| geolemon |
I'm just beginning my first project - building a flexible, good sized dual-transformer power supply in it's own separate chassis, to allow me to select 25v or 50v DC output, to facilitate future experimentation with chip amps, solid state amps, and potentially other projects.
I have it laid out already, the componentry... and after the PS is built, it's on to a gainclone kit that I purchased here on DIYaudio, on a PCB... and later, moving on to some solid state stuff as I learn. :cool:
At any rate, I need some help selecting a good soldering iron, for performing this bench-technician sort of work.
My trigger-activated, large, high power soldering gun is no doubt not the right tool for this job.
I've taken a look at several guns available to me:
This Weller soldering station is adjustable from 5w-40w, and it's expensive. It doesn't look like a fine tip, either.
This Wahl cordless soldering iron, cordless is handy, design looks ergonomic. Cheaper than the soldering station, comes with two tips, one fine. Not adjustable, 25w.
This Radio Shack Butane powered soldering iron is also cordless obviously, looks small and lightweight, convenient, the tip looks fine, seems like butane would heat up predictably and quickly... but the concept of butane powered soldering irons is 100% foreign to me. Anyone use them? Its heat is adjustable, the equivalent of 5w-50w if I remember the packaging correctly.
Here is a pencil-tip adjustable soldering iron that seems to offer more flexibility than the Weller station, being adjustable from 0w-50w, but without the station itself (that can be bought for $6 at Radio Shack locally, anyway), at a fraction of the price of the station. Can't really tell how fine the tip is.
Here is a simple, cheap 30w soldering iron, no frills, and it's a fraction of the cost of the one I listed above. Granted, not adjustable... but what's the real trade off?
I've had a couple people tell me that "if you are going to get a simple iron, get the Weller brand 25w iron, because it's higher quality." I have no doubt that it is.. but what does that mean to me, right now? This iron is more than 10x the cost of the inexpensive one I posted above. Not adjustable.
The cordless models appeal to me, as I tend to end up working places I probably shouldn't... like in the living room, in front of the TV.. not exactly conveniently located by an outlet. ;)
I do car audio work quite often also, cordless seems nice for that too.
But that's definitely in the "nice to have" category, not a "need", if there's strong enough reason to go with a different model.
Ease of use and the quality of the soldering job are the most important factors to me. ;)
Can anyone offer any recommendations, of those that I've listed above?
Any recommendations of others? And "why?" of course..
Thanks in advance for the help, I'm looking forward to getting started on these projects, I want to make sure i've got a suitable tool for the job. :cool: |
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| Peter Daniel |
I purchased Hakko soldering station from this thread: http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/show...9923&highlight=
This guy seems to have soldering tools available from time to time and maybe it would be a good idea to contact him first.
The Hakko 929 station (at $60 shipped) was the best deal on this forum I've seen so far ;) |
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| geolemon |
I got a recommendation for a Hakko station from someone at CarAudioForum as well...
I haven't heard of them.
To exaggerate (or illustrate?:D) my confusion...
What would the benefit of a station like this be over something like that $3 pencil tip 30w cheap iron?
Also, let's say I could get the Weller station I linked above for $45 - do you think it would be worth the extra money for me to get the Hakko for $60?
Is that Weller station comparable?
*edit* The Hakko station shipped for $60 isn't far off from the Weller at $45 + shipping actually... |
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| Peter Daniel |
What I like about Hakko is the power it can supply. I had a similar station before, but I had trouble with suplying enough heat for soldering Cardas binding posts, for instance. With Hakko it doesn't seem like a problem. Also, it gets very quickly to a specified temp. (and I don't even mention digital display;)). The soldering iron is very ligh and fits your hand quite nicely. Having a separate stand is also convenient.
Paying $60 for something that normally costs $300 is an additional incentive. |
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| geolemon |
Ah, yep, that thread is pretty old.
Just saw the pics of that 929, that does look pretty high-end, digital keypad and display and all...
I can message him and see what he has available, if any.
What do you think of the other ones that I've listed above?
