Soldering iron tip coatings, making my own soldering iron tip ? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / repair

author: LinuxGuy123
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 16, 2025, 05:01:26 pm
content: What are soldering iron tips coated with ? They are copper inside and coated on the outside ?I want to make a special soldering iron tip for a part that I frequently work with. Can I modify (machine) an existing tip and use it without the coating ? Could I make up an uncoated tip ? From copper ?Thanks

author: David Hess
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 16, 2025, 05:28:58 pm
content: They are plated with iron, somehow. If left in water they will rust, albeit slowly, so I assume nickel is involved as well. I see notes online that say it is plated with chrome over nickel over iron over solid copper.You can make a soldering iron tip from copper or brass, but solder will quickly dissolve it.

author: Stray Electron
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 16, 2025, 07:01:47 pm
content: We used to make replacement tips out of heavy gauge copper wire for Weller soldering guns. They didn't last quite as long as the factory tips but they were a hell of a lot cheaper and a lot easier to get. The copper is soft enough that you can hammer into any shape that you want. I don't know what iron you have or how the tip attaches but I expect that you could make tips from some sort of copper stock. I think that the tin is mostly just to protect the copper from being slowly dissolved in the molten solder and the tin is easier to "wet" than copper. I always noticed that when a spot wore through the tin coating on the factory tips that a pit would soon develop in the copper under it. The big 120 Watt American Beauty soldering irons used a tin plated solid copper tip and we would take the tip out and hammer it back into shape.

author: David Hess
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 16, 2025, 07:31:39 pm
content: Quote from: Stray Electron on May 16, 2025, 07:01:47 pmI do the same thing as a last resort. The plated tips last for months to years while the copper ones last less than a week.When I had a plug-in pencil soldering iron without temperature control that accepted like a 10-24 threated tip, I made tips out of 10-24 brass screws but they quickly dissolved.

author: Paceguy
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 16, 2025, 09:33:52 pm
content: If you make your tip out of copper, you could try tinning if afterwards with that product that used to revive soldering iron tips. Plato, Weller and a few other companies make this stuff and it can be fould at your local electronics parts/supply stores.

author: coppercone2
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 16, 2025, 09:52:07 pm
content: There is iron electroplating I found in a book.A whole nother list exists for Iron ALloys.It would help if someone knows if the tips are pure iron or alloys like Iron-carbon or Iron-boron etcDoes anyone know what it actually is? Pure iron or something more? I have a feeling they have a secret sauce and its why off brand sucks ! Unless you know exactly what it is, it could be a waste of time. I also wonder if the tips are actually pure copper or they have an alloy that might work better with the plating or durability. Sure, it might make it a little less efficient, but it could also increase tip life potentially.

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 16, 2025, 11:29:49 pm
content: Quote from: LinuxGuy123 on May 16, 2025, 05:01:26 pmSee the attached diagram, taken from this PDF:https://ts.kurtzersa.de/fileadmin/medien/members_final/Electronics/9_Medien/9.5_Kataloge/9.5.1_Tools/Soldering_Primer_Rev_2014_EN_web.pdfThe selective chrome plating is used to create non-wettable areas where solder won’t go.(The neutral gray in the center of the diagram is the center bore that the heater inserts into.)Quote from: LinuxGuy123 on May 16, 2025, 05:01:26 pmAs others have said, an unplated tip won’t last. So essentially, no. You need to plate it.

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 16, 2025, 11:32:02 pm
content: Quote from: Paceguy on May 16, 2025, 09:33:52 pmTip rejuvenator is simply a bit of powdered solder in a large amount of aggressive flux. It does not in any way protect copper from erosion. Using that on pristine copper would be no better than just tinning with ordinary solder.

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 16, 2025, 11:40:19 pm
content: Quote from: Stray Electron on May 16, 2025, 07:01:47 pmUmmm, its not “tin plating”. Tin plating wouldn’t protect the copper for shit, since tin is what does the eroding! Remember, electronics solder is 60-99.7% tin, for all the common alloys.The wettable plating on the tip is iron or nickel, because it resists dissolving into the solder. But it wets readily with solder or pure tin. The only reason you perceive it as easier to wet than bare copper is because the plating is already tinned with solder at the factory, which also protects iron from rusting. (Copper wets easily — until it tarnishes, which it readily does if not coated to protect it. Good flux will cut right through the tarnish, though, as will a scotchbrite pad.)

