I can’t get solder to stick to the tip of my solder gun?

April 28th, 2009 | Tags: ,
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How do you Solder?
mel e asked:


I have a 400w wall triger-heat gun. I have tried to tin the tip with flux many times. I have filed, sanded, brushed, in many attempts to condition the tip but solder still won’t flow to the tip, it just rolls off. Do I have to chemically condition it somehow? I use this gun daily to tin the ends of cords for stab installation in switches for tools.

  1. The Muse
    April 29th, 2009 at 04:48
    Reply | Quote | #1

    Would a dab of flux work? I used to buy this in small tins where I would get my solder.

    The Muse

  2. Bert C
    May 2nd, 2009 at 00:12
    Reply | Quote | #2

    You need to clean it to bright bare copper, then tin it with acid-core solder or use acid flux. Rosin core solder or flux will not work.

    Bert

  3. billybob
    May 4th, 2009 at 07:25
    Reply | Quote | #3

    Place flux on the wire you want to solder.Place the heated iron against the copper wire to be soldered. Now place the solder on the other side of the wire and it will melt and flow to the wire. Works the same way as sweating copper pipes.

  4. pcbeachrat
    May 7th, 2009 at 00:47
    Reply | Quote | #4

    It isnt supposed to stick to the tip and is supposed to roll off..You stick the piece of solder against the pieces you are soldering together then stick the gun tip to them and the solder melts and bonds them…The whole purpose is to get the solder on the parts you are soldering..not to make it stick to the gun….It is supposed to do this, so when you remove the gun from it..it dries immediately and does not stick to the gun

  5. jim1
    May 9th, 2009 at 21:15
    Reply | Quote | #5

    clean it solder wont stick to a dirty solder iron if cant get it clean take a file to it