Have you ever used a butane soldering iron? It's certainly the most foreign in concept to me, I don't know how they compare, as a whole. :confused: |
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| Peter Daniel |
I used small butane Weller soldering torch, and it is fine if you have to do some quick soldering on the speakers crossover, for instance, but I wouldn't recommend it as a serious stationary tool.
For me, when I find myself soldering for hours, a proper tool, with a nice feel and ergonomics is very important, and if chosen wisely, it makes the whole soldering affair a much more pleasurable experience. So don't try to save here, you will be enjoying it in the years to come ;)
The Hakko station is certainly recommended. |
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| geolemon |
| quote: | Originally posted by Peter Daniel
What I like about Hakko is the power it can supply. I had a similar station before, but I had trouble with suplying enough heat for soldering Cardas binding posts, for instance. With Hakko it doesn't seem like a problem. Also, it gets very quickly to a specified temp. (and I don't even mention digital display;)). The soldering iron is very ligh and fits your hand quite nicely. Having a separate stand is also convenient.
Paying $60 for something that normally costs $300 is an additional incentive. |
Yeah, I'm not concerned with bells and whistles, like a digital display, unless it actually has some benefit.
I'm most concerned with performance, and there lies the issue...
I don't have any experience soldering small-scale items like this, and in the course of my building power supplies, chip-amps on PCB's, chip-amps not using PCB's, solid state amps, other processors I might want to build - I don't know really what range of components, materials, and their effective gauges I might end up soldering along the way...
To me, that almost inherently says "you should get an adjustable iron", but I've had others (who have much experience) tell me just to get a 25w iron.
But certainly, my big 150/230 watt trigger gun is not the right tool for the job. :whazzat: |
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| geolemon |
| quote: | Originally posted by Peter Daniel
...a proper tool, with a nice feel and ergonomics is very important, and if chosen wisely, it makes the whole soldering affair a much more pleasurable experience. So don't try to save here, you will be enjoying it in the years to come ;)
The Hakko station is certainly recommended. |
Absolutely understood... I'm just trying to locate the best tool, on a budget. "bang for the buck".
How do you think that adjustable Weller station compares?
That seems the most comparable to the Hakko of the ones I listed...
And $45 + shipping is within my budget... $300 wouldn't be. :(
They do have two other stations at Parts Express that I can get for dealer cost as well, which gives me some savings:
http://www.partsexpress.com/webpage...ectGroup_ID=367
Both are Weller units, over $100 each. |
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| Peter Daniel |
| Depending on type of soldering you will mostly do, the adjustable power is most important IMO. Also, a proper tip is another thing of importance. The cheaper units might not proxide anything special in that department (tip). |
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| tpenguin |
I definitely wouldn't recommend a butane-powered iron as your primary soldering tool. It might be nice to have one around for when you're working some place where you can't readily plug in a pencil iron or soldering station. However, using it for large projects would burn so much butane that you could probably purchase the Hakko station with what you payed for fuel refils alone.
All the radio shack irons have a tendency to die quite quickly. Therefore, I consider them to be "disposable" irons. Weller irons, stations, and tips will last much longer, which if you plan on using it for a few years would be good. Personally, I like having an adjustable temperature-controlled station so that I can set the tip temperature. I got my Pace station really cheap from a friend of mine, and they are another manufacturer of really good and really expensive soldering equipment. This particular station has been discontinued and replaced by the ST-25. However, unless you can get one virtually free like I did, I wouldn't really recommend a pace, as their tips have to be ordered from the manufacturer or distributer, and are only available in packs of 5 starting at $25 for the cheapest tips.