author: thm_w
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 16, 2025, 11:40:42 pm
content: If you want to create a custom tip that lasts some months (straight copper might only last a few days) you can directly electroplate the copper with nickel.Its not too difficult, but, you must electroplate slowly, over a number of hours with low current. It takes some experimenting. But old dead tips are usually not hard to find, and if you screw up you just sand it down again.Follow these instructions:https://www.instructables.com/High-Quality-and-safe-Nickel-Plating/Substitute the battery/fuse for an adjustable voltage and current PSU.

author: Simmed
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 17, 2025, 03:32:32 am
content: dont forget the tip refreshers

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 17, 2025, 06:47:22 pm
content: Quote from: Simmed on May 17, 2025, 03:32:32 amAs I explained only 4 hours earlier:Quote from: tooki on May 16, 2025, 11:32:02 pm

author: Xena E
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 17, 2025, 08:13:59 pm
content: From the point of view of maintaining soldering joint quality of the finished work, an iron plated bit is superior to plain copper, as the dissolved copper in the joint causes contamination and embrittlement, and is the reason that the contents of solder pots have to be periodically changed.For low temperatures and leaded solders this is perhaps not a great issue for general purpose soldering, however higher temperatures lead free solder and aggressive fluxes dissolve the copper more aggressively and may then be an issue.X

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 17, 2025, 11:27:13 pm
content: Quote from: Xena E on May 17, 2025, 08:13:59 pmIn the days before plated tips were common, tip erosion was a constant problem. (Hence instructions telling you to periodically file your tip back into shape.) So this absolutely was an issue with leaded solder and its lower temperatures.Quote from: Xena E on May 17, 2025, 08:13:59 pmHigher temperatures do indeed accelerate the problem. Flux has nothing to do with it, since flux is not a part of the metallurgical process that causes the dissolution. Lead-free fluxes are not more aggressive. (In fact many are less aggressive.) Well, to the metal at least. Lead-free fluxes are often more aggressive to us humans. The main difference in lead-free fluxes is that they need to tolerate the higher temperatures.

author: coppercone2
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 18, 2025, 02:42:01 am
content: Actually I want to iron plate my big old irons that are not iron plated (the ones that are copper blocks on sticks)I might try one of these mixes

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 18, 2025, 07:09:52 am
content: Quote from: coppercone2 on May 18, 2025, 02:42:01 amAre they for desoldering DIP ICs and connectors?I have a small set of such tips. They’re great. Quite underrated IMHO.

author: coppercone2
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 18, 2025, 07:19:23 am
content: no i mean like big ones for soldering sheet, I used them to solder copper sheet before. It's for a copper smith or whatever. I aim a blow torch on a grate and leave them on it to heat it up and it can solder a littleI don't know if you can use it for a chip, probobly if your good with your hands

author: coppercone2
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 18, 2025, 07:24:22 am
content: Honestly I don't know what is a good use for them. I think its for seams because you can kinda smash them into place. And it loses heat quick, for real I think its supposed to be mounted to a torch. But you can use it.But now i think its even a better idea to try to iron plate because I can finally try to make my own custom tips without bowing down to pace and they won't be bootleg.I have like a giant one and a little one that is maybe 1.5cmx1.5cmx8cm. the little one can definatly be used on a PCB for some pain in the ass thingand I think I just renembered a bothersome RF can that I might try the giant one on lol. I thought to use a hot plate to heat it for that job to make sure it does not get ridiculous. And it might be good for stuck screws on loctited things in places you don't want fire

author: Zenith
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 19, 2025, 02:00:01 pm
content: I found this.https://www.newark.com/pdfs/techarticles/oki-metcal/extendingTipLife.pdf"Iron plating" soldering tips seems like a surprisingly involved business with an iron plating, a nickel plating and a chrome plating. Easy enough as an industrial process, but not as a DIY effort, with getting the conditions right and tricks of the trade to avoid pitting and other problems..A search on the WWW turned up a metal finishing forum and it seemed that electroplating iron was tricky. One suggestion was to find a company that does this and pay them to plate home made bits for you. You might be able to iron plate them at home, and produce a result that may not be up to commercial standards, but is a lot better than a bare copper tip.Years ago there was a partial solution to the problem in Savbit solder. It was a normal radio solder, around 60/40, but it had some copper in the mix so it was less inclined to dissolve copper.

