a bit OT: choosing a soldering iron?

[Michael]

first off - sorry for the OT post - but I tried posting in SEE and didn't
get any responses

Anyways - I need a new soldering iron station. I've been using a ratshack
15/30W pencil iron for the last couple years - and though it's worked great
for how much I paid for it. But it's time to grow up and move on to a
better iron. I only do really low power stuff, along with some surface
mount stuff. So I don't need a really high power iron. My budget is about
$100. I've looked at some Hakkos - like the Hakko 936
(http://www.kiesub.com/hakko936.htm) - and they look pretty nice. But I
really don't know what to look for. Any suggestions? Thanks!

Michael

 

[Jim Thompson]

first off - sorry for the OT post - but I tried posting in SEE and didn't
get any responses

Anyways - I need a new soldering iron station. I've been using a ratshack
15/30W pencil iron for the last couple years - and though it's worked great
for how much I paid for it. But it's time to grow up and move on to a
better iron. I only do really low power stuff, along with some surface
mount stuff. So I don't need a really high power iron. My budget is about
$100. I've looked at some Hakkos - like the Hakko 936
(http://www.kiesub.com/hakko936.htm) - and they look pretty nice. But I
really don't know what to look for. Any suggestions? Thanks!

Michael

Good Question! My venerable Weller Model WTCPN is starting to
disintegrate... pretty good since it's around 25 years old, and all
I've ever done is change tips. But the plastic case is starting to
turn to powder... too much Arizona heat in my garage laboratory :-(

...Jim Thompson

 

[CFoley1064]

Good Question! My venerable Weller Model WTCPN is starting to

disintegrate... pretty good since it's around 25 years old, and all
I've ever done is change tips. But the plastic case is starting to
turn to powder... too much Arizona heat in my garage laboratory :-(

...Jim Thompson
--
| James E.Thompson, P.E. | mens |
| Analog Innovations, Inc. | et |
| Analog/Mixed-Signal ASIC's and Discrete Systems | manus |
| Phoenix, Arizona Voice480)460-2350 | |
| E-mail Address at Website Fax480)460-2142 | Brass Rat |
| http://www.analog-innovations.com | 1962 |

I believe the Model WTCPN isn't made by Weller anymore. If you can't find one
used (tips obviously still available), you might want to look at the
practically identical WTCPT, which is available from Jameco as their P/N 170552
for $129.95 USD (I think that's the best available price).

http://www.jameco.com

Good luck
Chris

 

[Jim Thompson]

I believe the Model WTCPN isn't made by Weller anymore. If you can't find one
used (tips obviously still available), you might want to look at the
practically identical WTCPT, which is available from Jameco as their P/N 170552
for $129.95 USD (I think that's the best available price).

http://www.jameco.com

Good luck
Chris

Chris, Thanks for the pointer!

...Jim Thompson

 

[Steve Dunbar]

Michael wrote:

I've looked at some Hakkos - like the Hakko 936
(http://www.kiesub.com/hakko936.htm) - and they look pretty nice.

The Hakko 936 solder station should be a good choice. We used these (and the
older Hakko model 926) at my old job. They stood up pretty well to heavy
production use. There are quite a few different tips available. The one I
used most often was a short chisel tip about 1/16" wide. A wider chisel tip
came in handy for heavier jobs like soldering copper foil to the shell of a
D-sub connector. Buy several different tips and see which one works best
for you.

 

[Michael A. Terrell]

Good Question! My venerable Weller Model WTCPN is starting to
disintegrate... pretty good since it's around 25 years old, and all
I've ever done is change tips. But the plastic case is starting to
turn to powder... too much Arizona heat in my garage laboratory :-(

...Jim Thompson

I have a couple Weller WTCP stations with bad irons. If the case is
the same I can send you one. I can't afford to fix them right now, so
someone might as well get some use out of the parts. They came out of a
factory, so they aren't perfect, but they are still useable. I can take
a picture for you to compare it with, if you would like.

--
We now return you to our normally scheduled programming.

Take a look at this little cutie! ;-)
http://home.earthlink.net/~mike.terrell/photos.html

Michael A. Terrell
Central Florida

 

[Michael]

Michael wrote:




The Hakko 936 solder station should be a good choice. We used these
(and the older Hakko model 926) at my old job. They stood up pretty
well to heavy production use. There are quite a few different tips
available. The one I used most often was a short chisel tip about
1/16" wide. A wider chisel tip came in handy for heavier jobs like
soldering copper foil to the shell of a D-sub connector. Buy several
different tips and see which one works best for you.