Unless you're only planning on using it for one project, or two really small ones, don't waste your money on a radio shack iron. Any weller iron should last a while, and the tips are readily available. Whether or not you want to spend big bucks for a temp-controlled station (I recommend a dial or digitally adjustable temp, not one that is determined by the tip) probably depends on where you think you might go from here. If you don't think that you'll be doing a lot of projects or projects that are much more complex than the gain clone, it's probably not worth the money, and I would recommend the weller station you linked to. If you want to have the maximum amount of flexibility for soldering different types of components or using different types of solder, a temperature-controlled station might be a good investment. It can come in handy when soldering really expensive, delicate components. |
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| tpenguin |
| quote: | Originally posted by Peter Daniel
Depending on type of soldering you will mostly do, the adjustable power is most important IMO. Also, a proper tip is another thing of importance. The cheaper units might not proxide anything special in that department (tip). |
A very good point. When my friend owned a pager repair store, he had to leave his soldering stations on 8 hours a day so that he could just sit down and use them without waiting for them to heat up. This wasn't a problem with the Pace tips he used, however, a radio shack tip would not have even lasted the full 8 hours. Most people don't do this, but it demonstrates the difference in durability between good tips and cheap tips. I would recommend you get sort of an assortment of tips to begin with, as the proper tip varies greatly with the job, and of course, you will probably find that you prefer using a particular type of tip most of the time. I find a narrow chisel tip to be well suited to my needs, but if I were soldering tiny surface-mount devices, it would not be the right tool for the job at all. |
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| tg3 |
| quote: | Originally posted by tpenguin
All the radio shack irons have a tendency to die quite quickly. |
Still using mine from the early 1970's. :) |
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| tpenguin |
| quote: | Originally posted by tg3
Still using mine from the early 1970's. :) |
Well, I don't know of any aspect of radio shack that hasn't vastly deteriorated over the past few decades. Now they sell mostly RC cars and cell phones. |
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| tg3 |
| quote: | Originally posted by tpenguin
Well, I don't know of any aspect of radio shack that hasn't vastly deteriorated over the past few decades. Now they sell mostly RC cars and cell phones. |
Agree 100%. |
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| stadams |
Just a quick note about the Hakko stations that use a 903 iron--the cost for replacement tip "modules" is in the neighborhood of $20. I have been looking at ordering a few different tips that would make SMD soldering easier. Unfortunately, the only hot-air that I have is not in a SMD rework station. If anyone knows of a place to pick up the 903 replacement tip "modules" cheap, please clue me in.
BTW, the Hakko 929 I bought on the same thread is probably one of the best buys that I have made on this forum. $60 was good enough for me to buy two.
Later, |
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| Magura |
The Weller WECP 20 is by far the best iron ive ever had or tried. Its even resonably priced, and seems to last forever. Tips are easily obtainable anywhere in the world, and reasonably priced as well. Mine is now close to its 15 years birthday, and if the world dosnt turn upside down, its gonna follow me for another 15 years (at least).
Magura:) |
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| Keld |
| quote: | Originally posted by Magura
SNIP-- Mine is now close to its 15 years birthday, and if the world dosnt turn upside down, its gonna follow me for another 15 years (at least).
Magura:) |
I have had my WECP 20 since -91 and at work we have one just as old that is heated 8 hours a day. Wellers are expensive but priceworthy (almost wrote praiseworthy)!
things I would look for if I were to buy a new soldering station:
* At least 50W
* adjustable temperature
* regulated temperature
* A well known brand
* Can you buy spare parts, not just tips
* A good heavy stand ( I am "throwing darts" with the pen)
*a lot of other things for sure |
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| Magura |
| quote: | Originally posted by Keld
things I would look for if I were to buy a new soldering station:
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The one thing thats alpha and omega is that its gotta have some sort of label, print or the like, stating its made by ither anthex or weller....if you have gone that far youll find that the price for the two brands is almost the same.......i like the colour of weller then :D
Magura:) |
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| Da5id4Vz |
About 10 years ago I was setting up a small shop and needed to buy a half dozen solder stations for repair technicians. I bout a one pace station for doing rework and a half dozen economy Weller stations. They were similar to the WLC 100 except blue, they had Teflon cables and I think a greater temperature range. I like that the pencils were hard wired to the bases. I’ve had a lot of trouble with the connectors that Weller used on some of the other stations. They always seemed to **** out when it was least convenient. I’ve searched the Weller site and cant find the same station anymore. I’m guessing its been discontinued.
I need a new iron for home and will likely buy the WLC 100, although Id rather spend a few more bucks for the "pro" version. |
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| Magura |
The connector on the WECP 20 have never caused me any trouble, neither have i heard of anyone with the sort of problem you describe.
I guess it could be a problem they have eliminated.
