Solder station mainly for electronics - recommendations sought

If you are only going to use it on PC boards and maybe once every 2 weeks or less I would spend a little more and get a hot air rework station. They are on Amazon for about 60 pounds ( think that is what that funny looking L is) . About twice the price of just the soldering iron but you all so get a hot air gun that can be used on the SMD and to install the heat shrink tubing. I have had one for about 10 years. I do have a soldering gun for higher heat if I need it. The soldering irons do heat up very fast compaired to the Weller irons I have used.

The Metcal units are fabulous. You can find used ones on ebay, and there are 2nd source tips now. The tips last forever.

Metcal+Mantis really works.

Bit surprised there aren't any knockoff Chinese clone RF soldering irons by now. I see Hakko has the FX-100 series but I had a brief look around and didn't see any no-brand RF irons.

Theo

On a sunny day (Tue, 20 Feb 2024 16:28:14 +0000) it happened James Harris snipped-for-privacy@gmail.com wrote in <ur2juu$2isdf$ snipped-for-privacy@dont-email.me:

I have been using this now for 20 years or more:

Never failed, tips last many years too, just 2 new tips in all those days. Used a lot, last time was 2 days ago.

Looks like the original sponge, too. ;)

Cheers

Phil Hobbs

Until you really need a high-end soldering station, this $12.98 kit on Amazon will work fine for you:

There are others similar to that one, too, that should be ok.

Ed

No good in the UK - it's 110v, UK is 240v.

Good observation. But consider the last line of my post which said: "There are others similar to that one, too, that should be ok."

The point is that for only occasional use as the OP described, there's no need for anything top of the line or high end. Get a cheap one that will do the job and use it until you need something a lot better. It'll be a big upgrade from a gas soldering iron he's been using.

Anyway, check out ebay.co.uk - you'll find many to choose from similar to the one I mentioned.

Ed

Yes, recommendations from elsewhere were fine. I can translate!

Am curious at this. Why would such an electric iron be an upgrade from a gas one? Until it sprang a leak by gas iron was very convenient and heated up quickly.

Nah no problem you'd just get twice the power in the UK ;-D

I can't advise on a cheap one we use the antex 690D ~£180. Which are really good. We have 45 of them. Safety is a highinportant the silicon lead less likely to melt if the student rests the iron on it. And even if they do and it shorts it's just 24V. The only accidnet we've had was when one studetn switched it on waited five mins and then grabbed the tip to see if it was hot enough yet. And at ~350C he soon found out ti was hot enough to hurt. which is why I have these safety notices.

I don't use a gas iron, but the main thing is temperature control. The basic irons, and maybe the gas too, are power limited - the iron puts out maybe 25W no matter what it's doing. With a temp controlled iron the tip can sense if the tip is too hot or cold and adjust the power (which can usually go a lot higher when called for - 60W+).

eg if you're trying to solder a big metal thing, when you touch it the iron will suddenly go cold and the solder will solidify too fast. With a temp controlled iron it'll spot that and ramp up the power so that it keeps the temperature more constant. Result is you make better solder joints because you use the solder at its appropriate working temperature, rather than cold joints because the solder didn't melt properly or the flux didn't activate.

Theo

Adjustable temperature, won't run out of gas, no need for repeated purchases of gas, lighter weight, feels better in your hand (maybe?), better for hours long sessions, wider choice of tips (likely), safer. BUT - it is really subjective. You might find it awkward when you first use it because it feels different from what you are used to. Once used to how it feels my bet is that you'll be very happy with it and will eschew your gas iron, except for field use where there is no power available.

Ed

On a sunny day (Wed, 21 Feb 2024 13:40:14 -0000 (UTC)) it happened Phil Hobbs snipped-for-privacy@electrooptical.net wrote in <ur4uft$35sh6$ snipped-for-privacy@dont-email.me:

It is, I NEVER use a wet sponge or any water on the tips, just rub any stuff off with a piece of napkin.

That is why I can still use the same tips over and over again. But an other secret (do no tell anyone) I use atomic number 82 together with tin as solder.

BTW stop spamming and panteltje.com has not existed for some time now One more an you are in the company of others in my filter never to be seen again.

Silicon lead, temperature control and transformer - not direct to mains. Avoid some dodgy Chinese power control IC that generates voltage spikes that muck up measurements, or damage sensitive chips by conduction.

Lead free solder needs a higher temperature, and also modern PCBs with fashionably large ground planes will suck heat from a small iron. So don't go too small.

Kids these day. They were misguided by the internet.

Or avoid lead free solder like the plague

yeah, catering the dim is an on going task