mitigate this? Or I'm just mistaking a tip tinner for a tip regenerator? Can you clear me out on this? I don't want to spread fake information after all

[@TheArtofRepair]

@@NightVisionOfficial that all makes sense , I think from my end I’m giving advice to people who may be at a repair shop and soldering or having their iron on 12 hours a day so I think it makes a little more sense. The stuff you bring up is very valid though for anyone reading and made it into both my class in some respects awhile ago as well as into my new videos. I spent the last few months shooting a few hundred new videos, so there’s some new info. I think also I always hate that videos become dated the moment they drop, and I think I have an answer for that with my new video drop style that’s coming, so hopefully I can mitigate more potentially confusing info for the masses I do appreciate your comments and time you take to reply. Hope to see you in future video comments! 💪💪

[@wis9]

Using tip tinners frequently can harm soldering iron tips. These products often contain abrasives or aggressive chemicals, like sal ammoniac, which wear down the protective plating on the tip. This leads to faster degradation. Tip tinners should be used sparingly, only to restore detinned tips, not regularly. I'm surprised I could not find one comment that disagrees with you on the recommendation to use tip tinners at this regularity/frequency you seem to recommend.

[@sensonof3684]

question can you use a copper pot scrubber instead of brass? great vid and very informative . thank you.

[@TheArtofRepair]

I mean..... I have in the past XD its just about solid abrasion and prob will work just fine =)

[@mohandmohand2047]

I have soldring iron tip tapered and not get iron broblume how to clean it and iron conect on it I sanded it and removed the black layer, but it still doesn't catch the lead. What is the reason?

[@abumuhammed3445]

Hey, what is thickness of solder that you use for iPhone motherboard repairs?

[@DontPaniku]

That's great to know. I was only doing it at the beginning.

[@TheArtofRepair]

Right on! Def good to do throughout your work for sure. Gota keep things on point! I appreciate the view and comment, hope to see you in the comments again in the future!

[@joerahmey5093]

Thank you so much! This video really helped me. I just started soldering as a part time job and I found I have problems with breathing in the smoke and stuff... Any recommendations on how to vent properly?

[@mat.b.]

doesnt cleaning it with the sponge remove solder? that part of the process confuses me, it removes oxidization but if its oxidized how is it tinned?

[@TheArtofRepair]

The wet sponge is a final thermal SHOCK to the system to remove final oxidative coatings. it works based extreme temp differentials due to the water absorbing so much energy and reacting violently with the oxidation. But it only works to a small extent, ie a final last measure to help clean. If you solder all day, it means nothing really. If you solder only during blue moons, it can help. =)

[@naiefelyemeni1986]

My hakko 888d get super hot where its glowing red, i tried reseting it but nothing. How can i fix this issue ?

[@waynetaylor2784]

Justin 80% i use ultra fine tip abd hand peice, plus micro rweezer, hoof tip uftc my favourite best drag solder tip i used..

[@TheArtofRepair]

Oh right!, I have some hoof tops for my PACE, they are the truth for drag soldering. Wayne, do me a favor go PM me on reddit. /u/thephonegod

[@trickedouttech321]

I know video is getting old. Just some advice for newcomers. Don't use Tip Tinner daily., I use it once every month if that. with some tips never, It will shorten the life of your tip by 50%+. Using it the same way this guy does is a no-no. It is not designed for daily use. It is designed to restore neglected or heavily used soldering tips. You should be able to maintain your tip without Tip Tinner for long periods. How, easily. Follow the rest of his instructions. with the added. before & after you put your iron down. Clean with brass or Cellulose sponge then give tip a fresh tinning with solder of choice, Leaving the small bubble of solder on the iron (do not wipe off until you pick up to use. This goes for anytime your iron is at rest including daily shutdown. Flux removes oxidization solder seals preventing oxygen from getting to tip. This way the solder ball is becoming oxidized not the tip itself. use external flux if solder doesn't have the core. Easy Right? On a side note. Oxidization starts in seconds, by the time he said your tip is now free of oxidation it already started. That why when storing the iron even of minutes, you make sure the tip is freshly tinned.

[@bigt121947]

I have one soldering iron tip thats about 20 years old and still good. One thing I would recomend is last thing when finished soldering is clean and tin before switching off I always start with a clean tip every day.

[@TheArtofRepair]

This is also an amazing habit to form. Thanks for sharing bro!

[@thetiredtechie2704]

I do that too :)

[@tylermartin8867]

I always put a blob of solder on the tip when I turn it of the only problem I have is the thread on tips they always break of then the whole soldering iron is useless

[@Colhogan06]

Any soldering station or setup should also have a decent multimeter included. I am partial to Fluke but there are many of them out there that are pretty inexpensive. Fluke makes a pretty inexpensive one for about $40 bucks but you can get them for half that and even half again. But you get what you pay for so it's important to keep that in mind. If you are only going to use it to check continuity and simple stuff, maybe a $10 one will work. But if you are going to be checking circuits and capacitance or resistance or maybe just a combination of everything a meter could be used for, then you may want to spend a little more. Especially if it's going to be used a lot. Having a good multimeter will pay for itself the first time it catches something that saves you lots of $$$$$.