Magura:) |
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| Da5id4Vz |
I don’t doubt. The stations I used were part of a shared environment. Some of us tended to abuse stuff thinking it was always the other guys fault. The things were also left on 16 hours a day six days a week. I’ve often wondered if one would do much better as a personal unit that no one else used.
I really did like the temperature dial on the other unit too. Although not regulated or having accurate temperature indication, I found it easy to keep at just the right temperature. |
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| Magura |
| quote: | Originally posted by Da5id4Vz
I’ve often wondered if one would do much better as a personal unit that no one else used.
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Thats gotta be a shure yes. I have abused mine and generally used it a lot....pulled it by the wire when too far away to reach..etc. and its looking like new.
I have just one complaint about it.
The sponge fell apart very early in its life, i guess it didnt make it past 10 years :(
Magura:) |
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| beerguy0 |
I use a Hakko at work (928, dual iron setup-great for popping surface mount parts off of PWB's). Very nice irons, wide selection of tips available. If you can get one for a good price, this is the way to go.
I haven't seen anyone mention this, but for working with modern IC's, you want a grounded tip iron to reduce the possibility of damaging semiconductor devices with static electricity. The sensitivity of devices varies, but better to play it safe. The newer Wellers likely have this feature.
The ultimate iron, however, is a Metcal. I just got one recently at work, and I absolutely love it. Temperature is determined by the element you plug in, so no fiddling with temperature. And, since the heat is generated by RF via skin effect, the iron compensates for drops in temperature instantly. A small (1/32") 700 F Metcal tip can handle jobs that make a 1/4" Hakko at 750 F stall. They also heat up in like 10 seconds, so you can turn it off when not in use without time penalties on startup. Of course, you are talking $$$$$ (like $600+) If you win the lottery, this is the iron to get.
Cheers,
bg
:drink: |
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| Da5id4Vz |
At that price you wouldn’t need to be too upset if it only lasted a few years. However, if you haven’t done too much soldering it would be a shame to have not know if it was the tool or your skills that need work.
Magura,
I never said I wasn’t the one who was ******ing it to pieces. Of course the ego says no way. The rational part of me says, yah I likely was the jerk who kept breaking it. I agree these things are highly rated. Most people likely could be as destructive as I was. I know for a fact I was the one who always killed the scope probes. (But don’t tell anyone)
Hey Check out this site from one of our DIY friends:
http://www.decdun.fsnet.co.uk/solderstation.html
*****
Found it, the station I like is the WCC100 and seems to be 2x the cost of the Red station. Its likely the next one I'll buy. |
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| geolemon |
Thanks for the great replies.
I'm definitely with seemingly everybody, in that adjustability seems intuitively important, since I really don't know what I may be soldering in the future. My goals for plans are even diverse.
That being said... I was just at Home Depot today picking up goodies for the home, and I noticed that they sold Weller pen irons. They had a 25w, and a 40w.. and I believe each was only $20.
Also, I can get my hands on that Weller soldering station from Parts Express for only $45, it's adjustable up to 40w.
It's the most "no frills".. but possibly still good quality?
I'm worried that the Hakko units might have expensive replacement tips, which concerns me not even as much in the "replacement" realm, as much as it does the "what if I need a different size" realm :(
I did find a Hakko 936 station on Ebay, would come to $85 shipped, looks like a very basic unit. I don't know how that Hakko "entry level" model (if that's what it is, as it appears) compares to that Weller "entry level" model.
Seems many people prefer the Weller irons... I don't know how this preference scales across their diverse range of products!
Would that simple Weller WLC100 at Parts Express unit be a good "starter system" for me? Get me through a few years maybe?
Downside... I didn't see any tips listed for that unit, on the site selling Weller tips before?
It comes with a 1/8" screwdriver tip.
**EDIT** - yes, I did find the tips on that site! :cool:
Any thoughts on these? |
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| geolemon |
And of course, this one looks promising , at least "bang for the buck"..
They do sell replacement tips...
And as Da5id4Vz said about it:| quote: | Originally posted by Da5id4Vz
At that price you wouldn’t need to be too upset if it only lasted a few years. |
And that's true for sure, it seems.| quote: | | the station I like is the WCC100 and seems to be 2x the cost of the Red station. Its likely the next one I'll buy. |
the "red station" you mean the WLC100?
