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Can anyone recommend a good soldering iron?

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Alex M

Fri Jan 27 2012, 03:53AM

Registered Member #3943 Joined: Sun Jun 12 2011, 05:24PM
Location: The Shire, UK
Posts: 552

My current soldering iron has lasted well but the tips are getting worn and I cannot find any replacements on-line.

Can anyone recommend a good soldering iron for general electronics soldering? My current one is only 25w and was cheap but it seems fine for my needs and it is just a regular plug in one with no temperature control. I would not mind going for a temperature controlled one as long as it is of decent build quality.

I have been told Weller are a good brand to go for but I am not sure. I am in the UK and I am looking to spend around Â£60-Â£70 max on one.

So if anyone has any recommendation's or one that they have got and it has lasted then please let me know here.

Thanks.

Turkey9

Fri Jan 27 2012, 04:01AM

Registered Member #1451 Joined: Wed Apr 23 2008, 03:48AM
Location: Boulder, Co
Posts: 661

Weller is a good brand, one of the best. My university is almost entirely stocked by them. I bet you could get a good one for what you are looking for, a simple 40W ish one with analog temp control would be the cheapest.

IamSmooth

Fri Jan 27 2012, 12:52PM

Registered Member #190 Joined: Fri Feb 17 2006, 12:00AM
Location:
Posts: 1567

I've gotten a digital soldering station from here

It has served me well.

Zum Beispiel

Fri Jan 27 2012, 02:31PM

Registered Member #514 Joined: Sun Feb 11 2007, 12:27AM
Location: Somewhere in Pirkanmaa, Finland
Posts: 295

I have a 25W Weller, the second one I've had in my ~15 years of electronics. A simple thing, not that expensive, not temperature controlled, gets the job done. I've got a few cheapies too for nastier work or when I need more power, but that's rarely the case.

Some tend to hate on Wellers, but I don't see why.

Harry

Fri Jan 27 2012, 05:07PM

Registered Member #4081 Joined: Wed Aug 31 2011, 06:40PM
Location: UK
Posts: 139

I bought this:

Was on sale for Â£10, but I wouldn't recommend it, the solder sucker needs dismantling after use to retrieve the solder and the handle of the iron gets a little warm so the yellow protective jacket falls off.
If you want a Weller, Barnitts sell them, not sure where else in the UK to get them.

Tetris

Fri Jan 27 2012, 05:17PM

Registered Member #4016 Joined: Thu Jul 21 2011, 01:52AM
Location: Gainesville, FL
Posts: 660

I just use a Radioshack one and it works just fine.

However the metal of it turns blackish real fast. IDK if that my room is so dirty with particulates in the air/ too much of my hair burnt on it or if it is really just the iron that is bad.

Turkey9

Fri Jan 27 2012, 05:38PM

Registered Member #1451 Joined: Wed Apr 23 2008, 03:48AM
Location: Boulder, Co
Posts: 661

If your going to do normal HV soldering, you probably don't need a good iron. If your going to do much surface mount or delicate IC soldering, you'll want a temperature controlled unit. Even for general soldering, I'd recommend a temp controlled one. You don't realize how nice they are until you use one for a while. For small wires, you won't be burning up the insulation while soldering but you have the power to solder large connections if need be. Aoyue irons are good and on the cheap side, I got mine for $80 on Ebay.

If you want a great one, Aotue sells irons that use RF to sense if the solder is melting and if it isn't, increase the temp. Always the right power and you don't have to ever worry about burning out a component.

Proud Mary

Fri Jan 27 2012, 07:11PM

Registered Member #543 Joined: Tue Feb 20 2007, 04:26PM
Location: UK
Posts: 4992

I use a range of irons from 12V 12W for the soldering of costly parts that don't like leakage, all the way up to a 180W smoking horror for working with big lugs and copper, brass, and lead sheet. Above and beyond that, I use a Rothenberger MAPP gas micro-torch for silver soldering and such.

I have had several temperature-controlled irons in the past, but to my mind its just more to go wrong. I use Ersin Multicore lead-tin solder, and use Russian pine tree resin when tinning my bits, or preparing a difficult surface.

All but one of my irons is made by Antex, for which there are always replacement bits. I use simple oblique cut bits for almost everything, though Antex have a good choice of bits for each model.

I don't think it's necessary to buy costly soldering irons to get on with your work, and for most purposes a generic soldering iron from the local hardware shop will do very well. No fancy iron with a digital readout can compensate for a badly tinned and eroded bit, or poor preparation of the surfaces to be joined.

Daedronus

Fri Jan 27 2012, 11:36PM

Registered Member #2329 Joined: Tue Sept 01 2009, 08:25AM
Location:
Posts: 370

What do you mean by wear out?
I don't know how much you use your solder iron but tips shouldn't wear out easily.
Maybe you need to clean them more often. I normally clean the tip on a wet sponge every couple of minutes while soldering and I apply a bit of solder on the clean tip before turning it of, so the tip itself is not exposed to air.

Fulmen

Sat Jan 28 2012, 12:31AM

Registered Member #3883 Joined: Fri May 13 2011, 06:30PM
Location: Norway
Posts: 87

I have one of these:

(different brand though). Excellent unit and not too pricey. Should be available from multiple sources, so shop around.

Trust me, once you've used a decent solder station you'll never use a regular iron again.

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