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Best sources for quality Soldering irons, DMM and Oscilloscopes?

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LAN_403

101111

Mon May 03 2010, 02:13AM

Registered Member #575 Joined: Sun Mar 11 2007, 04:00AM
Location: Norway
Posts: 263

I am thinking about buying a new quality soldering iron along with a new DMM and a good quality O'scope.

I am not aiming for the best money can buy, more quality and price efficient equipment.
But I do think that a stationary DMM would suit my need perfectly as I would throw in a few extra bux to get good resolution and accuracy, any inputs or advices?

About O'scopes I've read a little about those digital Rigol scopes that can be hacked into a 100Mhz model.
Anyone tried this, or have some experience about Rigol scopes in general? Maybe I also would like to throw in a little extra since this would be a long time investment.

When it comes to a soldering iron, I guess the most important thing would be that new tips are easy assessable and a good enough variable temperature range.

I would also consider used equipment so if you know a good source of this type of used equipment I would absolute be interested. Or maybe one of you have something that goes under my criteria?

I am aware of that I should have good o'scope probes for the must accurate measurement, any idea how good?
For instance: RF waves at 90Mhz would 100Mhz probes leave any disorientation that could give inaccurate measure?

Best regards :)

Finn Hammer

Mon May 03 2010, 10:55AM

Registered Member #205 Joined: Sat Feb 18 2006, 11:59AM
Location: SkÃ¸rping, Denmark
Posts: 741

I got a Metcal SP200 soldering station off UK EBay some time ago, and it is the best solder station I've ever had.

IntraWinding

Mon May 03 2010, 11:28AM

Registered Member #2261 Joined: Mon Aug 03 2009, 01:19AM
Location: London, UK
Posts: 581

I just bought a second hand Rigol 200MHz DS1202CA off eBay.
It hasn't arrived yet but I'm already wondering if that hack you refer to can take this to 300Mhz? It seems likely, but has anyone tried it yet?
Here a manic video on the 50MHz to 100MHz conversion

I need a new soldering iron so the Metcal SP200 sounds interesting. I got a super cheap temperature controlled one off eBay and it's been ok apart from poor thermal conductivity between the heater and bit, but the other day I soldered a Neon bulb and the capacitive leakage was enough to light it!

I can't believe I haven't blown loads of stuff with it already!

In answer to the original post, eBay, but take advice on which products to look for.

Proud Mary

Mon May 03 2010, 01:20PM

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

Antex and Weller are both good makes of soldering irons and stations, but are not cheap.

Nicko

Mon May 03 2010, 02:02PM

Registered Member #1334 Joined: Tue Feb 19 2008, 04:37PM
Location: Nr. London, UK
Posts: 615

I know that I'm a mere amateur these days, but I swear (and always have done) by Metcal as well. I have an MX500P which many regard as the absolute business for fine work - bits are available on eBay and elsewhere. Great for SMT or through-hole.

They are not cheap, but you definitely get what you pay for...

Edit: While I'm about it - all mine are 115VAC and I drive them off a site transformer. I'd like to convert them to 230VAC for easier UK use - Anyone done this or know how its done/has a schematic for them - they are RF devices, so may be non-trivial to mess with...

Sulaiman

Mon May 03 2010, 03:09PM

Registered Member #162 Joined: Mon Feb 13 2006, 10:25AM
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 3140

For soldering I started with various crappy irons about 40 years ago, then a couple of Antex irons which were a great improvement (X25 and an insulated 15W model) I thought they were great until I used Weller. I've used Weller for the last 35 years both professioanally and for hobby.
My home iron died after many many replacement parts were required and it was suffering from general fatigue/abuse.
A local retailer Maplin had a temperature controlled station on offer so I bought it
... the temperature control turned out to be an open-lopp phase-controller
(i.e. a lamp dimmer) that put out so much rfi I couldn't believe it!
I have no experience of Metcal - they may be better.

If budget allows go for at least 50 Watts with temperature control
a slim handle is much more comfortable than a thick one ('soldering-pencil' style)
Your soldering iron should last a very long time and can ease or add to frustrations,
choose a brand that offers a full range of tips and spares - you will need them.
_____________________________________

Oscil loscopes are a major investment - always a tough choice for me.
I was lucky to get a 'scope from Conundrum (Thanks again)
For hobby use I have had a few 'scopes - all used, eBay is your best bet.
If buying new, your question is like 'what automobile should I buy?'
_____________________________________

For hobby use I have two DMM, one GBP 2.99 and one GBP 9.99 with a serial data-logging port
I have checked them against Fluke etc. and they are about 1% which is more than good enough for me. Unless you have a really good reason I'd always go for the 'disposable' dmm.
It's not too difficult to damage even the most expensive dmm

_____________________________________

Proud Mary

Mon May 03 2010, 03:47PM

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

I had a temperature-controlled soldering station until last year, but the LCD display fizzled when restless energy got coupled into it, and I put it in the dustbin.