What are the differences? They look very similar, other than color, I'm sure that's not the difference. ;) |
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| Brian Donaldson |
| I survived a few years on an Ungar (I liked the color) and 4 or 5 different heating elements and tips and a light dimmer so I could adjust it. But after I got my Hakko from here, I'll never use another. Different solders flow at different temps, and having a repeateble temp setting method (digital with keypad) makes it easy to dial in what you need. The Hakko doesn't melt down when left idle for a few minutes, and when you push the solder to it, it doesn't loose it's heat. That makes soldering enjoyable. |
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| Da5id4Vz |
Yah,
The WLC100 is the RED station; The WCC100 is the BLUE station.
WCC 100 uses standard Weller tips and has a Teflon cord. Its also been discontinued, although a couple of web sites say they still have them for around $114. They may be dead links.
WLC 100 looks like it uses lamp cord that likely isn’t heat resistant. I'm not sure if the tips are standard, but it does look like they have a side-mounted setscrew to hold them in place.
They both seem to have the same temprature range which I found agreable for printed circuits and XLRs |
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| labjr |
| I've used a Weller EC-1002 iron for 15 years. The thing's a workhorse. Cost around $200 but well worth the money. Heats up quickly, light, cool grip. I change the tip a couple of times a year. That's about all. |
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| Nelson Pass |
I've used soldering irons for about 40 years, and to offer up the
old geezer's perspective - you need a couple of fairly cheap
soldering irons, all of which will add up to less than 1/2 the
cost of a Weller.
Go to a Radio Shack - I know there's one in Buffalo - and buy
a small tipped iron, and a big tipped iron. They'll cost about
14 bucks each.
Go somewhere else and get some a nice roll ( at least a pound)
of decent rosin core solder. Buy some solder wick while you're
at it. (Save the Silver solder for later)
Use the small iron for the small parts, and the big iron for the
big parts. By the time you get tired of these and/or they wear
out, you'll know a lot more about what you're doing and you can
start making decisions on your own.
This is not to say that a Weller (or the other expensive brands)
is not good, but you need to have some education before you
spend a lot of money. And yes, the more expensive they are,
the faster they seem to break. :cool: |
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| Da5id4Vz |
Yes!
Thats exactly what Iwould have said, If I were smarter.
My favorite RS near Buffalo is in the North Town Plaza, on Sheriton Drive. |
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| GRollins |
Hint to save money:
If you have one of those Weller soldering guns--not a soldering iron, but the gun--when the tip wears out, you can make cheap replacements out of something like 12 ga. solid core copper. The home made tips don't last as long as the factory made ones, but they're much, much, much cheaper. I use surplus lengths of house wiring as raw stock.
Grey |
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| labjr |
| For a few years in the late 80s Ungar made the Radio Shack Irons and I bought a few. Working as technician everyday, I just got tired of using irons that overheat the tips and burn them out. The whole handle heats up. While those irons maybe alright for occasional use, for me the Weller temperature-controlled irons offer convenience and ergonomics, and are very practical for everyday use. |
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| Charles Hansen |
Hello Grey,
One thing that's not obvious about the factory Weller soldering gun tips is that the fat part at the "business" end actually has a smaller cross section than the "leads" that connect to it. This increases the resistance, so you get higher losses and higher temperature at the end. They add extra copper (while keeping the cross section small) in order to increase the thermal mass.
I don't think you could do everything they do, but it may be worthwhile to crush the end of your homemade tips with some pliers to reduce the cross sectional area. This would concentrate the heating action where it's most needed.
Best regards,
Charles Hansen |
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| GaryB |
| quote: | Originally posted by Nelson Pass
. . . you need to have some education before you spend a lot of money. |
I'm not sure if I agree with this or not. I'm a firm believer in getting the best tools that you can afford. They'll reward you many times over the years. While someone who knows what they are doing can solder with almost anything, a good soldering iron will make life much easier. So for a beginner, a nice iron will definitely pay off.
That said, I actually went down the path that Nelson suggests. My first projects were built with a cheap Radio Shack iron and when I got tired of that, I bought myself a Weller WCTPT station thats done great service for more than 10 years. I hesitated greatly over spending $100 for a soldering iron, but once I got it I wondered how I'd lived without it.
