Elizabeth, I assume you mean brass wool instead of copper wool, yes?<div><br></div><div>At the Crucible, the brass wool tip cleaner holders (<a href="http://www.elexp.com/sdr_3460.htm">http://www.elexp.com/sdr_3460.htm</a>) keep disappearing. :-( I'll try attaching them to the soldering irons themselves with metal twist tie.</div>
<div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>Thanks to everyone who's chimed in on this discussion! I'll tell you how it works out. We've got 6 sessions of Youth classes coming up over the summer!</div><div>
<br></div><div><br></div><div>And then <plugging the Cru> starting July 25th there's 3 groovy classes starting (that will all use these irons!)</div><div> Intro to Mechanical Sculpture, Arduino, Electromechanics for Everything.</div>
<div>Ooo, and the weekend of July 23rd & 24th, I'm teaching a Propane Flame Effects Intensive class!! </div><div>More about the classes <a href="http://store.thecrucible.org/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=415_442">http://store.thecrucible.org/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=415_442</a></div>
<div></plugging the Cru></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Mon, Jul 4, 2011 at 11:48 AM, Elizabeth <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:elevin@mit.edu">elevin@mit.edu</a>></span> wrote:<br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex;">I'm personally a fan of attaching copper wool to the place the sponge used to be. I don't know for certain that it is least harmful, but it is the best method I've seen around.<br>
<br><div class="gmail_quote">2011/7/4 Zach . <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:organic_unity@yahoo.com" target="_blank">organic_unity@yahoo.com</a>></span><div><div></div><div class="h5"><br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex"><table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0"><tbody><tr><td valign="top" style="font:inherit">I agree. I myself never, ever use sponges either. It is super confusing since they <span style="font-style:italic">come </span>with
soldering irons. What I like to do is use a small x-acto knife to
gently scrape off excess solder...this has been very effective over the
years. We could use more x-acto knives at the space
anyway............... especially name brand, which you can get very
nice sets of for ~$10 and replacement tips (5 packs) are only $2
something. This is at the art stores too, I'm sure it's much cheaper
online.<br><br>Obviously that idea won't be best for kids learning, but
like Jake says, you can just tap the iron. or use anything flat n
metal really.<br><br>Zach<br><br>--- On <b>Mon, 7/4/11, Zach . <i><<a href="mailto:organic_unity@yahoo.com" target="_blank">organic_unity@yahoo.com</a>></i></b> wrote:<br><blockquote style="border-left:2px solid rgb(16, 16, 255);margin-left:5px;padding-left:5px">
<br>From: Zach . <<a href="mailto:organic_unity@yahoo.com" target="_blank">organic_unity@yahoo.com</a>><br>Subject: Re: [Noisebridge-discuss] new soldering irons for Crucible? - DITCH THE SPONGES<br>To: "Jake" <<a href="mailto:jake@spaz.org" target="_blank">jake@spaz.org</a>><br>
Date: Monday, July 4, 2011, 6:28 PM<br><br><div><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td style="font-family:inherit;font-style:inherit;font-variant:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;line-height:inherit;font-size-adjust:inherit;font-stretch:inherit" valign="top">
I agree. I myself never, ever use sponges either. It is super confusing since they <span style="font-style:italic">come </span>with soldering irons. What I like to do is use a small x-acto knife to
gently scrape off excess solder...this has been very effective over the years. We could use more x-acto knives at the space anyway............... especially name brand, which you can get very nice sets of for ~$10 and replacement tips (5 packs) are only $2 something. This is at the art stores too, I'm sure it's much cheaper online.<br>
<br>Obviously that idea won't be best for kids learning, but like Jake says, you can just tap the iron. or use anything flat n metal really.<br><br>Zach<br><br>--- On <b>Mon, 7/4/11, Jake <i><<a href="mailto:jake@spaz.org" target="_blank">jake@spaz.org</a>></i></b> wrote:<br>
<blockquote style="border-left:2px solid rgb(16, 16, 255);margin-left:5px;padding-left:5px"><br>From: Jake <<a href="mailto:jake@spaz.org" target="_blank">jake@spaz.org</a>><br>Subject: Re: [Noisebridge-discuss] new soldering irons for Crucible? - DITCH THE SPONGES<br>
To: "<a href="mailto:noisebridge-discuss@lists.noisebridge.net" target="_blank">noisebridge-discuss@lists.noisebridge.net</a>" <<a href="mailto:noisebridge-discuss@lists.noisebridge.net" target="_blank">noisebridge-discuss@lists.noisebridge.net</a>><br>
Date: Monday, July 4, 2011, 4:21
PM<div><div></div><div><br><br><div>The reason your soldering irons, and those at noisebridge, keep wearing <br>out, is because we keep teaching people to use a wet sponge to treat their <br>iron-coated tip. This is a lot of fun for people and especially kids, <br>
because it makes a cool sound and steam, but it is very bad for the iron.<br><br>I never, ever use a wet sponge. Sometimes I tap the iron on the holder to <br>shake off excess solder, and sometimes if there is junk floating in the <br>
solder on the tip of the iron, i wipe it off on an edge on the holder.<br>Remember, stuff "sticking" to the iron is only floating in the liquid
<br>solder, so it's no more stuck than a poppy-seed to a wet coffee-mug.<br><br>My advice: hide the sponges forever.<br><br>-jake<br><br>Lee Sonko lee at <a href="http://lee.org" target="_blank">lee.org</a> wrote:<br>
<br>The Kinetics & Electronics department at the Crucible has several $12 <br>Stahl soldering irons <br><<a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?Partnumber=374-100" target="_blank">http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?Partnumber=374-100</a>>, some <br>
still new in the box, but they sure wear out quick. Kids take their toll <br>on an iron pretty quick. Do you think we'd get 4 times the value out of <br>the new $40 Hakko 936 knockoff from <br>Sparkfun<<a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.sparkfun.com/products/9672" target="_blank">http://www.sparkfun.com/products/9672</a>>? Better temperature <br>
control might keep the tips and units alive longer. Might you have any <br>other suggested
irons?<br><br>Lee<br><br>_______________________________________________<br>Noisebridge-discuss mailing list<br><a rel="nofollow">Noisebridge-discuss@lists.noisebridge.net</a><br><a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.noisebridge.net/mailman/listinfo/noisebridge-discuss" target="_blank">https://www.noisebridge.net/mailman/listinfo/noisebridge-discuss</a><br>
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