gold/tin plated iron tips and solder paste...

[Leeoniya]

any advantage to iron plated tips in smt soldering applications?

i've had gold plated tips which are a good amount more expensive, it seems the plating goes away because of the heat after very little use (cause gold melts at low temps?)and reveals...copper? which obiously needs to be tinned otherwise it renders it useless cause it sticks to everything you're trying to solder...huh?

i use rosin liquid flux, but i hear solder paste is better for SMT. any recommendations on manufacturers? MG chemicals? also, does it double as temporary adheasive to stick tiny components to their pads as I solder? i only have 2 hands people!!

thanks
Leon

 

[Lynx_Arc]

Iron plated tips last a lot longer. I don't think they have any other intrinsic advantages otherwise. I finally had to replace the iron plated tip on my 50 watt ungar iron I got when I was 14. The tip lasted almost 30 years and wasn't corroded on the top but just wore out from bending at the spot where it screwed into the heating element. I haven't done any SMT work but I would try either super glue or a touch of 5 minute epoxy to hold things in place and see if that works.