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Recommend me a soldering iron

hunterknox

By hunterknox
in DIY Astronomer

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pete_l

pete_l

Posted
Posted

Maplin have their solder station up for grabs at £20.

Although it's got a twiddly on the base to adjust the tip temperature, it's not temperature controlled - just basically a light-dimmer circuit that lets you turn the heat up or down.

They're not great and last a few years (I'm on my third: on one the electronics died, the second one burned out it's heating elephant) so I wouldn't pay more than this price for one.

Whatever you do decide to get, make sure you buy a stand for the iron. There's nothing worse that just putting it down on your workbench and finding it's burned a hole in something, or scorched the surface.

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Pat Dunne

Pat Dunne

Posted
Posted

I have been using the same Portasol soldering iron for over 25 years andI wouldn't swap it for anything. No trailing wire, interchangable soldering tips.

Just brilliant :)

Soldering Irons, Plastic Welding tools, Desoldering tools, Gas Torches. Portasol - Professional Technician and Service Repair Tool Specilists. Heat Shrinking tools, plumbind tools , soldering irons, Ireland

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jonathan

jonathan

Posted
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Weller for me too, used one when I worked in electronics and wouldn't have anything else now. Have used some others but none compare to it.

I saw an engineer using a small gas iron recently though which impressed me, it was barely larger than a pen and was just the job for basic wire soldering.

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Tinker1947

Tinker1947

Posted
Posted

I have a Weller, must be 20 years old, and 3 gas irons, copper ends heat them up on a gas ring, there's also a large electric Iron i used for coax cable in the amateur radio days, think that's a Weller it to cold to go out to the workshop to look...:)

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Reggie

Reggie

Posted
Posted

I've got an iroda gas iron downstairs, I never got on with it, it would constantly get a dirty black coating on it, no matter what I tried to keep it clean. I see a lot of you guys using gas, got any decent tips or an idea why mine goes gunky? I wouldn't mind if I was dipping it in rubber or something :)

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Gina

Gina

Posted
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Weller are certainly excellent and Antex are good too. I think the two electric irons I have currently are Antex. Nothing flash, no electronic temperature control etc. A stand (with a proper bit cleaning pad) is essential - stops you picking it up by the wrong end!! :) I also have an Iroda gas iron but never used it. Really must try it sometime :D Seemed a good idea when I bought it :D

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mindburner

mindburner

Posted
Posted

the weller soldering iron is a great iron, my antex went through tips like nobodies business. To be fair on antex irons the antex I had was a cheap one and the weller was much dearer. So it's apples and oranges really. Depends on the amount of soldering you are doing I suppose

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