author: coppercone2
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 19, 2025, 05:04:43 pm
content: the problem is the chrome, nickel is super generic (everyone that plates will do it).Every time I see something with chrome I think forget about it (its nasty to deal with, at leas for the Hexavalent one). However, I don't see a strong reason to desire hexavalent one in the case of a non precise OD plating job. You need to use the nasty one for hard to refinish and very structural things (gun barrel). But just about everything with guns is terrible to work with lolThe thing that the text book mentions about iron plating is brittle. They used that word 50 times in 2 pages. But if you are prying with a iron it means you don't know about solder wick

author: Xena E
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 19, 2025, 05:11:14 pm
content: Generally the chrome is just to stop the solder wetting to the parts of the tip that you don't want it to.The only real useful protective plating on those fancy manufacturer made tips is the iron.X

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 19, 2025, 07:14:44 pm
content: Quote from: Xena E on May 19, 2025, 05:11:14 pmIndeed, that’s what I wrote a few days ago, too.What’s really interesting in the Metcal document is that it says the nickel layer is the anti-wetting plating, and that chrome is just for protection. And their diagram shows the iron layer exposed directly to the solder on the working end. But Ersa’s document shows the nickel totally covering the iron, with the solder wetting the nickel. (And they say that part is factory-wetted.)

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 19, 2025, 07:17:11 pm
content: Quote from: Zenith on May 19, 2025, 02:00:01 pmWow, that is a fantastic resource, full of great information.Quote from: Zenith on May 19, 2025, 02:00:01 pmMy old work had a bunch of big spools of that (much too thick for modern electronics!). I think you can still get that alloy today from some manufacturers; IIRC it was about 2% copper.

author: Xena E
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 19, 2025, 07:58:54 pm
content: Quote from: tooki on May 19, 2025, 07:14:44 pmWould be interesting to see if raw nickle would easily solder? I think the factory wetting of nickle plated tips involve a thin layer of over plated iron that is then tin plated so...Trying to find documented proof of that, I failed. But did find a list of bits made for the Antex range of 'thermally balanced' irons...They seem to have a complex plating regime.Quote from: tooki on May 19, 2025, 07:17:11 pmCopper in a soldered joint is always to be avoided in large quantities, (hence the need to clean the solder pots out and refresh the contents regularly in hi rel work).I guess the Savbit and similar was made when irons like the now vintageGEC/Henley Solon¹ were common workshop fire sticks, so if the copper wasn't already in the solder, it was disolved from the copper tip anyway!It didn't matter then as it was all point to point wired tag strips and tubeholders.¹ I was born half a century after their time, but I have an unused one I bought from Ebay as a curiosity, they were sold with an unplated ¼ inch chisel bit as standard, and were just 25W... ... I'll stick with the Metcal for daly use and leave that in mint condition!Regards,X

author: thm_w
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 20, 2025, 10:05:21 pm
content: As I said, just nickle plate the tip, it wets and solders well, stop wasting time looking at iron and chrome plating unless you are doing this professionally.Quote from: Xena E on May 19, 2025, 07:58:54 pmNickle is easy to solder, its commonly used on lithium battery packs, the strip is spot welded then you solder to it.https://www.18650batterystore.com/en-ca/collections/nickel-strip

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 21, 2025, 07:05:24 am
content: Quote from: thm_w on May 20, 2025, 10:05:21 pmIt’s a bit frustrating that there is so much contradictory information about the solderability of nickel. Most say it’s solderable, but not the easiest. Some claim it’s very difficult to solder. Some say it’s easy.What I wonder about as the sole plating for a tip is durability: does nickel dissolve into hot solder the way copper does? Given OP’s stated application of it being for some kind of joint they do a whole lot of, it sounds like this would be a high-use application, not for occasional use, so the plating durability would be a key criterion.

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 21, 2025, 07:06:56 am
content: Quote from: LinuxGuy123 on May 16, 2025, 05:01:26 pmAn option I just remembered exists: most soldering iron manufacturers state they will make custom tips. I have no idea what it costs or how many you have to order, but it is possible.

