When do you replace your soldering tip?

[micromegas]

Maybe after 6 months? They definitely wear out after a while. I wonder if it is because the heating and cooling cycle weakens the metal....so it loses it insulation properties? I dunno.

I'm thinking of upgrading to a Hakko. They have one where the entire ceramic element is integrated into the tip and you can swap them on the fly. I think that is pretty awesome.

I've used a JBC station that can do that at university and, although the station itself was burnout, it was pretty comfortable for soldering smds

[alanp]

Haven't replaced my iron's tip, ever, since I started this diy gig with a 5E3 in early 2010.

The one time it did start to fail on me, I got out the sandpaper and sanded it back to where it worked again.

I've got a spare iron (of the exact same Dick Smith brand 40W pencil) in the toolbox, for if the element in this one sh--s the bed or something.