Soldering Iron tips

[QuickSkop3]

Just wondering. Im buying a Wp25 to have a great soldering iron, and I dont want it to go to flux.

Im getting:

Soldering Iron
Desoldering braid

Should I get:
Something to clean the tips.
A stand
Flux.

 

[samjc3]

yes, deffinently get flux, and a tip cleaner. a stand isnt really necesssary, but its nice.

 

[XCVG]

Get a smaller tip. The one it comes with is massive. I think the one you want is an ST7. Also, desoldering braid is only good for really small parts. You want a pump too, for removing bigger things like ports and switches.

Get one of those stands with the springy thing and a sponge in the bottom. And make sure you actually wet the sponge every time you solder. Flux might be useful, but I've been able to get away without it for quite a while.

Where are you ordering from? Or have you found a nice local source?

 

[robm]

Tip tinner. Use this at the end of each soldering session; keeps your tip from oxidizing. An absolute must.

Also, ditch the desoldering braid and get a good solder sucker. Either vacuum or bulb, either or, but in my experience, though it has its uses, desoldering braid is a horrible thing.

 

[QuickSkop3]

Alright, if I understand right?

Soldering Iron
Desoldering Sucker (Pumper or Bulb? no clue what bulb is.

Tip tinner is apparently god.
And yes, I plan on getting a nice small tip.

 

[snowpenguin]

Get flux. Very helpful.

 

[robm]

A desoldering bulb looks like a nose sucker for an infant, only it sucks solder instead of snot

They work ok, a desoldering iron or a vacuum sucker is a whole lot better though.

 

[QuickSkop3]

How much is a good desoldering Iron, or a vacume, will a spring-pump work better?

So, I just apply Flux to the board, then solder over it? and it makes it easier?

 

[snowpenguin]

Flux removes the oxidization off the surface of the solder and makes it easier to melt, so yeah, definitely easier, and sometimes even a requirement. (Like on 360 mobos for instance it's known to be a Sega without flux).

 

[XCVG]

You want a pump, preferably a good one and not a piece of crap like the one I have.

 

[Jidan]

The $10 one from Radioshack works pretty well for anything similar size as say..the bigger pads on the Nintendo 64 controller port or the pads that hold bigger components in place

 

[Basement_Modder]

I need a new desoldering iron. RIP, Slurpy. (Yes, I named it.)

 

[QuickSkop3]

Ok, amazon is being difficult, Wont ship my desoldering Bulb to my house.

So far i have to get :

Soldering Iron
Desoldering Iron
Flux
Tip Tinner
Smaller tip.

Missing anything?

 

[XCVG]

http://www.rpelectronics.com

That's where I order my stuff from, FYI. And you want a desoldering pump, not a desoldering bulb.