How are the DSX tips held in place on Weller desoldering irons ? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: LinuxGuy123
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 16, 2025, 02:30:24 pm
content: How are the tips held in place on Weller DSX 80 and DSX 120 soldering irons ?These tips, for instance.https://www.digikey.ca/en/products/detail/apex-tool-group/T0051325099N/4525559https://www.digikey.ca/en/products/detail/apex-tool-group/T0051325199N/4525560These irons.https://www.google.com/search?q=DSX+120file:///home/me/Downloads/Datasheet_Desoldering-iron-80-W-24-V_T0051319099N.pdffile:///home/me/Downloads/Datasheet_Desoldering-iron-for-horizontal-applications_T0051319899N.pdf

author: Andy Watson
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 16, 2025, 03:07:08 pm
content: A cam.The upper truncated cone is on-axis and fits into the iron's nozzle. Below the cone and above the nut is a collar. This collar is offset (and has a slight angle to it too). You put the tip into the iron nozzle and give it a third/half turn. The offset collar cams into the iron nozzle and holds it.

author: LinuxGuy123
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 16, 2025, 03:46:13 pm
content: Interesting ! Thanks for the detailed reply.Other desoldering irons use a thread on tip. Why does Weller use a cam lock ? It doesn't pull the tip against the heating surface like a thread would. Is it because a thread would be large and take up a lot of area and lessen the heat transfer to the tip ?Does each tip come with its own cam lock ? If I buy a new tip, does a cam lock come with it ?Background... I'm working on building a desoldering tool based on C470 JBC clone cartridges.Question: how could one easily hold a Weller tip on a DIY soldering iron ?Could I bother you to measure a few dimensions ? Namely the diameter of the tip where it contacts the heating surface and the diameter of the "stem" ?

author: LinuxGuy123
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 16, 2025, 03:52:36 pm
content: This is the basis of my DIY desoldering iron.It's the tool from the Handskit T12A desoldering station.

author: LinuxGuy123
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 16, 2025, 04:14:48 pm
content: Do the tips come with a stem ?Was there a previous version that used threaded tips ?

author: Andy Watson
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 16, 2025, 04:23:47 pm
content: Quote from: LinuxGuy123 on June 16, 2025, 03:46:13 pmYou'll have to ask Mr Weller about thatI susspected that the angle on the collar was such that it pulled the tip into the nozzle, but I've just tried assembling it ... and it doesn't! It could be that my iron nozzle is not formed correctly. The interface for transfering heat is the surface of the cone portion. You have to ensure that it is fully home before twisting the cam-lock.My guess would be that this design allows the tip to be quickly changed. It can easily be swapped (for a clean tip) whilst the iron is hot, whereas a thread would be a real pain.QuoteYes, that picture is one tip (balanced on the end of a scriber for taking the photo).QuoteYou would need to create the cavity that matched the cone and then produce a slightly offset counter bore for the cam.QuoteNo problem, but it may be a while before I get back.

author: LinuxGuy123
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 16, 2025, 04:29:58 pm
content: Thank you !Does this tip come with a stem ?

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 16, 2025, 06:02:06 pm
content: Quote from: LinuxGuy123 on June 16, 2025, 03:46:13 pmSomedo, like Den-On and old Weller. Many more do not, like Pace, Ersa, JBC, Hakko, and Metcal.Quote from: LinuxGuy123 on June 16, 2025, 03:46:13 pmBased on my own experience with threaded Weller desoldering tips at my old job, where they got manhandled by inexperienced users: the threads are easy to damage. Because of thermal conductivity, both the tips and the iron itself are made of copper, which is fairly soft as metals go. An overeager user can overtighten a tip, shearing it right off. But perhaps more importantly, if a tip gets stuck because the threads have seized, then you can also shear a tip right off when trying to remove it. (This is why Weller recommends using anti-seize compound on them, and also probably the reason they recommend always mounting and removing tips with the iron already hot.)Quote from: LinuxGuy123 on June 16, 2025, 03:46:13 pmGiven that they used threads for decades, I doubt that was the reason! A cam might be better, or maybe not, but it’s not a problem.Quote from: LinuxGuy123 on June 16, 2025, 04:14:48 pmYes, for many years Weller used threaded tips. The Weller desoldering iron I have at work uses them. You can still get the tips for them. IIRC it’s an M5 thread.The thing shown in the picture is the replacement heater assembly for those. (It’s impressive how long they’ve kept spare parts available for those.)

