Read a forum post that said I was using the wrong soldering iron tip for 5 years

I was fixing up an old radio from the 60s and kept burning the board. Someone online said to switch from a chisel tip to a fine conical one for precision work. Changed it out for $8 at the local electronics shop. Has anyone else had a simple tip swap fix a whole project?

2 comments

2 Comments

james_martin931mo ago

Man with the wrong tool for five years is basically a rite of passage in this hobby. Swapped my chisel for a conical tip last month and stopped burning through every circuit board in sight. Felt like an idiot for not asking sooner but at least I'm not ruining vintage gear anymore.

kevin_flores1mo ago

Is it funny how we’ll struggle with something for years thinking it's just how it is, then one simple fix changes everything? @james_martin93 pulling off the wrong tool for half a decade feels like a classic case of not questioning the basics, like using a dull knife forever before finally sharpening it. I've noticed that pattern in all kinds of stuff, from cooking to fixing things, where the smallest adjustment saves you a ton of headaches.