Soldering Iron

[frogman]

I am thinking of putting a soldering iron on my holiday shopping list. The one I have was my grandfathers and he passed away in 1980. It's a classic old Weller gun with the 2 different wattages on the trigger and a light. It's been a beast and served me well but I'm thinking a nicer smaller profile unit would be nice. What should I look for. I know the $8 pen is probably too low wattage for what I need.

Is this a good one without breaking the bank.

http://www.amazon.com/Weller-WLC100...qid=1416691341&sr=8-1&keywords=soldering+iron

Or maybe this one that had good reviews.

http://www.amazon.com/Aoyue-Variabl...id=1416691596&sr=8-25&keywords=soldering+iron

I'm not scratch building quads and doing heavy solder work but do find myself sitting down to solder something a few times a month.

Any suggestions?

 

[mjmccarron]

Both of those are sufficient and appear to be a good value. I would lean more toward the Weller as tips and parts are more readily available IMHO. A good source for supplies is: http://www.techni-tool.com/Now-that-WASSCO-is-Techni-Tool-what-can-you-expect
Mike

 

[SOOFLY]

This one from Hobbyking has been reviewed several times. It's a copy of the Hakko 936, which is supposedly a very good soldering iron. It also accepts original Hakko 936 tips.

http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__19240__Soldering_Station_with_Adjustable_Heat_Range_US_Warehouse_.html

 

[muidaq]

Go with the Weller...then you can say you have the same one that's in Big Hero 6...great movie.

 

[f91ddr]

Whichever one is least expensive. I would get one that features: Variable temp and a rack to put the iron on/in, and thats about it.
Be sure to pick up some lead-free rosin core solder. I believe that its the best mix thats also lead-free.

 

[roversgonemad]

Just my opinion, but skip the lead free stuff. You'll melt a lot of connectors and have to pour in a lot of unnecessary heat to get the lead free to flow compared to the leaded solder. Don't skip on the flux either. Rosin core is fine, but having a tub of paste flux is priceless. If you are in the U.S., Radio Shack still carries decent sized spools (Pb or Pb free) of solder and flux.

 

[rcfred]

I'm going to give a different answer: In the sub-$50 price range, you're better off getting a temperature-controlled iron with a fixed tip temperature. A good example is the Weller WP25 (http://www.amazon.com/Weller-WP25-Professional-25Watts-Soldering/dp/B000B63BTU). This type of iron will give you more consistent results than an iron where you only control the current.

Make sure that you get a variety of tips. A soldering iron works by transferring the heat energy stored in the tip to the part. To heat a part with more thermal mass, it's best to put a fatter tip onto the iron.

As for solder, lead solder is safer for the person performing the soldering job. It melts at a lower temperature, which means fewer fumes from the flux and less chance of injury from heat. Lead-free solder, on the other hand, is safer for the person handling the part afterwards.

 

[PhenomPilot]

I have two Wellers, one that I use for big jobs but usually I turn to this iron I got from dx.com for $14. Search for Sku58371. It's been an awesome little iron with adjustable temp and a fairly fine tip which can be switched out. At 60w it has good power but it won't maintain temp like the more expensive irons. It heats up in seconds turned all the way up to 450 but can be turned down to 200degrees for standby when you need a few minutes but want to keep the iron warm. A good working temp is usually around 300-325. Also pick up sku233533 if you don't have a copper tip cleaner brush. It's $5 but will save you tons of frustration from working with a dirty tip and make it last a lot longer. You can get extra tips but shouldn't need to for a while as long as you leave the iron on full blast for too long.

 

[ExperimentalRC]

I have the hakko fx888d, which can also be found on amazon. (http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_n...oldering+station&rh=i:aps,k:soldering+station) Iv'e had it for about a year and haven't had any problems. It has a digital variable temp and it heats up ridiculously fast. It has the perfect wattage for RC stuff. The unit itself comes with a regular sponge and a brass sponge. There are around 60 different styled tips that you can buy separately. Bruce from rcmodelreviews/xjet has the analog version, which seems to be discontinued, and has had that for a long time.

 

[hack-o-holic]

I have had the non digital Hakko 888 for over two years. Spend the extra money and get a Hakko. Best soldering iron I've ever used and has transformed what used to be a challenge into a piece of cake!

 

[frogman]

Thanks for all the tips everyone. I checked the old soldering gun I have and it's a Weller 8200N. It actually still works pretty good. I was just thinking a pen type may be a little easier to use.

http://www.amazon.com/Weller-8200-Universal-Soldering-Gun/dp/B00002N5LN

If it's still working fine should I really replace this thing. It's a tank but it is 100/140W. Is the 100W too much for the hobby use I am using it on?

 

[mjmccarron]

I wouldn't chuck it if it still works but, you'll be amazed at how much better a pencil type iron works for what you're soldering. A soldering gun is kind of like driving picture nails with a sledge hammer.

 

[rcflyer729]

the fist one u had linked is very good i had it for a few years and it finally got old and did not wok good but it is great