author: coppercone2
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 21, 2025, 07:08:21 am
content: Quote from: tooki on May 21, 2025, 07:05:24 amthere is two nickel, sulfmate nickel (durable, not brilliant but purer) and sulfate nickel (shiny, decorative). THose are the two main common processesit can have something to do with this.ALso keep in mind alot of platings are kinda porous (i.e. chrome) which means that theoretically stuff can infiltrate under it. good for mechanical protection does bad for chemical protection. I imagine it works something like studded cotton gloves. They don't do anything for chemicals even if there is rubber on themon something like an iron thats contracting and expanding it might be like dry dirt and the more layers you have the better it works for resistand I read about soldering irons using iron nickel plate. You can plate basically anything to get psuedo alloys to grow on the thing. Just probobly requires a R&D lab to figure out the right way to do itI found plating for mu metal, stainless, etc. The formulas look like you mix the two base mixtures with other additives. You need to control the deposition rate some how to get them to lay on like a mixtureand these platings are always way more brittle then the real way to do it.I.e. for gold wire,. the one that jewlers use, its a old thermo mechanical process IIRC. Its "clad" in some kind of pilgar like machine. Totally different then gold plating, and it naturally comes on thick (i.e. 5% gold by weight). Silver might do it too because it cold welds.I imagine if you can some how "clad' an iron with iron it would be vastly better then plating, if the cladding is thick enough, because it would be way more ductile and less prone to crack problemsAnd some reading hints at the fact that nickel strip might be electroformed. Iron strip is electro formed. at least some is. it might not be the same thing as the element.I have a nickel plate (like 1/8 inch thick) and iirc it would not solder at all on a hot plateNickel plated wire is used. its solderable with special flux. its high temp wire. goes with those nickel or stainless crimps that are a total dog to crimp. I hate that shit. When I built thermo couple adapters I got the 'real' crimps from one of those expensive chemical people and it hurt my hand to make 2 dozen forks real good.https://engraverscafe.com/threads/soldering-nickel.22953/https://mm.digikey.com/Volume0/opasdata/d220001/medias/docus/697/Tech_Tip_Soldering_Nickel_Plated_Copper.pdfNow digikey implies that Fully active flux (I guess rosin activated, RA) works for plated hardware. For pure nickel I am not so sure. Most people never go past RMA flux.If you want to experiment, I suggest getting a pure nickel plate (not called 'strip') and trying it out. Maybe I will try it. I think I know where mine is.Perhaps the secret to getting a wetting nickel tip is to acid solder it for tinning? But i never understood why it would not 'wear off' I guess some atoms stick

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 21, 2025, 07:27:38 am
content: Quote from: coppercone2 on May 21, 2025, 07:08:21 amThe thicker the iron layer, the worse the tip will perform, since iron is not a great thermal conductor. You also don’t want it so thin that it’s easily damaged. So there’s a range of viable thicknesses. JBC leans on the thinner side for performance, but at the cost of tip durability (except in the special long life series). Ersa leans towards thicker, so they’re durable.The Metcal document mentions some iron plating failure modes that arenotimproved by thicker plating.

author: coppercone2
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 21, 2025, 07:29:55 am
content: Oh yeah I mean iron clad and then machine it down with grinding. Just no electro depositionThough, I don't know how much anealing fixes it. I don't think its the same.I think its like bread and gluten. Electroplate is noob baker crumble breadlike a gluten free tortilla. super messyIt's part of the reason I never got too involved in electroplating. Fascinating but I found the material is just worse. Even for easy coppernot that its not good but its always a little disappointingI have been wrestling with a shopping cart of chemicals to try iron/nickel plating with all evening. On one hand I really want to do it, on the other hand I am almost sure it will turn into a giant messy fiasco. I am very curious about the permalloy plating, it will have sub par performance. And last year I bought pure iron sheet, permalloy foil and mu metal foil. Other then shielding one RLC filter I have not used yet, its just sitting there. Magnets are always kind of a let down. Though, now that I have a keithley 2001, I wonder if I can actually try to make a interesting measurement with that technology.However if it comes down to some insanity involving hydroforming (pressure washer) I will glady attempt plating instead. i am not going thereI suspect if you wanted to make your own RF heater tips, you would need to work out one of the magnetic plating things. I think this technology all comes from magnetic tape BTW. Like for a 8 track. Some of these recipes have some weird RF properties listed like performance at high frequencies. Or maybe its related to hard drive technology?These exotic platings and also thick film resistor pastes is like something that keeps nagging at me but I feel it will end up something like buying a llama. there will be financial regrets

author: Kleinstein
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 21, 2025, 08:19:13 am
content: Electroplating iron is tricky. It is can end up porous and as rough surface. Nickle plating is rather easy and is often used as an intermediate layer to get better adhesion, more even coverage.Electroplating is usually still thin and not effecting the heat transfer very much. The thermal conductivity is an issue for massive iron.One can use pure copper tips, but they will not last very long. In the old days soldering irons had pure copper tips and it was normal to replace them quite regular after maybe 10 or 50 hours of use (depends a lot on the temperature and solder). When I started one still had the choice of coated or cheaper pure copper (may still have nickel coat for oxidation protection).