author: LinuxGuy123
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 16, 2025, 09:14:21 pm
content: Thanks for the reply.QuoteWould you happen to have a part number ? When I search for DSX 80 oir DSX 120 tips, all I see are threadless. The Handskit T12A desoldering tool tips are M5 x 0.8mm pitch.You are right about being ham fisted could mess up the threads. The tip on the Handskit T12A tool was hard to disassemble. I had to use a tap and die to clean up the threads on the stem and the tip itself in order to reseat it and get better tip heat transfer and tip temperature.The Handskit T12A cartridge is solid copper. The tip appears to be a steel of some sort. Are the Weller threaded tips copper ?

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 18, 2025, 09:22:22 pm
content: Quote from: LinuxGuy123 on June 16, 2025, 09:14:21 pmThe threaded ones are the DS series. This is what is still available:https://www.weller-tools.com/eu/gb/industrial-soldering/products/soldering-tips?family%5B%5D=DS+Suction+NozzlesQuote from: LinuxGuy123 on June 16, 2025, 09:14:21 pmWell yeah, the DSXseries uses the cam-lock conical tips.Quote from: LinuxGuy123 on June 16, 2025, 09:14:21 pmIron-plated most likely. A solid iron tip would be horrible. Desoldering tips already suffer from inferior thermal properties due to needing to be hollow. Making them of a poor thermal conductor like steel would be insanely bad.In (de)soldering tips, even the thickness of the iron plating makes a difference in thermal performance.Quote from: LinuxGuy123 on June 16, 2025, 09:14:21 pmI already said they are:Quote from: tooki on June 16, 2025, 06:02:06 pmBut again, realistically there is no alternative, since only silver is a better thermal conductor (and only by a small amount). After copper, we have gold and then aluminum. Everything else is much worse.

author: temperance
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 19, 2025, 12:26:35 am
content: I don't know if you are considering a Weller desoldering station with DSX nozzles, but I vote against those for the following reasons:-They clog up very easy and cleaning them more often damages the internal plating of the suction tube of the tip and the hand piece itself. The suction tube starts to oxidize, and the thing clogs up even faster than before.-The outside of the rear end of the nozzles have a tendency to oxidize and become one with the heating element. Time for a new hand piece or a heating element because the needle part of the soldering tip will snap off on removal. Time for yet another hand piece or a heating element. (You can drill out the remaining part stuck in the hand piece in an emergency. The hand piece is damaged anyway.)-The next problem with them is the suction tube exit. The exit of the suction tube features a bend part which looks like a tube cut in half along its length. The construction is meant to shoot tin into the glass tube. But this exit point is too cold. You now have a solid piece of tin/tin oxide stuck in the tube. Again time for some drilling and don't forget to order yet another heating element.My vote goes to Metacal. I use the MFR-1150. The tip and the suction tube are one piece, so by replacing the tip you also replace the suction tube. The tips are expensive but very good, and they almost never clog up. You might argue those stations don't feature manual temperature control. But that's the good part on a metcal. The temperature control is build into the tip itself and the response is very good even on multi layer PCB's they simply do what you expect.

author: Andy Watson
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 19, 2025, 10:19:07 pm
content: Here are the measurements of No 6 tip - as best as I can measure them. Also, have a look at page 49 of the attached pdf.

author: Andy Watson
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 19, 2025, 10:23:58 pm
content: Try again: Here is the pdf.

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 19, 2025, 10:41:44 pm
content: Quote from: Andy Watson on June 16, 2025, 04:23:47 pmFYI, it’s actually very easy to hot-swap threaded tips on the Weller, using the provided tool (basically a solid plastic nut driver).