Is it necessary to get the "ESD safe" iron? Heck - I don't even know what
they mean by "ESD safe"! (electrostatic discharge I'm guessing?)

Michael

 

[Michael A. Terrell]

Is it necessary to get the "ESD safe" iron? Heck - I don't even know what
they mean by "ESD safe"! (electrostatic discharge I'm guessing?)

Michael

I wouldn't buy anything else these days. If you aren't working with
static sensitive parts yet, they will show up on your bench sooner or
later, and you'll be ready for them.

--
We now return you to our normally scheduled programming.

Take a look at this little cutie! ;-)
http://home.earthlink.net/~mike.terrell/photos.html

Michael A. Terrell
Central Florida

 

[Leon Heller]

first off - sorry for the OT post - but I tried posting in SEE and didn't
get any responses

Anyways - I need a new soldering iron station. I've been using a ratshack
15/30W pencil iron for the last couple years - and though it's worked great
for how much I paid for it. But it's time to grow up and move on to a
better iron. I only do really low power stuff, along with some surface
mount stuff. So I don't need a really high power iron. My budget is about
$100. I've looked at some Hakkos - like the Hakko 936
(http://www.kiesub.com/hakko936.htm) - and they look pretty nice. But I
really don't know what to look for. Any suggestions? Thanks!

Metcal makes the best soldering equipment. It's rather expensive new but
used equipment often turns up on Ebay for rwasonable prices. I bought a
second-hand STSS power supply, new handpiece and a selection of new tips
recently for 180 GBP, less than an ordinary Weller unit.

Leon

 

[Mac]

first off - sorry for the OT post - but I tried posting in SEE and didn't
get any responses

Anyways - I need a new soldering iron station. I've been using a ratshack
15/30W pencil iron for the last couple years - and though it's worked great
for how much I paid for it. But it's time to grow up and move on to a
better iron. I only do really low power stuff, along with some surface
mount stuff. So I don't need a really high power iron. My budget is about
$100. I've looked at some Hakkos - like the Hakko 936
(http://www.kiesub.com/hakko936.htm) - and they look pretty nice. But I
really don't know what to look for. Any suggestions? Thanks!

Michael

I have a hakko 926. I am reasonably happy with it. At work we have some
kind of Wellers, and they are OK, too. We also have some kind of a more
heavy-duty system, I forget the make, but I'm sure it is much too
expensive for a normal person to buy.

I also have some of that gold colored tip cleaner spongy material (there's
a picture of it on the page you mentioned. It's hardly a must-have, but it
does work OK, and it saves you from having to get water.

The only features I can think of are a variety of available tips, grounded
tip (for ESD), and thermostatically controlled temperature. But almost any
decent setup will have all of those things.

Mac

 

[Spehro Pefhany]

Chris, Thanks for the pointer!

...Jim Thompson

Jim, these guys in WA say $112.50, but they don't disclose their S&H,
might be a surprise there...

http://www.solderingsupply.com/i


Best regards,
Spehro Pefhany

 

[Paul Burridge]

first off - sorry for the OT post - but I tried posting in SEE and didn't
get any responses

Anyways - I need a new soldering iron station. I've been using a ratshack
15/30W pencil iron for the last couple years - and though it's worked great
for how much I paid for it. But it's time to grow up and move on to a
better iron. I only do really low power stuff, along with some surface
mount stuff. So I don't need a really high power iron. My budget is about
$100. I've looked at some Hakkos - like the Hakko 936
(http://www.kiesub.com/hakko936.htm) - and they look pretty nice. But I
really don't know what to look for. Any suggestions? Thanks!

I still think Antex are hard to beat. My 20 yr.old much-abused and
non-temperature controlled 25W Antex iron still looks great shape.
Made in England, see. :->

 

[Jim Thompson]

I have a couple Weller WTCP stations with bad irons. If the case is
the same I can send you one. I can't afford to fix them right now, so
someone might as well get some use out of the parts. They came out of a
factory, so they aren't perfect, but they are still useable. I can take
a picture for you to compare it with, if you would like.

