soldering irons

[Zapped]

My radio shack iron burned out and I couldn't get the part. I decided to do a search and thanks to all of you I ordered the $39 Xytronics station and the 63/37 solder. I'm psyched to have a hassle free soldering experience now.

[Paul Perry (Frostwave)]

Here's a soldering station 'heads up' for Australia, Dick Smith has a $99 Aust (that is $75 or so US$) solderign station advertised in the November Silicon Chip mag.
Now I have bagged Dick Smith in the past (and will again doubtless) but, it is possible that this is a useful cheap regulated soldering station. Just make sure you get a bunch of spare tips. And don't ask the staff whichend to hold :wink:

[niftydog]

in fact, in some Dick Smith stores they have a glut of the T1976 soldering station, reduced from $80 or so to $50. Only trouble is that tips are only stocked as spare parts, meaning you need to order them in as they are not kept on the shelves.

With the money I saved I could buy 5 spare tips!

[Satch12879]

I bought the WES51 from Weller just because I know I can always get parts for it even in ten years... And I was lucky because something went wrong with it one day after it did not turn on (micro chip died?) so Weller just sent me a new panel.

+1 on the WES51.  I bought mine from Mouser I believe and put it aside when I went away to grad school last year - never even turned it on.  I came home this past summer and fired it up to find it didn't work.  Called Weller up and they gave me a return/repair number, had it back and working a week later with no problems at all.

Have a restock order coming, and the 63/37 is on it...

[Brian Marshall]

who keeps waking up this old thread?