Editing Soldering iron (section)

== Tips ==
{{wikibooks|Practical Electronics|Soldering#Choosing a soldering tip}}
[[File:Common-soldering-tip-styles.png|alt=Image of four typical soldering iron tips, namely conical, chisel, bevel and spoon.|thumb|Some common soldering iron tips (also known as soldering ''bits''). Note that there are different tip style naming conventions from manufacturer to manufacturer. Some very typical names are listed here.]]
[[File:Loetspitze IMGP9290.jpg|thumb|Used plated tip with remains of solder flux]]
Most soldering irons for electronics have interchangeable tips, also known as ''bits'', that vary in size and shape for different types of work.<ref name="sfsu"/><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www2.le.ac.uk/colleges/medbiopsych/facilities-and-services/cbs/bmjw/soldering-tutorial |title=Archived copy |access-date=2018-12-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150526001311/http://www2.le.ac.uk/colleges/medbiopsych/facilities-and-services/cbs/bmjw/soldering-tutorial |archive-date=2015-05-26 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="winstanley">{{Citation | last = Winstanley | first = Alan | title = The Basic Soldering Guide | url = http://www.epemag.wimborne.co.uk/solderfaq.htm | access-date = 2010-04-14 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100118103141/http://www.epemag.wimborne.co.uk/solderfaq.htm | archive-date = 2010-01-18 | postscript = . | url-status = live }}</ref> Common tip shapes include: ''bevel'', ''chisel'',<ref name="makezine-solder-tips">{{cite web|title=Understanding Different Soldering Iron Tips - Make|url=https://makezine.com/projects/skill-builder-soldering-iron-tips/|access-date=27 August 2018|website=Makezine.com|date=June 2015 }}</ref><ref name="sparkfun-tips">{{cite web|title=How to Solder: Through-Hole Soldering|url=https://learn.sparkfun.com/tutorials/how-to-solder-through-hole-soldering/soldering-irons|access-date=27 August 2018|website=Learn.sparkfun.com}}</ref> and ''conical''.<ref name="makezine-solder-tips"/><ref name="sparkfun-tips"/> An example of a more specialist tip is spoon or gull wing, which features concavity. See the image for renderings of a few different tip shapes and some of the names given to them.

Pyramid tips with a triangular flat face and chisel tips with a wide flat face are useful for soldering [[sheet metal]].  Fine conical or tapered chisel tips are typically used for electronics work. Tips may be straight or have a bend. Concave or wicking tips with a chisel face with a concave well in the flat face to hold a small amount of solder are available.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.eevblog.com/forum/projects-designs-and-technical-stuff/hakko-fx-888-tips/|title=Hakko FX-888 Tips - Page 1|website=Eevblog.com|access-date=27 August 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ersa.com/cat-832-series-358-389.html|title=Soldering Tip Series 832|website=Ersa.com|access-date=27 August 2018}}</ref> Tip selection depends upon the type of work and access to the joint; soldering of 0.5mm pitch surface-mount ICs, for example, is quite different from soldering a through-hole connection to a large area. A concave tip well is said to help prevent bridging of closely spaced leads; different shapes are recommended to correct bridging that has occurred.<ref name=hakko>{{cite web|url=http://www.hakko.com/english/tip_selection/work_drag.html|title=HAKKO - Select Tip Shape - Drag soldering|website=Hakko.com|access-date=27 August 2018}}</ref> Due to patent restrictions not all manufacturers offer concave tips everywhere; in particular there are restrictions in the USA.<ref name=hakko/>

Older and very cheap irons typically use a bare copper tip, which is shaped with a file or sandpaper.{{citation needed|date=August 2018}} This dissolves gradually into the solder, suffering pitting and erosion of the shape.{{citation needed|date=August 2018}} Copper tips are sometimes filed when worn down. Iron-[[plated]] copper tips have become increasingly popular since the 1980s.{{citation needed|date=August 2018}} Because iron is not readily dissolved by molten solder, the plated tip is more durable than a bare copper one, though it will eventually wear out and need replacing.{{citation needed|date=August 2018}} This is especially important when working at the higher temperatures needed for modern lead-free solders.{{citation needed|date=August 2018}} Solid iron and steel tips are seldom used because they store less heat, conduct it poorly, and rusting can break the heating element.{{citation needed|date=August 2018}}

Iron-plated tips may feature a layer of nickel between the copper core and the iron surface.<ref name="sfsu">{{cite web|url=http://userwww.sfsu.edu/mojan/engr206/Soldering%20Tips.pdf|title=Soldering Tips|website=Userwww.sfsu.edu|access-date=27 August 2018}}</ref> A nickel-chrome outer plating may be used further back from the very tip, as solder does not stick well to this material: this avoids solder wetting parts of the tip where it would be unwanted.<ref name="sfsu"/>

Some tips have a heater and a thermocouple-based temperature sensor embedded to facilitate a more precise temperature control (TS100 and T12, for instance).