Then last year I bought a used Metcal soldering station on ebay after a similar thread last year on this forum. Its even better than the Weller and when bought used on ebay not outrageously expensive.
---Gary |
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| Bricolo |
| Are Ersa soldering stations any good? |
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| Magura |
| quote: | Originally posted by GaryB
I'm not sure if I agree with this or not. I'm a firm believer in getting the best tools that you can afford. They'll reward you many times over the years. While someone who knows what they are doing can solder with almost anything, a good soldering iron will make life much easier. So for a beginner, a nice iron will definitely pay off. |
Thats not quite right when it comes to something thats got to do with taste and feel. Most basic tools its perfectly right for, but with an iron you would need some experience with the respective types of irons, and then youd be able to make a choice.
It would be a pitty to go out and buy a weller, to find out that you really like the antex better ;)
Experience is sure needed.
Magura:) |
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| 5th element |
Well I bought a new iron from maplins electronics here in the UK. The 18 watt £15 antex that ive had for a few years is actually really good. Very good for smaller jobs but not poweful enough for a few things. Well this maplin thing is as far as I can tell maplin branded so its nothin fancy.
But its a 50watt iron with variable temperature (160-480). The iron is nice to use and the stand is heavey enough so that it doesnt fall over when the iron is used on thick carpet. No its not temperature monitored or digital like the super expensive models. But for £10 you cant ask for much more. |
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| geolemon |
I can certainly appreciate Nelson Pass's suggestion, and it absolutely makes sense.
I appreciate EVERYONE'S suggestions, they all have been tremendously helpful. :cool:
This thread exists because I don't know what to look for, and I'm certainly getting the feeling it is more of a taste-based thing than objective features, from everyone's comments.
Mr. Pass's suggestion is interesting, in that I was at Home Depot the other day, and I noticed they had some orange-handled Weller pencil-irons, for under $20/each. One 25w, one 40w.
I could certainly go that route, and only spend $40.
Or, I could buy the $40 Solomon SR-976N, as vsr123 was pleased with, which is adjustable, has replacement ceramic heating elements, and replacement tips available, and it looks like it heats up in 30 seconds. I'd effectively also have a 25w iron, and a 40w iron..
...and a 30w, and 35w... etc. ;)
Or of course, I get the dealer discount at Parts Express... so I could buy the Weller WLC-100 for only about $45, and it also has replacement tips available, and the 0-40w adjustability of the above station.
At this point, I'm getting the feeling that any of these options would be fine for me, to start out and get my feet wet.
I'm leaning a bit towards one of the two adjustable stations, because at least I'd always be dealing with one iron, which might be important as I learn "the feel" of the iron. :cool:
Does anyone have any idea of the heat-up time for the Weller WLC-100? It's not in it's owners' manual, other than to say "wait 1 minute". Seem accurate?
The Solomon soldering iron with the ceramic heating element touts about a 30 second heat time, which seems fast. I don't know what sort of heating element the Weller has... is ceramic desirable, as the SR-976N brags?
On the down side, I've never heard of Solomon (they don't even list the brand name on that site!)... I've definitely heard of Weller.
Would you opt for the no-name station with impressive heat-up speed and a ceramic element?
Or the Weller for it's well established brand name, but knowingly lowest model? |
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| Magura |
Really....who cares if it takes 30 sec. or 1 min. to heat up. We are hobbyists, not a production line ;)
Magura:) |
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| geolemon |
hahaha...
Absolutely. :D
I really am more wondering about that "ceramic heating element" feature, and what that might affect.
The tip geometry also seems...better?
The Weller comes stock with a 1/8" screwdriver tip.
That Solomon comes with a pointy cone that seems pretty fine, maybe easier to work with.
Here's one area I sure don't know what I'm talking about though! :dead:
If a ceramic heating element makes no difference in actual performance (in concept... I'm aware probably no one has so much as even seen a picture of this thing before), AND if the 1/8" screwdriver tip is a handy thing rather than a detriment (vs. the pointy cone), then I'll go with the Weller by default...
