Recommend me a soldering iron

chillidoggy

I've had a 40W Silverline soldering station for many years, but it finally cacked over yesterday. I liked the iron-holder on it, but beyond that I felt I needed something a little more powerful, as I always had it on the highest setting.

I see MachineMart has 100W one, but anyone else got a view on the subject?

Roland

What type of things will you be soldering? For guitars it’s useful to have two soldering irons. Something between 18w and 25w for joining wires and connecting them to switch and pot terminals, and a large cheap one around 60w for soldering earth wires to the back of pots. If you’re soldering wires to circuit boards then then you might need a third, not because 18w is too powerful, but because you need a finer tip.

Danny1969

Generally the wattage isn't what defines how hot it gets but the design of the iron and how you use it. A proper temperature controlled iron will keep the tip the same temperature when you touch it to the cool metal .. this is what makes soldering with a decent iron so easy. 

I have used a Weller soldering station for 25 years of soldering every day. I have no idea what the modern ones are like because this one has never broke. I use it for everything from tiny SM components on laptops to large shielding cans and soldered on heatsinks. 

You can sometimes get a bargain on Ebay, I brought this model for £48 a while ago just so I could have 2 irons on my bench with different tips to avoid having to change tips 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Weller-Soldering-Iron-Station-PS-2D-With-Temperature-Controlled-Soldering-Penci/174597768627?hash=item28a6d685b3:g:NSIAAOSwMdVgAcOP&autorefresh=true  ;

Haych

I bought this one about a year ago - yup, it's cheap and Chinese which normally doesn't bode well but I have to say it's been excellent so far.

It's variable temperature so you can whop it up for some heavy lifting jobs and then lower the temps for more delicate work.

axisus

I bought one of these over a year ago, £12.99 free delivery. It's been the most useful soldering iron I have ever owned. The variable temp, although just a cheap little thing has worked superbly. Lower temp good for most stuff but you can whack it up for back of pots etc. 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/60W-Soldering-Iron-Kit-Electronics-Welding-Irons-Solder-Tools-Adjustable-Temp-UK/113609277156?hash=item1a73a3fee4:g:lOEAAOSwkqtcU7Xu

chillidoggy

I've just bought a cheap-shit iron to tide me over for now so I have a bit more time to procrastinate. 

prowla

I keep looking at a Hakko, but they aren't cheap.

exocet

By a Weller Workstation with TCP Iron.

I bought one 2nd hand off eBay 10 years ago, still going strong. Every part of Iron is replaceable, I've only had to renew the "bit" once but have multiple bits to suit different jobs.

chillidoggy

Just had a go with the 100W cheapo iron. It’s too hot! Localised melting of wire insulation, so that’s out. Back to the search, and thanks to everyone who’s posted so far.

boogieman

100 watts is way too powerful for most jobs. I’ve got one that’s I use for soldering lead for stained glass work but that’s all. 25 watts is probably fine for most general work and wiring. 

If you can stretch to a Weller workstation with temp control go for it, I’ve had one for about 30 years that I ahem, acquired from work. It’s been bombproof apart from the cover on the lcd that shows the temp cracking. 

chillidoggy

I'm just having a look now. The Weller stuff is more expensive, and probably more than I want to pay. I have a Weller Pyropen that's about 20 years old which was a lot of money, and that has been OK, except it's a bit finicky on occasion.

The Silverline station one I had was about 42W which was perfect until it broke.

Bollocks, I'm gonna buy another one. £52 off eBay, it'll save all the fannying around.

Fuck me, that was an impressive start to finish decision process, eh? None of the usual procrastination, I might even make a decision on a toaster at some point.

boogieman

Just don’t ask about Honda Civics eh? 

Emp_Fab

Oooooh!  I've got a story about Honda Civics!  Are we all sitting comf....   Wait....  Don't go!

LastMantra

chillidoggy said:

Just had a go with the 100W cheapo iron. It’s too hot! Localised melting of wire insulation, so that’s out. Back to the search, and thanks to everyone who’s posted so far.

Just need to be quicker 

chillidoggy

LastMantra said:

chillidoggy said:

Just had a go with the 100W cheapo iron. It’s too hot! Localised melting of wire insulation, so that’s out. Back to the search, and thanks to everyone who’s posted so far.

Just need to be quicker 

I'm simply not good enough for that. I'm using 0.5mm wire, so there's a nanosecond between it being fine, and it melting!

Haych

I have a cheapo Draper soldering iron, not sure what the wattage is but it slowly melts the tip and I have to periodically regrind it.

That just gets used to remove frets these days.

ESBlonde

I've a small cheap solder station, it's ok but the cheap cables don't flex very well in a cold workshop and tend to tip over the base unit as you move your working hand. I tend to use a cheap 25w basic iron as often as not because it's in the tool case with all the electrical bits. I also have a cheap soldering 'gun' for those jobs that require lots of heat or one touch jobs. Ive also got a gas iron somewhere but it's a faff and I've not used it in 10 years.
The big standard 25w iron does most fixes these days and I've not done serious soldering for a long time.