My first thought is, perhaps it's corrosion, from high or excess heat, these are disposable parts after all, but what really contributes to this kind of wear, and is there anything that can be done to prevent it being so sudden or so soon?
Often I find the soldering tips in the workstation to be bent, or the end of the tip looking like it's snapped off.
What're your thoughts?
How long do tips last for you or how often do you replace them?
What do you use to take care of your soldering iron?
That looks like a tip from a Tenma hot air rework combination station (rebadged Atten). I would know ... because I have one, along with a spare soldering iron assembly when element14 last had it on special.
I found my first tip has only just started to lose its tip and erode slightly - in five years of very "occasional" hobby use, my tip looks like this:
I suspect someone may have been using acid-core solder with it or running it in a business using it for very long periods. Maybe lead-free, but setting the temperature too high and leaving it to idle is a bad idea for oxidation. Perhaps using harsh tip cleaners without thinking or constant dipping in overly saturated sponges. Otherwise, maybe using it to desolder heavy connections (strongly not recommended) or scratch away at something.
All but the cheapest tips tend to go for many many years - I rarely ever have to change a tip. I even use moist sponges (although, I do have brass-wool as well). Tip cleaner is only rarely used in case of uncleanable oxidation that wouldn't wipe away normally with the flux in the solder. Quality solder from Multicore probably helps too, while keeping the temperature at about 380C (leaded). Turning off the iron if I'm not using it for a 10 minutes or longer helps to preserve tip life..
- Gough
That looks like a tip from a Tenma hot air rework combination station (rebadged Atten). I would know ... because I have one, along with a spare soldering iron assembly when element14 last had it on special.
I found my first tip has only just started to lose its tip and erode slightly - in five years of very "occasional" hobby use, my tip looks like this:
I suspect someone may have been using acid-core solder with it or running it in a business using it for very long periods. Maybe lead-free, but setting the temperature too high and leaving it to idle is a bad idea for oxidation. Perhaps using harsh tip cleaners without thinking or constant dipping in overly saturated sponges. Otherwise, maybe using it to desolder heavy connections (strongly not recommended) or scratch away at something.
All but the cheapest tips tend to go for many many years - I rarely ever have to change a tip. I even use moist sponges (although, I do have brass-wool as well). Tip cleaner is only rarely used in case of uncleanable oxidation that wouldn't wipe away normally with the flux in the solder. Quality solder from Multicore probably helps too, while keeping the temperature at about 380C (leaded). Turning off the iron if I'm not using it for a 10 minutes or longer helps to preserve tip life..
- Gough
> That looks like a tip from a Tenma hot air rework combination station
Very eagle eyed, yes it is 
> I suspect someone may have been using acid-core solder with it or running it in a business using it for very long periods
I admit I should be more familiar with the different solder types but I've not had a decent guide to them, I admit. This solder iron has been sat in a(buse) hackspace in particular.