Thanks, Michael. But everything is going south, cable and
connector... only the iron itself is in reasonable condition. I'll
just buy a new one. It's like me, if I'd known it would last so long
I would have taken better care of it ;-)

...Jim Thompson

 

[Product developer]

first off - sorry for the OT post - but I tried posting in SEE and didn't
get any responses

Anyways - I need a new soldering iron station. I've been using a ratshack
15/30W pencil iron for the last couple years - and though it's worked great
for how much I paid for it. But it's time to grow up and move on to a
better iron. I only do really low power stuff, along with some surface
mount stuff. So I don't need a really high power iron. My budget is about
$100. I've looked at some Hakkos - like the Hakko 936
(http://www.kiesub.com/hakko936.htm) - and they look pretty nice. But I
really don't know what to look for. Any suggestions? Thanks!

Michael

Michael if do a lot of circuit board work you might want to consider
the Antex Iron. It is very light weight and high quality. Great for
doing both through hole and surface mount work. Not intended for large
wiring jobs however. I like to have two irons always going. A weller
WT35 for the heavier duty stuff and the antex for the component level
stuff.

The Weller is like a Harley, big and reliable where the Antex is like
a Finely tuned BMW cafe bike, nimble and quick!

Available from M.M. Newman (800)777.7100

 

[Jan Panteltje]

first off - sorry for the OT post - but I tried posting in SEE and didn't
get any responses

Anyways - I need a new soldering iron station. I've been using a ratshack
15/30W pencil iron for the last couple years - and though it's worked great
for how much I paid for it. But it's time to grow up and move on to a
better iron. I only do really low power stuff, along with some surface
mount stuff. So I don't need a really high power iron. My budget is about
$100. I've looked at some Hakkos - like the Hakko 936
(http://www.kiesub.com/hakko936.htm) - and they look pretty nice. But I
really don't know what to look for. Any suggestions? Thanks!

Michael

mmmm
I had to throw away my Weller after 20 years, finally it fell apart (all of it basically).
Still looked up the price of a new soldering element, yuk.
So I went to look what the competition had to offer.
I bought a Voltcraft LS 50 (German made) from www.conrad.nl
69 Euro (~70 dollars).
It has microprocessor control, auto shut off, 3 preset temps, good long thin SMD tips,
a HUGE LCD display for the temp, a standby temperature (all programmable).
Only thing that sucked was the separate soldering stand (I reworked that), and
the sponge had no hole in it, like the Weller, so I use a Weller sponge on it.
I think Weller is way to expensive for what it does now (compared to this thing).
This thing is in construction (the actual iron) a lot like the Weller, but better
done IMO.
I am monitoring how it holds out, so far (now a few month) everthing works OK...
Also it looks nice...
Pleasure to use.

 

[Ken Smith]

Metcal makes the best soldering equipment. It's rather expensive new but

I'll second that. The Metcal with the tip end that looks like a coax,
seems to be better than the one that looks like a bi-ax. I think the two
pins allow torque to the applyed to the connection.

With the short cone tip on the Metcal, you can solder a 0402 resistor and
then solder two pennies together without swapping tips. This, I'm sure,
is a job we all have to do every day.

 

[Spehro Pefhany]

On Fri, 09 Jan 2004 16:32:13 GMT, the renowned Jan Panteltje

I bought a Voltcraft LS 50 (German made) from www.conrad.nl
69 Euro (~70 dollars).

<snip>

...loser to US$90 these days..

Best regards,
Spehro Pefhany

 

[Roger Gt]

I have several Irons, from a $35 Weller WLC 100 to a $650 Pace Surface mount
work station.
But I found a couple of others that work well for most light duty work and
these are "Circuit Specialist" SCI-STATION 1 & 2 The 'one' is $35, the
'two' is $50 and has a digital display. Both may be used with a SMD hot
tweezer (CSITWZ-STATION) for $30
I have three of these on rework stations and everyone likes them. The tips
are $5.00 so service is not expensive.

WWW.circuitspecialists.com

Roger Gt

 

[Costas Vlachos]

I still think Antex are hard to beat. My 20 yr.old much-abused and
non-temperature controlled 25W Antex iron still looks great shape.
Made in England, see. :->

I still have my old Antex 18W (bought in 1983 IIRC) and still going strong,
although it's not my main iron anymore.

Interestingly, "Antex" sounds very similar to the Greek word "Antoxi" which
means "endurance"...

Costas

 

[Jan Panteltje]

I still have my old Antex 18W (bought in 1983 IIRC) and still going strong,
although it's not my main iron anymore.

Interestingly, "Antex" sounds very similar to the Greek word "Antoxi" which
means "endurance"...

Also close to Antrax...