It's a brand name that I've heard of, and Parts Express is fantastic to deal with. :cool:
But on the other hand, if the pointy-cone makes more sense, or the ceramic element is a real desirable thing, then I wouldn't feel too bad taking a chance on this unknown model and website, the price is sure right...
Hence my conundrum. :scratch: |
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| GRollins |
Charles,
Depends on the tip design. I've got several on hand. Some are definitely thinner, some are thicker. I like the idea of squeezing the wire, but I'm not sure how practical it would be, given that the homebrew ends get eaten away at the tips fairly quickly. Decreasing the amount of copper there will decrease the life span even further.
On the other hand, they're practically free since I've got a pile of wire that I rescued from beside the road. I can afford to try your suggestion and see how much it decreases the life of the tip. Either way, it beats spending several dollars for a pair of real ones.
I rarely need to put 100/140W on something, but every once in a blue moon it comes in handy.
Grey |
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| tpenguin |
| Well, The thing I like about the screwdriver tip is that you can place a larger surface area against the pin you're soldering, so the heat transfers more quickly. I consider it to be the better for general-purpose jobs. But a couple extra tips of different types might be a good additional investment. I would definitely recomend the weller. |
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| Da5id4Vz |
I never really noticed the start up on the WCC100. I'd turn it on fuss with something else for a moment, and it was ready to go.
Within 5 bucks of Nelson's suggestion and gives you a good wattage range. 40 watts can be a bit slim when heating big power supply parts.
Weller does make pencils w/out base stations for less money too. I’ve got one in my portable tools for quick unexpected stuff. Takes about 5 min to come up to full temp. No big deal. |
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| geolemon |
| quote: | Originally posted by tpenguin
Well, The thing I like about the screwdriver tip is that you can place a larger surface area against the pin you're soldering, so the heat transfers more quickly. |
That makes a lot of sense.
I was actually thinking the pointy-tip would be better for this same reason, ironically... but it makes sense that I'd want what you say, particularly since either of these irons only goes up to 40w at any rate.
I actually need to order a few odd goodies from Parts Express anyway... some LED's, ring terminals, banana jacks... nickel and dime stuff... stuff I wasn't going to make a separate order for anyway.
I think I'm just going to order that 40w adjustable Weller station then, unless there's a sudden convincing rallying cry in support of the Solomon station? :up: |
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| labjr |
| I think with the Weller soldering stations the WTCPT is the beginning of the good irons. |
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| GaryB |
One more option is to buy used. You can get lots of high quality equipment thats been used but still has considerable useful life for the DIYer. The obvious place to start is ebay, but as many of us know, it has its risks. Another alternative for soldering equipment is a site that I found from another thread on this forum.
http://www.eaesales.com/
I have no business relationship with them other than having bought some soldering iron tips for my Metcal station and a small OKI fume fan. The parts were used but in good shape. They definitely don't look new but the price is right. He seems to be selling used versions of the Weller WCTP soldering station for $40, which is a great price. If you're willing to accept the cosmetics associated with a used piece, you'll get a better iron than you're discussing above.
---Gary |
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| geolemon |
Absolutely, this is a great lead, thanks! :cool:
I haven't got any problem investing in a tool - if I'm going to be using it.
If I picked something up used, and used it so much I did "wear it out" - that's a sign that I should invest in a new one.
But right now, I need something that'll let me learn what my likes and dislikes are, so when that new-tool purchase time comes, it'll be self-evident.
But there's no doubt, the better tool that I have to start with, the better off I'll be...
I'd rather take "better, but used" anyday, over "worse, but new", when the prices are the same. :nod: |
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| Magura |
| quote: | Originally posted by Da5id4Vz
Weller does make pencils w/out base stations for less money too. I’ve got one in my portable tools for quick unexpected stuff. Takes about 5 min to come up to full temp. No big deal. |
My father have been (and still is) using those for professional use, running 8 hours a day. They make just as good joints, just a bit akward when soldering something its not meant for. Some of the irons my father has, are older than I am(28).
Magura:) |
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| mwh-eng |
Just a tip for those occasional burns you might get from picking up the wrong end of your soldering iron.
