Tap water on cleaning sponge?

[big_teee]

How about cleaning the tip on a napkin, paper towel, or rag, by spitting on it?
Does that pass protocol?
I'm sure no one here has done that?
T

[Enzo]

My bench top is carpeted, but has worn away at the front, exposing the wood. I have been known to wipe the tip off on the wood.

One can make it more complex than it needs to be. ANything that wipes away the oxidized loose solder and leaves a clean tip is fine.

[eschertron]

I wipe mine on my tongue you pansy

Don't call ME a pansy, you sissy. I have been known to wipe the tip off on the wood.

[exercise in creative editing] Ouch!

[Mick Bailey]

I used to use the brass pan-scourer type of cleaner. What put me right off was one day while the sun was shining through my workshop window I noticed a shimmering metallic haze of solder particles as I cleaned my iron. I really don't want to inhale that stuff. Despite my preference for the pan scourer, it had to go and I'm back on sponges.

BTW, I cut mine from cellulose decorator sponge.

[Leo_Gnardo]

Sponge sold for solder tip cleaning presumably contains chemicals that help keep the tip clean. I noticed many years ago 1) using tap water, the sponge would foul and even start to stink after a while, and B) sponge other than those meant for soldering irons either quickly fell apart (cellulose) or melted (plastic). So I bought a bunch of 'em maybe 2 dozen from Active Electronics, gotta be 20+ years ago. They even have grooves in 'em, nice touch. And each is 2x the size of my sponge dish so just cut 'em in half & have enough to last a lifetime. I wet with distilled water, scrape solder nodules off when they accumulate, change sponge about once a year. Hey it's about time for a fresh one - I'll do it after lunch today.

Got a Hakko brass turnings pad too. Handy to have both. The brass pad has lasted me a good 15 years, starting to get tatty but still does the job.

Of course anything will do for field work, wet paper towel, denim pants, bare piece of building lumber. Get on with it, save your worrying brain cells for more important stuff.

Years ago I saw a solid block of some sort of chemical advertized for tip cleaning, some sort of ammonium something. Any clues on what that was? Guess I didn't miss the boat avoiding it, can't say I've ever seen one in use. With all the other chemicals, smoke & particles on the workbench, who needs ammonia added to the mix? FEH!

[Tom Phillips]

...Years ago I saw a solid block of some sort of chemical advertized for tip cleaning, some sort of ammonium something. Any clues on what that was? Guess I didn't miss the boat avoiding it, can't say I've ever seen one in use...

That's a sal ammoniac block. I have one but only use it to restore tips that won't clean on the sponge. Usually because a tip was inadvertently left on a hot iron for an extended period and lost all its tinning. Since it isn't needed for normal in process cleaning the small 3/4" x 3/4" x 3" block has lasted for decades. Its useful to clean an otherwise good tip that has a spot that just refuses to tin. One official solder tip cleaner product is the Weller WPB1 "Polishing Bar." More expensive than just buying a sal ammoniac block but may have some composition differences.

[Mark Hammer]

Me too. I used to use a damp sponge and go through a new solder tip about every 6-8 months, they wore down so fast. I switched to a brass "curly" scrubber from the dollar store a half dozen or more years back, and the it still looks as good as new.

[Mick Bailey]

A curly scrubber from the dollar store.

Does 'scrubber' have the same meaning in the US as the UK?

Most of the curly scrubbers I know don't look as good as new.

[Chuck H]

A curly scrubber from the dollar store.

Does 'scrubber' have the same meaning in the US as the UK?

Most of the curly scrubbers I know don't look as good as new.

Curly scrubber here in the US would be a mass of coiled ribbons made of brass or copper. Show us "other side of the ponders" what you mean.?.

My proper name is Charles but I've always gone by the American short version of Chuck. There was a Brit that shopped at the paint store I worked in when I was in my twenties. He was often vigilant about letting me know what that meant where he came from.




So I killed him.

[Mick Bailey]

Various definitions;

1. A vulgar or promiscuous woman
2. A woman who has many brief sexual relationships
etc.

You get the picture

[Chuck H]

Various definitions;

1. A vulgar or promiscuous woman
2. A woman who has many brief sexual relationships
etc.

You get the picture

Can't see any reason not to keep one in the shop then.