to all of you with that xytronic soldering station...

[Hal]

I just got mine - the $40 one from webtronics and omg its so nice!

Anyway, I have a question about.  It seems that only the top of the tip (first 1/2" or so) will tin, and the rest of it won't no matter how hard I try.  Solder just balls up and falls off.  Is this normal?  My old soldering iron had its entire tip tinned.  

I'm using the tip that came with it, and webtronic's 63/37 solder.

thanks :-D

[Doug_H]

That's how mine works too. I have had it for a couple years or more and it is still going strong. Congratulations! It's a good buy.

Doug

[Hal]

k, good deal, just wanted to make sure I wasn't gunna screw up the tip.  Thanks :-D.  Yup, I already love it.  Makes soldering a breeze.

[Fret Wire]

Same here, just the first 1/4" of the tip tins. I've been using the same tip for a year and a half, and it's still in good shape. Quite a difference from the Radio Shack pen types, huh? You feel like you can do brain surgery when you try something nice like this.

I'm 99% sold on the 63/37 solder, but I've had a couple of boards that it didn't work too well with. For those, I switched to the old 60/40 and no further problems.

[Hal]

fretwire - good advice.  Too bad, my sister and her friends decited to make these little rocket ship things, and they put LEDs in for a laser.  Pretty cool.  HOWEVER, they all but finished the roll of 60/40 solder putting a 5 resistors on 5 LEDs and connecting a battery holder.  there wasnt THAT much left, but still... :x sibling problems are funny. :-D.

[Peter Snowberg]

Yes, the majority of the tip is coated to make sure it doesn't corrode in th iron and get stuck. Just be sure to keep the uncoated part tinned and you'll be in great shape. The SMD tweezer tips are the same way.

<rant>
Keep all organic tip cleaners away (except rosin) for years of tip life. The curly scouring pad cleaners are great. I use tinning to clean the tip most often.... just flood it with new solder and tap off the excess. Q-tips with cream flux remove harder deposits.
</rant>

[Mark F]

There was a thread about these stations a month or so ago. That is when I received my 137ESD. Yeah, I'm still ravin' about it Like Fret Wire said, "you feel like you can do brain surgery with it". I've been "doin'" electronics for 30+ years and I just never thought that temp control etc. would make that much of a difference! Wow, it is like goin' from horse & buggy to a Lamberghini(sp?)! :shock: But all you people who have one of these already knows this. Wow, I feel like a salesman for the company or something. No, I don't have any affiliation with Xytronics or Circuit Specialists :wink: I am just this jacked up about these stations!  End of Rant :lol:

[pioneer_56]

I have the 136ESD and it made my life much better since!

Andrew