| + | There are two things in particular that could keep you from successfully soldering: an untinned tip and a loose tip. If the tip is not shiny silver, then place a little solder on the tip and wipe it on the sponge. Some soldering irons allow there tips to be replaced for the sake of having different shapes. If the iron is not heating up and you are using this type of iron, it is possible that the tip is not inserted into the iron fully. To fix this, grab some pliers, grip the shaft and push it in fully. |