I'm back!/I need a new iron

[eleanor296]

heya guys!  Long time no see.
Been off to college for the last year, doing the whole computer engineering deal 

Meanwhile, I'm also working at a radio station as their equipment engineer, and have had the pleasure to work with their Weller soldering station which was, simply put, awesome!

But now I'm back home and need a new station.... but it seems like the Xytronic everyone likes so much has been discontinued!  Sucks for me I guess.

So my question is, any good deals out there I should know about?  It'd be great if we could keep it under $50 shipped including some tips, although that might be a pipe dream.

Also, how have things been going here on the site?


Andy

[ddr]

I use this one from Weber Speakers:

https://amptechtools.powweb.com/solder.htm

I buy diagonal cutters, solder, needle nose pliers, and wire strippers there also.

[eleanor296]

I use this one from Weber Speakers:

https://amptechtools.powweb.com/solder.htm

I buy diagonal cutters, solder, needle nose pliers, and wire strippers there also.

Thanks for the heads up!

Actually leaning toward this one right now:
http://www.circuitspecialists.com/prod.itml/icOid/7307

[trixdropd]

I have the aoyue 937+ and it is truly awesome!!! great value, and great on tips. 
http://store.sra-solder.com/product.php?xProd=6145&xSec=22

[eleanor296]

Been looking at that one too!  Seems I can get it a little cheaper on Amazon when shipping is factored in.

[trixdropd]

Been looking at that one too!  Seems I can get it a little cheaper on Amazon when shipping is factored in.

it's a great iron. My only qualm is the fact it reads centigrade rather than farenheit. I just go for 420c with my silver solder and it works fine. Goes up to 480c.

buy from amazon, but it still arrives from same seller.

[mmaatt25]

+1 aoyue 937+ mine came with a spare heating element and the tips are cheap!

Matt

[Taylor]

I have the 937+ as well and it's great. I bought 5 extra tips since I was used to eating through them with my old junky Radio Shack one, but haven't ever changed the tip in 6 months.

Although I always use it at around 300 degrees and it seems to work well at this temp... should I be cranking it more? I use regular 60/40 solder.

[mmaatt25]

I used mine at 350 Celsius for PCB's and everything except for jacks (Switchcraft), which I turn it right up to 450. Those jacks are just massive heatsinks, without getting them hot the solder just sits on them.

I'm still on the original tip like you Taylor after six months and it still seems fine.

Matt

[eleanor296]

Thanks again for the help guys,

I ordered it 

[zombiwoof]

Since his question was answered, I'd like to ask a related question.  I've always just used a pencil iron in the past, I think it's 25 watts or something, and a larger 100 watt iron for hard jobs (like soldering to a chassis or the like).  I very recently got a solder station, and it reads in temp, I'm wondering what temperatures equal certain wattages?.  In other words, for working on boards, what temp should I set it at, and for harder work how high should I go?  I'm talking generally here, I'm just used to a simple iron and don't know where to set the thing.  What settings do you guys use?

Thanks,
Al

[Taylor]

Well you can see some discussion of that above. I generally use mine around 300 degrees for soldering to PCBs and maybe 350 for soldering to jacks. mmaatt seems to be using higher temp.

It also depends on what the melting temp of your particular solder is.

[trixdropd]

I do 420 like I said for pcb and jacks, but I'm also using silver core solder which melts at a higher temp. i don't use 60/40 so i can't comment on that. I've build a couple hundred pedals and never hurt any opamps or stomp switches with this heat though.

[mmaatt25]

I'm using maplins lead free solder and only because it came with my first solder station.

I found this:
"For lead free solders, the EMPF found that the solder tip temperature needed to be set between 343°C / 650°F and 371°C / 700°F as opposed to 315°C / 599°F for tin lead solders. Temperatures higher than 398°C / 750°F were considered unnecessary for most hand soldering applications."

Which exlpains the differences in tempretures between Taylor and myself.

I found with the lead free solder although it would melt on the tip of my iron at 342C I'd have to hold it on the PCB for quite a while before solder flowed onto the pad & component. With a higher tip tempreture it requires less time on the board, so less heat going through the components!! Thats my theory anyway!!

Matt

[zombiwoof]

Thanks for the temperature suggestions to all that replied.  I will be using mostly 60/40 solder with good ol' lead in it, I know you have to have higher temps for the lead free.  I avoid lead free as much as I can, but I know I'll run into it one of these days.  Just needed some ideas on where to start and the responses help a lot.  I haven't used the solder station yet, but I'm going to fire it up very soon.

Al

[jamiefbolton]

hey guys! i'm needing a new setup as well. the 25watt radio shack just doesn't cut it. i've used a weller station in the past, but i'm not about to spend that $$ (it wasn't mine so i returned it). i'm probably only going to build pedals, so do i really need a station or just a pencil. i kinda figure if i spend $30 on a pencil, why not spend $50 on a good station.

any advice?

[eleanor296]

hey guys! i'm needing a new setup as well. the 25watt radio shack just doesn't cut it. i've used a weller station in the past, but i'm not about to spend that $$ (it wasn't mine so i returned it). i'm probably only going to build pedals, so do i really need a station or just a pencil. i kinda figure if i spend $30 on a pencil, why not spend $50 on a good station.

any advice?

Doesn't the whole thread before your post answer your question? 
Not trying to come off as trying to be smart, maybe I don't understand your question...