This soldering station OK for smd?

[johnthedoctor]

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Good-quality-s...QQcmdZViewItem

It's about all I can afford right now without reducing the budget for a scope, probes, some 41hz kits and a few extra components.

He also sells the horses hoof type tip that is recommended for smd work.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/spare-solderin...QQcmdZViewItem


Good enough for a year or two or a waste of money?

[daatkins]

It looks alright to me but it depends on what you’re soldering and how much experience you have. Just about any temperature controlled iron with a reasonably fine tip is okay for larger surface mount parts such as SO-packaged active devices and 1206 & 0805 passives. Only TQFPs and other really fine-pitched parts need special tools, IMO.

I’d also recommend some SM tweezers as they make handling the dinky parts much easier. I use this type with the flat tip but the normal hair removal type might work okay:
http://uk.farnell.com/productimages/...d/42349165.jpg

Nice one,
David.

[BWRX]

It looks nice and has a nice temperature range, but if it can only accept those special tips that he sells then I'd look for something else.

Believe it or not, it's actually easier to solder most surface mount parts (603 and up and fine lead pitch chips too) with a larger flat blade style tip. Be sure to get a flux pen or some liquid flux to make soldering easier too.

[johnthedoctor]

You mean that the #3 tip in the 2nd link is no good?

I was thinking it was the right shape for 'do a row of pins at a time'.

Also, lots of flux dispensing bottles on ebay, even empty flux pens but where do you get a bottle of liquid flux in the UK?

[jleaman]

This is the soldering iron i have had for 5 years now never replaced a tip either.

http://www.ajdist.com/weller_ungar.htm

BUT i did just buy another weller because i don’t want to kill this one. The Weller 921 is really good with smd, but soldering thicker stuff wire, connectors it gets a little cold. Your best bet look for a weller soldering station on ebay and buy a base that will accept both small iron's and larger ones. You will thank your self for buying a weller when it works 100% every time and up to 10 years or more..


Here is one you could buy, both accept the soldering iron part to be removed replaced and interchanged with other types.


http://cgi.ebay.com/Weller-EC1002-So...QQcmdZViewItem

http://cgi.ebay.com/Weller-WESD51-So...QQcmdZViewItem

[BWRX]

Originally posted by johnthedoctor
You mean that the #3 tip in the 2nd link is no good?

I was thinking it was the right shape for 'do a row of pins at a time'.

Also, lots of flux dispensing bottles on ebay, even empty flux pens but where do you get a bottle of liquid flux in the UK?

The best way to solder a row of pins is with a screwdriver blade type tip. You wet the row of pins with flux, clean the tip, put enough solder on the tip, and gently slide the tip down the row and all of the pins will have a nice solder joints and you shouldn't have any bridged. It takes a bit of practice to get the technique down.

You can get flux pens (filled) from places like digi-key and probably farnell over in europe. I like the Kester 186 RMA flux pens.

[Tekko]

Those soldering stations are junk. They are sold by a car accessories place in sweden called biltema www.biltema.se

They are just a regular 230v iron with a oversized "dimmer" on it.

[johnthedoctor]

Thanks for the warning. I'm watching a Weller iron and Decibel Dungeon has an article about building the 24v supply.

Also, I have a voltage controller (2.4Kw) and the dmm I'll be buying has a temp probe. If I got a 50/60w 230v cheapo iron with the right bits could I use it after some diy calibration? Not an ideal soultion I know but my immediate plans are for building a max of 3 x Amp3, that plus a good smd capable soldering station comes to more than 3 x Charlize.

[BWRX]

Don't worry about the iron's temp too much, just don't heat the parts for too long and you shouldn't have any problems. That's where flux helps, the solder gets wicked to the pad and the part almost instantly, minimizing the amount of time you need to keep heat on the parts.

If you plan on doing any other bench type of soldering work (like diy audio projects ) in the future it would be wise to get a decent soldering station now instead of a standalone iron.

[jleaman]

Originally posted by johnthedoctor
Thanks for the warning. I'm watching a Weller iron and Decibel Dungeon has an article about building the 24v supply.

Also, I have a voltage controller (2.4Kw) and the dmm I'll be buying has a temp probe. If I got a 50/60w 230v cheapo iron with the right bits could I use it after some diy calibration? Not an ideal soultion I know but my immediate plans are for building a max of 3 x Amp3, that plus a good smd capable soldering station comes to more than 3 x Charlize.

Don't buy a soldering iron and build your own psu. Just splurge and buy a station there less than a 1000$ now. It's well worth it.