To replace the shamed and outcast soldering station from who knows where, I bought a variety assortment of Antex and Weller irons covering the range 12W to 180W, so I would always have the right iron for every mood and season. When more than more than 180W is needed, I bring out my MAPP gas Rothenberger Micro-Fire.

As for DMMs, I have a Thandar bench multimeter, which was expensive, and a brand-x Fluke-clone DMM hand size meter that cost Â£10, and is very accurate indeed for the price. It has a nice large LCD display, and even has a resistance range going up to 200M. I tested the high ohms range, and found an error of 5M against a 200M 0.01% calibration resistor, an error unlikely to count for much in the real world. I also have a British Telecom analogue multimeter which sometimes comes in handy, and will buy an analogue Avo Model 8 Mk. 5 (the only Avo to have a 3kV range) when I see a nice one.

I also have a Fluke 887AB AC-DC Differential Voltmeter, which is excellent for measuring unloaded voltages from very high impedance sources, such as a GM PSU, though I'm sure most folk could live happily without one.

Mads Barnkob

Mon May 03 2010, 04:03PM

Registered Member #1403 Joined: Tue Mar 18 2008, 06:05PM
Location: Denmark, Odense C
Posts: 1968

I bought a used Weller soldering station with a simple knob for temperature control and a blinking led, works like a charm, every day, for 2 years and counting.

I bought a new Rigol DS1052E, the 50 Mhz scope and I am satisfied with its quality and abilities to the price.

101111

Mon May 03 2010, 05:29PM

Registered Member #575 Joined: Sun Mar 11 2007, 04:00AM
Location: Norway
Posts: 263

Thanks for all advices so far :)

Mads Barnkob wrote ...

I bought a new Rigol DS1052E, the 50 Mhz scope and I am satisfied with its quality and abilities to the price.

Is this scope fast? And by fast I mean is it like a good ol' analogue scope?

mikeselectricstuff

Mon May 03 2010, 11:43PM

Registered Member #311 Joined: Sun Mar 12 2006, 08:28PM
Location:
Posts: 253

Another vote for Metcal here - MX500 or STSS-002 - only difference is the 500 has 2 outputs (just a switch, not simultaneous) . Much bigger range of tips then the 200 series including some very handy stuff like long blades. Some so long they need 2 PSUs...

I recently splashed out on the new MX5000 - more output power & a snazzy power display on the front. Small tips get up to working temp in about 7 seconds from cold!

I bought my first Metcal about 15 years ago - they had a very effective sales technique - they just lent them to people for a week. Only about 5% would let them go....

The biggest advantages are very short finger-to-tip distance, and you can swap tips from doing 0.5mm pitch SMT pins to soldering TO220 tabs onto groundplanes in about 20 secs.

Tips are quite expensive but last almost forever, especially if you avoid that lead-free nonsense which does tend to eat tips. The heater coil in the tips very occasionaly goes intemittent -
I don't know if it's still the case, but they used to offer a lifetime heater warranty - if the heater died before the tip plating they'd replace for free. Haven't tried it recently but I have had a few tips replaced in the past.
Usually plenty on ebay and usually cheap enough to post from whatever country they were living in.

The Metcal desoldering gun also totally rocks for desoldering through-hole pins on multilayer boards, but needs an air supply.

Nick - The 115V STSS-002 I have didn't have a tapped transformer so the only way to convert would be to change the transformer.
I have a MX-500 schematic if you want to email me. This does show a dual-primary transformer so may be worth opening yours up to take a look. Schematic shows it as a 19-0-19VAC - I would imagine you could probaby get away with 18+18 or 20+20 though.

One of these days I plan to built a smaller & lighter PSU (SMPSU+fan instead of big lump of metal) , possibly with battery option, for use on-site - I really miss the Metcal when away from the bench.

BTW you don't really need a variable temperature range as long as you have plenty of power.

As regards multimeters - Fluke 87. I recently got 287 as I fancied a new toy & CPC had them on offer, but not very impressed - some nice features like logging and simultaneous min/max display, but a bit too big, slow startup and slow autoranging. I've never really seen the point of bench DMMs as a decent handheld has just as good performance and doesn't take as much space.

wrote ...
I bought a new Rigol DS1052E, the 50 Mhz scope and I am satisfied with its quality and abilities to the price.

This can probably be hacked to 100MHz - net search should find how - they actually switch in a cap to choke the bandwith on the 50MHz version!

wrote ...
Is this scope fast? And by fast I mean is it like a good ol' analogue scope?

Cheap digital scopes do tend to be on the sluggish side due to underpowered processors, and you have to pay a lot to get analogue-like speed and intensity performance. The Agilent 5000/6000/7000 series is totally awesome if you can afford them.. Waaaaay better than any Tek I've ever used.

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