Soldering Iron?

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Geeba
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Soldering Iron?

Post by Geeba »

Can anyone recommend a half decent soldering iron?

I dont really need a hugely expensive Weller outfit, but something that will do work on xbox and smaller stuff such as busted memory sticks would be handy...

Pointers appreciated ;)
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asbo
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Re: Soldering Iron?

Post by asbo »

They don't make the exact one I have any more but any of these will be decent. :)
Geeba
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Re: Soldering Iron?

Post by Geeba »

Cheers Asbo! ;)

This one looks ok...

http://www.circuitspecialists.eu/solder ... -75w-iron/

Not sure I need a digital one? do I? :?
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asbo
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Re: Soldering Iron?

Post by asbo »

Geeba wrote:Not sure I need a digital one? do I? :?
Probably not, I've always got along just fine without a display. I don't really pay much attention to the temperature anyway, just heat it up until it seems hot enough, no exact science :D
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xman
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Re: Soldering Iron?

Post by xman »

My best advice is to grab an iron of bigger wattage than you need. You can always turn it down , but the bigger the wattage, the quicker the heat recovery. Nothing worse than an iron that looses it's heat as soon as you touch your work and takes too long to heat back up. Also, being a past owner of many old irons that I can't use simply because available tips are no longer a spare part, and that includes a couple of Wellers, when you buy the iron you choose make sure you grad a couple of spare tips and heating elements when you buy the solder iron. If heating elements are over 1/3 the price of the iron, don't get that iron. Make sure these parts are spares and you don't need to buy the whole iron and cable as one to get these spares. I wouldn't go for a display unit myself. They are the 1st part to fail and are traditionally the most expensive part to buy if they are actually a spare part.
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MrMajst3r
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Re: Soldering Iron?

Post by MrMajst3r »

Geeba wrote:Cheers Asbo! ;)

This one looks ok...

http://www.circuitspecialists.eu/solder ... -75w-iron/

Not sure I need a digital one? do I? :?
This one will be fine and sufficient for home use. You don't need digital model.
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Geeba
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Re: Soldering Iron?

Post by Geeba »

Cheers for all the help guys! as always very much appreciated ;)

I think I will go for that one, tips are reasonably priced and you can buy a complete replacement iron for £11

I dont do much soldering really, xbox bits now and then, bit of repair work etc so should be fine
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asbo
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Re: Soldering Iron?

Post by asbo »

xman wrote:make sure you grab a couple of spare tips and heating elements when you buy the solder iron.
When I bought mine in 2011 it came with a spare tip and heating element, which I've not had to use yet, so there's a fair chance this one will come with spares too. It would be nice if the website told you though.
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professor_jonny
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Re: Soldering Iron?

Post by professor_jonny »

I brought a hakko 926 soldering station 21 years ago I have never replaced a tip or element it was one of the best purchases I made.

I went to boarding school and one term I accidentally left the soldering iron on a whole school term I came back for the holidays and it was still going, just dipped the tip in the tip refresher and away it went I could not believe it was still working, the exposed copper part around the element was a bit jammed on the as the copper had oxidised and swollen up other than that it was still all good.

I recently retired it as one of the kids broke the plastic handle and nut and got a cheap one to see me over until I get a decent rework station.
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Re: Soldering Iron?

Post by Geeba »

Solder station turned up this morning :D

Really nice bit of kit! hopefully it will easily do the small amount of soldering I do with ease. ;)

Yeah a Hakko would be nice... but pretty expensive. :o
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