Soldering tip cleaner brass is magnetic - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / beginners

author: u666sa
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 15, 2023, 04:24:10 pm
content: Is it okey or not okey if soldering tip cleaning brass is magnetic?Purchased this, and am really happy with it. Pics and vids on feedback are mine. The previous one was none magnetic but really really tiny. This one is magnetic. Is that good or bad? I mean, by bad I mean will it damage my tips? Because my tips alone cost more than 100 bucks.

author: EPAIII
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 17, 2023, 07:15:40 am
content: Magnetic? That would imply they are steel wool instead of brass wool. And steel is a harder metal than brass. So, copper, then brass, then steel, then hardened steel for a rough sequence of the softer to the harder metals. And, generally speaking, harder metals are used to cut softer metals, not the other way around.So, what are your $100 tips (boy they saw you coming) made from? Mine are made from steel or at least they are steel plated, which is a common arrangement. I didn't mention their price to save you from embarrassment. I have steel plated tips that are around 50 years old and still working just fine. But then, they didn't cost $100.And I doubt that your steel wool tip cleaning material is made from hardened steel simply because soft steel is a lot easier to cut and make into steel wool. So it's probably a soft steel alloy.With steel tips your situation would likely be soft steel wool against soft steel tips. Not the best for low wear, but not the worst either. But if your tips are made from copper, and copper has been used for soldering iron tips, then it is soft steel wool against softer copper. Yes, soft steel is still a lot harder than copper. So that is possibly a bad situation for the copper.Where did you get the steel wool tip cleaner? Ali Express?

author: LinuxHata
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 17, 2023, 10:09:58 am
content: Yes it is copper clad steel. I never seen that thing made from the "real" copper - obviously, for the practical and cost purposes - copper would be too soft and easily deform, and with higher price, too.

author: Doctorandus_P
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 17, 2023, 10:49:08 am
content: Just yesterday I had a look at the JBC clmu-a solder tip cleaner. It has two motor driven steel bristles and they look very agressive, and the thing also costs EUR 700 or so. My guess is that for people soldering all day, it saves them so much time that it still is cost effective, regardless of tip wear.My guess is that tip wear would be a minor factor even with a steel "sponge". The forces while cleaning are quite low.And also, If you are so worried about your 100 buck tips, then why do you use 100 buck tips in the first place? Even from reputable brands you can get tips for EUR10 or less. I know JBC (and some other brands) make some very fancy high powered induction heated tips, and if you have such an iron, how often do you need it's capability? There are quite a lot of occasions when having two irons is a real bonus, so you could buy an extra (cheaper) iron for the "simpler" tasks.Some use cases when having two irons is a plus:1. Desoldering SMT resistors / capacitors, you can melt both solder connections at the same time.2. Soldering with Enameled wire. Use one (hot) iron to burn off the insulation and wet the wire, use the other (lower temperature) iron for the soldering. (You won't damage insulation of other wires, and the flux does not burn off so quickly).3. Jobs with mixed stuff: You can have a big and a small tip, both hot and ready without having to change tips and waiting for them to heat up.

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 17, 2023, 12:47:35 pm
content: Quote from: Doctorandus_P on September 17, 2023, 10:49:08 amHuh? JBC doesn’t make any induction soldering tools. And (sadly) JBC’s normal tips cost way more than €10.