author: coppercone2
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 21, 2025, 08:30:23 am
content: 10 year development scheme to finally stick it to soldering tip manufacturers. Life time savings : $35and you can regalvinize those old bolts you pulled from that cart back in 92'I wonder if someone actually managed to successfully do this. Like they work in a chemistry lab and fix objects of no value with extremely complex platingI could see people going wild trying to fix their bathroom faucets. Not gonna pay home depot 7$ for that spout no sir.hmm. like a chemistry professor.or the thing that goes into the bath tub or toilet hard ware. I already seen people go crazy with toilet hardware. They just go crazy trying to find a replacement that fits for the flusher. When I evaluated the problem I realized buying a monel rod might actually make financial sensethe only problem is I noticed bathroom hardware started to look so much nicer that it would be sad to keep the old stuff working. the hell with it. Those old toilets and stuff look extremely depressing. I always think of the god fatherhttps://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTZLWDsvVyGmN7yDh81zMndSzWut-y-QJkDrg&s

author: Zenith
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 21, 2025, 09:38:47 am
content: Quote from: coppercone2 on May 21, 2025, 08:30:23 amIf you used irons with special tips a lot, the savings would be much better, and not having tips wear out quickly would be convenient.There are electroplating companies which have sorted out the problems and have the equipment and experience to do a good job reliably. There's one near me that chrome plates all sorts of things, often small objects. A friend had a bumper (fender) for a vintage car re-chromed by them. The cost was reasonable and the results were excellent. When it was picked up, I spoke to them and it was clear they knew exactly what they were doing, how to deal with hexavalent chromium etc. They advised their customers not to attempt to remove the old chrome, but leave it to them. I assume they had worked out how to to it, and someone going at it with abrasives just made their job harder. OK, that was a large object, but if you wanted say, a set of door handles re-chromed, it's certain they would do a better job than you could hope to do yourself.I'm sure you could plate soldering iron tips at home, but it would take ages to get the process right. It's just possible that you could find a company that would do it for you.

author: thm_w
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 21, 2025, 10:44:13 pm
content: Quote from: tooki on May 21, 2025, 07:05:24 amIts easy:https://youtu.be/P7ZOlzWEt8Y?t=266But apparently flux type matters, and the quality of the nickel itself:https://mm.digikey.com/Volume0/opasdata/d220001/medias/docus/697/Tech_Tip_Soldering_Nickel_Plated_Copper.pdfhttps://www.kester.com/Portals/0/Documents/Knowledge%20Base/Soldering_Gold_over_Nickel.pdfQuoteHard to know how much use OP is talking about, as they haven't returned to give any info.I also don't know how I would measure the plating thickness that I applied, it was done over a number of hours, but at very low current and visually looks quite thin. You could plate thicker and the tip should last a while (Weller MT1 says its nickel plated only for example).The failures first occurred at the very tip where I had sharpened the copper to a point, so, it may have been unevenly plated there or the copper under might have deformed, etc. Nickel is not supposed to dissolve in solder, once it hits the copper from any crack or pinhole you see the copper dissolve very quickly.

author: David Hess
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 22, 2025, 01:35:50 am
content: Quote from: tooki on May 21, 2025, 07:05:24 amSolderability of nickel varies considerably with the plating process used. I had some bi-pin lamp sockets with nickel plated pins which were impossible to solder even with acid etching. I suspect they had a phosphorous electroless nickel plating.

author: coppercone2
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 27, 2025, 08:36:48 am
content: Lol I bought the stuff for nickel and iron and iron nickel magnetic plating when I realized I can use the 'pure iron' sheet I have as a electrode.I imagined a iron plated copper shield box to give both magnetic and electric field shielding , I have less confidence I can get tips to work right. The key for that might be to plate at a high temperature of 90C to get the most ductile iron deposits using the chloride process. If its brittle it might not handle the expansion of the copper well, and it expands alot from heat.Additives for copper plating are well documented, there is little information on additives for iron plating and ductility. Aluminum chloride might be one of them. I think the majority of iron plating research was done for electrotype parts during ww1/ww2. Nickel is a superior material for most things and is better studied. For nickel the sulfamate process with no additives might be the best starting point.I wonder what elements would be added to iron to make it more ductile. Perhaps molybdenum. Very slow annealing of the tips at 700C might help too, so it can survive more thermal cycles from rapid heating.