At 05:30 PM 8/3/2003 -0400, you wrote:
> > I always assumed the tips were copper clad steel because they had a
> > reddish color cladding over a silvery metal.
>
>That sounds backwards.  You would want copper on the inside because it
>conducts heat very well.  But, you don't want the soldering surface to be
>copper because it will get eaten away very quickly.
>
>I have a Weller WES50 and just looked at an unused tip.  The main body
>must be made of steel because it sticks to a magnet very nicely.  It
>appears all but the last 5mm are chrome(?) plated to make it essentially
>inert.  The last 5mm are plated with a different metal that solder can
>wick on well, but definitely not copper.  It looks dull gray compared to
>the chrome.  I don't think its iron because it doesn't look rusty or
>corroded.  Bare iron sitting around my office would have a thin layer of
>rust on it by now.  I think nickel would make a good surface, but it
>doesn't look like nickel either.

Tinned (with solder) iron plate over copper is what I'm used to on the
good ol' WTCP (that's the one that doubles as an EMC testing rig when it
switches - based on Curie point).

Best regards,

Spehro Pefhany --"it's the network..."            "The Journey is the reward"
speff@interlog.com             Info for manufacturers: http://www.trexon.com
Embedded software/hardware/analog  Info for designers:  http://www.speff.com

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