Quick cure for the ball of copper is to use a small tin can, either a tuna can, a tomato paste can ( bloody mary size) or even a small martini mixer can of soda with the lid removed. I just use a small 30g metal box with lid, because I have a box of them around, and stuck it to the soldering iron stand with some VHB tape. Copper ( actually brass0 scouring pad was the most expensive part, $1 at the supermarket for one big enough to cut into pieces to fill 4 cans.