I use the old white silicon thermal grease on my burns and it removes the heat so well, I never get a water blister. The sooner you apply it, the better. Also, after you apply the grease, the burning pain will increase for about 1 minute, depending on the magnitude of the burn. However, after about 5 minutes you can remove the grease and the pain should diminish.
Now, as far as toxins absorbed into your system through your skin, I don't know.
Weller is hot! |
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| Magura |
| quote: | Originally posted by mwh-eng
Weller is hot! |
Thats why the engineers at Weller have figured a need for a handle. They even went as far as making it hard to get the handle end down the stand(wire in the way and so forth).
:D
Magura:) |
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| mwh-eng |
A simple way to make a dual purpose/heat soldering iron: Using a small project box (I used a small black plastic box), install a small toggle switch. Inside, put a 1-amp rectifier in series with one line cord lead and connect the switch across the rectifier. With the switch open you get 1/2 the power to the iron. I use a 40-watt Weller (the cheap one) so that with 40 watts I can provide high heat and with the switch open, I have 20 watts, which is adequate heat for the small stuff. I believe the original tip on this 40-watt Weller lasted about 10 years before I broke it being too aggressive.
Anyone that has never burned their self soldering, must be the same one that said they have never spanked their monkey! |
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| Jim Mullally |
| Please don't beat me up too badly, but I bought the adjustable RatShack 64-2185 station. The cord is too stiff, the pen handle sucks, etc. I can fix that stuff, but what really bothers me is the fact that if you turn it off for more than a few minutes, the temp resets to 350F or so and then you gotta scroll the temp back up to a usable value. My guess is that there is a cap in there that keeps the set temp in memory until the cap bleeds off. Has anyone modified one of these? Anyone have a schematic or svc manual? Anyone know who makes the thing for RS? Thanks! |
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| jaycee |
I've used a variety of cheapo iron's during my youth, but the last iron I bought was an Antex C. It's had a crapload of use, and has only had to have the element replaced once (although to do so requires - a soldering iron!)
I've used other Antex irons too, even one of the very expensive temperature controlled ones. They are lovely, and I would highly recommend them.
As for cheap temperature control, just get a light dimmer and wire it up to the iron. Works well enough :) |
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| Brian Donaldson |
| Or use your variac. If you don't have one of those, you need one. |
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| jaycee |
| True, but they are expensive, out of the price range of a lot of hobbyists... well in the UK anyway. |
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| Jim Mullally |
| Brian - was your suggestion about using a variac to replace a cheap temp control directed at my complaint about the RShack unit? That's a pretty good idea, but I was hoping to replace the cap or whatever maintains the setpoint memory for 5 min. or so with a battery or bigger cap that might provide a few hours memory. It is tempting, though, to just remove all that digital **** and put a pot and some sort of temp regulator in there. |
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| Brian Donaldson |
With a RS iron, I don,t know. Look inside and try to figure out if there is any type of feedback to stabilize temp or if it's just an over glorrified dimmer. If it's just a dimmer circut, gut it if it looks easyer. If it does use some sort of temp feedback to regulate to a temp, I would maybe add a switch to cut power to the haeting element and leave the electronics on.
We are fortunate to have EBay in the states. I bought a huge (1800 VA or something like that) for around $40. I used it to start my van one morning after leaving the lights on. I also got a mid 80's model 20 mhz BK scope of $45 in perfect shape. |
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| Jim Mullally |
| Brian - I took the thing apart last night just see what kind of quality was used in the construction. It has a toroidal xfmr for what its worth. Didn't look too crappy inside. It has a button that allows you to see both the set temp ans well as the "actual" temp. As we speak, I have the set temp at 600F and am allowing it to warm up until the "actual" temp is pretty close to 600. Took ~1 minute for the "actual" to start floating around within a couple degrees of 600. Now I will dunk the tip (~.750 inches) in some water at ~45F and watch the "actual" temp reading. After about 30 seconds in the water, the "actual" reading only fell by about 5F, probably because the thermocouple, RTD, or whatever, is too far abouve the tip. The tip was clearly not at 500+F after a few seconds in the water. I will rip the thing apart again and try to figure out how it works, but the IC that runs the thing (maybe it just runs the display) is built right onto the board and encapsulated only with potting. |
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