1 Topic by dubbsd

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Topic: recomend a soldering station

I am looking to buy a soldering station to do repairs & upgrades.
I can not justify to my wife paying for a high end weller.
so what do you recomend.

Ultimaker S3.

2 Reply by elmoret (edited by elmoret 2013-03-08 22:53:52)

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Re: recomend a soldering station

$40 too much?

http://www.amazon.com/Weller-WLC100-40- … rds=weller

http://www.amazon.com/Weller-WP35-35-Wa … p_asin_lnk

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3 Reply by jerseydevil

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Re: recomend a soldering station

circuitspecialists.com

I have quite a few units from these guys and Wellers (after you do that a few times you wise up).

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4 Reply by cmetzel

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Re: recomend a soldering station

For some reason I can't explain this stuck with me, and is triggered by the words soldering iron.  I don't even know why because it's not funny. 

If I lived back in the Wild West days, instead of carrying a six-gun in my holster, I'd carry a soldering iron. That way, if some smart-aleck cowboy said something like, "Hey look. He's carrying a soldering iron!" and started laughing, and everybody else started laughing, I could just say, "That's right, it's a soldering iron. The soldering iron of justice." Then everybody would get real quiet and ashamed, because they made fun of the soldering iron of justice, and I could probably hit them up for a free drink.  - Deep Thoughts by Jack Handey

Please continue... sorry for the intrusion.

5 Reply by ronsii

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Re: recomend a soldering station

Are you going to be doing repairs and such on regular old big stuff... or is smt and other micro stuff in the repertoire?

If you will also be doing small things look at one of these ---> http://www.ebay.com/itm/DIY-2in1-SMD-So … 417039f473  or similar you can find hot air stations cheaper but this works great for just about anything I need.

6 Reply by solijohn

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Re: recomend a soldering station

ronsii wrote:

Are you going to be doing repairs and such on regular old big stuff... or is smt and other micro stuff in the repertoire?

If you will also be doing small things look at one of these ---> http://www.ebay.com/itm/DIY-2in1-SMD-So … 417039f473  or similar you can find hot air stations cheaper but this works great for just about anything I need.

http://www.amazon.com/Hakko-FX888-FX-88 … ng+station

a classic.

Former Solidoodle employee, no longer associated with the company.

7 Reply by Leghk (edited by Leghk 2013-03-10 17:59:42)

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Re: recomend a soldering station

solidoodlesupport wrote:

...

amazon.com Hakko-FX888-FX-888-Soldering-Station

a classic.

Seconded! It's the best I've had as an infrequently soldering hobbyist.

(Edit: A substantial value on this one is having the temperatures labelled on the control, not just a knob 1 - 10 like cheaper ones I've had in the past.)

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8 Reply by timp610

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Re: recomend a soldering station

this is the one I use http://www.amazon.com/Weller-WES51-Anal … ion+weller

9 Reply by ccox

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Re: recomend a soldering station

I'll second the recommendation for the WES51 -- not too expensive, but good control, lots of available tiips.

10 Reply by nickythegreek

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Re: recomend a soldering station

my buddy just bought this one here, has temp on dial and not just 1-10 as well. $40

https://www.sparkfun.com/products/10707

11 Reply by ed.ufford

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Re: recomend a soldering station

Stahl Tools SSVT Variable Temperature Soldering Station  for $14.xx    Got ours at Parts Express. 

These are very good and dependable soldering stations.   We bought 20 of them for my high school lab/shop to solder all the electronics for our guitar builds.  Everyone of them is working great and holding up to the student's uses and abuse.

Biggest thing is don't but don't buy cheap solder.  Stay away from Harbor Freight and other Chinese Solder.  It will give you headaches left and right.   
Spend money on a good 63/37 blend from the USA.  I would also recommend a good solder iron tip cleaner such as the Hakko 599B-02 - 599B Soldering Iron Tip Cleaner.  Since we got it we never use the a damp sponge to thermal shock the tip for cleaning.   This thing that looks like a brass or copper scrubber pad but works great.   I was hesitant at first to buy it, but took a small leap of faith and got one.  Now whenever I solder I have it with me.

12 Reply by GoolGaul

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Re: recomend a soldering station

Aoyue 937+

Excellent soldering iron.  Haven't had any issues in over a year of daily use... Even the tip is still in great shape.

13 Reply by digiprint

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Re: recomend a soldering station

I would recommend Ersa. Really good stuff but a bit pricy.