Having trouble tinning tip, melt solder not consistent.

[Barry]

I’ve had one of those in my wishlist for ages. $30 for a solder sucker seems crazy, though. Fortunately for me, the McDonald’s straw I normally use is still holding up…

I find a coffee stirrer works well for finer stuff

 

[andare]

The First Time i used a soldering iron the solder wouldn't stick to the tip. Turns out I'd oxidized it. I scraped it clean with sandpaper and I was all good afterwards. I don't recommend this for good tips but mine was very cheap.

About a year into the hobby (last year) I switched to a flat tip and i tinned it right out of the box using a method I saw on YouTube: wrap solder around the tip in a spiral and turn on the iron. When it all melts off it's tipped.