[@KimoKimochii]

wtf u on about lol

[@gordselectronicshobby3853]

I did 6 years of Surface Mount Soldering work and I know first hand that using Tip Tinner will destroy a soldering iron tips faster than anything. Sure the tips look great if you use it but, go ahead and buy more tips because you will be needing them more often.

[@JasonWW2000]

The brass shavings should be enough to clean the tip and make it shiny. If it's not, and you need something more aggressive, THEN use the tip tinner, but sparingly. This works for me.

[@TheArtofRepair]

You know, weird enough, I use tip tinner constantly to keep my tip super nice, and I never really see my tips go any faster than usual and even then i tend to replace tips bi monthly even if they don't need it.

[@beogeek]

Quick question, why are you using a green screen?...

[@TheArtofRepair]

It allows me to have more creative freedom in how I do my channel overall, I think it’s a very powerful tool for content creation. :) thanks for your view and question! Hope to see you in the comment section again!

[@beogeek]

@@TheArtofRepair I almost didn't catch it, good job mate!

[@mariodelzo]

Hi. What type of gloves you should use for soldering small components?

[@TheArtofRepair]

Mario DL the ones I use are in my videos description :)

[@mariodelzo]

TheArtofRepair Nitrile gloves?, I just trying to find them on Amazon. I hate when my hands sweet during soldering

[@TheArtofRepair]

Mario DL yea 3-4mill textured nitrile seem to work great. Just gota crank the ac 😂

[@ZimaletaMotors]

Awesome 👏

[@TheArtofRepair]

heck yea bro!

[@Davidslabofficial]

Thanks for tips

[@TheArtofRepair]

Im glad the video helped out! Thanks for stopping by =)

[@Davidslabofficial]

@@TheArtofRepair not a problem and thankyou

[@userou-ig1ze]

I learned many things. But it's not a big deal.

[@travislee9618]

awesome! thank you!!

[@TFIta369]

So many opposing points of view... I just saw some people saying tip tinner reduces the life of a tip, but I don't remember why. 😒

[@TheArtofRepair]

oh it does, because its more acidic, eats away at the tip, I would actually say its time to redo this with more perspective based on tip type. Newer, smaller tips, as long as they are taken care of, dont need tip tinner near as much.

[@ApexMark2002]

8:55 best part.

[@NathanReevesnate808]

Best tips/soldering iron combo for smt work?

[@TheArtofRepair]

This will be its own video here soon. No worries. But tbh, short answer is whatever fits the pad with the most surface area =)

[@MinhPhamGators]

The dang tip still looks black to me. Silvery? What silvery?

[@friedmule5403]

I am no expert but it did also look black-ish to me but it works so it have to bee good enough. :-)

[@TheArtofRepair]

go to 6:54 and you will see its an angled tip, and that the flat edge is perfectly silver ;)

[@christianebuka560]

I keep waiting for your videos

[@TheArtofRepair]

Well, we are also putting out blog posts every single Monday! so check our artof.repair for info!

[@friedmule5403]

I was wondering if it would be better to store the tip into some sort of flux-bath or tin-bath when the soldering iron is off? So the tip is submerged into something that is great for the tip.

[@TheArtofRepair]

I would say yes, If you can store it in any sort of oxygen free environment that would help the tip live longer. But also on that note, alot of the stations i grew up using did not have any auto sleep settings, so I got in the habbit of either using a foot pedal and keeping the device on. so It would only stay on as needed. or so just turn it off asap when im done with the iron. This will keep things nicer even longer.

[@dontblameme6328]

You remind me of my proctologist.

[@stoutlager6325]

Just stab it in there, no big deal.

[@TheArtofRepair]

hahah, just saw this comment, hilarious.

[@maxfactor4209]

just tin store the iron. I mean when your iron is resting, make sure it has some tin on it. do not clean-rest the iron. clean it right before the use instead of after use. when you want to store your iron, clean it and again leave some tin on it. it lasts for ever

[@Be3Al2]

can these methods work on wood burning tips as well?

[@digitalfire4433]

I’m trying to set myself up on a low budget starter kit for repair. Can you recommend a good hot air soldering rework station? I just bought a Weller WE1010 soldering iron and would like to also have the ability do hot air soldering if necessary.

[@lxOFWGKTAxl]

So i saw you in one of Scotty's videos (the rfid/nfc one) lol nasty ice cream! I just accidentally came across your channel! Didnt even know you had one. Anyway, you got a new sub!

[@TheArtofRepair]

Andrew Meredith I’m in the background in his video?! Where lol