Tinning is the process of thinly coating sheets of wrought iron or steel with tin, and the resulting product is known as tinplate. The term is also widely used for the different process of coating a metal with solder before soldering.

What is tinning and why is it important?

Tinning the tip means covering the tip with a layer of solder. ... Tinning the tip extends the life of the tip by preventing oxidation and corrosion, but it also causes the solder wire to melt and flow more easily over the parts you are joining, making the overall soldering process go smoothly.

What is tinning used for?

Tinning has some legitimate applications. It's used to prevent corrosion at the ends of electrical wire. It keeps wires from unraveling and causing short circuits when it is applied to twist-ons, terminal blocks, and binding posts.