Re: Soldering. Was: PG-380

Quote; 

"A lot of good advice IMHO; although I seldom do much soldering any more.
BTW: I thought that lead was removed from solder a great number of 
years ago. Not so???

As for tinning the gun/iron tip I just heat it up and stick it in the 
tin of flux. Most of the time it comes out shiny.

Regards,
James... "

Most lead is gone from plumbing applications where potable water is required. It's not really a concern when used with electronics, at least not that I'm aware of.
The solder used for plumbing where water can & will be consumed is generally 95/5 tin/lead, so it's much much much safer than the old "lead" service pipes coming into old houses built way back when. lol
Ya, dipping the tip in flux can clean the tip. 
I don't mind doing that with my newer "basic" $15 Weller iron like the one that most home depot's sell but I've got a really ginchy Weller station that's my baby. 
The tips alone are quite pricey so I tend to take much better care of them due to the delicate work I can perform with it.
I've got a Weller WD 1M station, If you have the means I highly recommend picking one up. 
I think they're affordable these days but when I purchased mine it was between $400 & $500 retail, very pricey but when you use it you'll instantly realize where the $ went. 
Even a novice will instantly receive magical soldering skills.The caliber of work you can accomplish with this station is simply amazing. 
The tip will heat instantly when picked up from the base & can reach temps over 700 degrees within seconds... 

I used to do alot of TV/stereo repair, I've also replaced IC's in xboxes & iphones, along with all sorts of surface mount components. 
Just the feel for the pencil tip & light silicone cord makes it possible to do repairs once thought to be impossible. 
Not like I'm a spokesperson for the company but for any of you guys that do alot of soldering or would like to in the future, it's definitely worth checking out. It makes surface mount caps on these boards seem like child's play.Its like the difference between throwing a bullet or shooting one from a gun....