Lament for the death of my soldering iron (apologies to Jim Morrison)

[moid]

Hello everyone

This afternoon my Weller SP40NKUK iron decided it was sick of building fuzzboxes and decided it wanted more from life than I could show it and turned itself off for the final time (while getting a Big Muff all hot as well!)... and it wouldn't turn back on again, so I checked the fuse in the plug (dead) spent 30 minutes looking for a replacement fuse (honestly I haven't changed a fuse in so long...) put a new fuse in, plugged everything in again and this time tripped the main circuit breaker in the house which got me a lot of attention from my wife suddenly (sadly not the good kind of attention either). The fuse survived this time, but the iron is obviously dead. I did try dismantling it to see if there was anything obviously dead internally but the damn thing has been designed not to be repaired and can't be properly dismantled without cutting the electrical cables inside it. Anyway I need a replacement...

I've got a few options that I would like some opinions on please.

1. buy the same iron again - I can get it on Amazon Prime; it's not expensive, I have a selection of spare tips for it and aside of one of those tips trying to blind me a few years ago, the iron has worked well and done what I wanted. It's sad that it's only lasted 3 years though... I guess nothing is made to any quality anymore, but I'm not a heavy user - in three years I think I've built about 10 pedals, I was expecting it to last longer than that.

2. buy a cordless iron - Weller and Hakko make battery powered soldering irons (nice not to have a cable around, not sure about the battery life though and the extra damage to the environment of more batteries), but they seem to have quite variable reviews regarding if they get hot enough... have any of you used such a thing? Is it a waste of time? My wife suggested them to prevent me from causing our circuit breaker to trip again.... the two I was looking at are:

Weller
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Weller-BP865CEU-Battery-Soldering-Accessories/dp/B01187AAUS/ref=sr_1_14?keywords=weller+soldering+iron&qid=1578262928&sr=8-14

Hakko
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hakko-FX-901-Cordless-Soldering-Iron/dp/B00FZPUA28/ref=sr_1_15?keywords=hakko+soldering+iron&qid=1578262954&sr=8-15
The Hakko is very difficult to get replacement tips for according to some reviews and it's not clear if there is a thin conical tip available (the type I prefer to use)

3. Bite the bullet and get something expensive... I have heard lots of good things about the Hakko FX-888D
https://www.amazon.co.uk/HAKKO-FX-888D-Soldering-Station-70W/dp/B077B9Q6SJ/ref=sr_1_5?keywords=hakko+soldering+iron&qid=1578262954&sr=8-5 but that is a hell of a lot of money to be spending when sadly I only get to make 2 -3 pedals a year. I wondered what such a device offers that isn't in a normal iron - is it that useful to be able to change the temperature of the tip? Will my soldering skills be massively improved by using such a tool? Will owning one make me more attractive to the opposite sex?

Any thoughts on these important issues would be valued greatly! Thanks.

[EBK]

Count me as a vote for buying the Hakko FX-888D.  I own the US version of that one (FX888D-23BY), and it has treated me very well.

[Invertiguy]

I'll cast my vote for the Hakko FX-888D as well. I've had mine for a couple years now and it's a treat to work with. The tips seem to last forever as well!

[thetragichero]

i think i paid 35 bucks for one of these off eBay: https://www.weller-tools.com/professional/USA/us/Weller+Consumer/Soldering+Irons/Stained+Glass+%26+Hobby+Applications/SL335
i am into simple and this is dead simple with replaceable parts. I've left it on (by accident!) for a day more than once with no ill effects (probably shortened the tip life)

[bluebunny]

If you're only making a few pedals a years, then consider a simple hot-stick-on-a-mains-lead type.  I've had my Antex (CX?) for about forty years.  Still going strong.  I don't need to take shoes and socks off to count the replacement tips in all that time.

I did upgrade to another Antex "workstation" recently.  It's basically the same as the old one, but temperature controlled.  And now I have a forty-year-old backup.   

[italianguy63]

Me too for the Hakko 888-D.  Awesome piece of equipment that will last you a lifetime.  I build a lot, and the tips last me over a year each...

[anotherjim]

I could go look up the Maplin part number of my Precision Gold soldering station but I don't suppose it will do any good now 
Seriously, it was a good thing that's lasted about 8yrs so far so I wonder what Chinesium brand it's sold under now?

[SpencerPedals]

My vote is for the Hakko FX-888D.  My only regret after purchasing mine is not doing so sooner.  I've been using the same tip forever, and it's just everything I need in a soldering station.  No fuss and total control over temperature.

Buy from a legit seller—there are Chinese clones of these things, as there are many items these days.

[EBK]

I'm just going to add a bit more inexpert observations  about my Hakko FX888D experience.  Is it useful to be able to change the temperature?  I have no idea.  I keep mine set at the default (which the display tells me is currently set to 750 Hakko USA soldering units).  I really only use the display to tell me when it is ready to use.

What has definitely been useful has been going from a cheap, low power, non-temperature-controlled iron to this.  Paul's gigantic soldering iron aside, I believe you can cause a lot more damage to electronics with an underpowered iron than you can with an overpowered iron.  My Hakko makes joints more quickly and effectively than my previous iron did.  I used to feel like I was torturing my circuits and hoping that they would endure it.  I feel much more confident now.

Although I worked on a lot of different projects, I only officially finished one pedal in 2019, by the way.     My apparent lack of project completion skills has nothing to do with my soldering though.

[bloxstompboxes]

I'll suggest the Weller WLC-100. It's cheap and you can even find a toner transfer and schematic should something weird happen to it.

[amptramp]

I have a Ningbo Zhongdi 48 watt variable temperature iron.  I also don't use an iron that much and it has serves me well enough after my Weller WTCPL went intermittent.

I also have a large ESICO iron that can solder copper braid to a steel chassis in five seconds after it has warmed up.  It is "only" 100 watts but these are Clydesdale watts.

I have a couple of 100/140 watt Weller soldering guns but those are really more for wiring than circuit boards.

[ElectricDruid]

If you're only making a few pedals a years, then consider a simple hot-stick-on-a-mains-lead type.  I've had my Antex (CX?) for about forty years.  Still going strong.  I don't need to take shoes and socks off to count the replacement tips in all that time.

I did upgrade to another Antex "workstation" recently.  It's basically the same as the old one, but temperature controlled.  And now I have a forty-year-old backup.   

Yeah, +1 from me. I used an Antex X25 (I think...) iron that I bought as a teenager until very recently. I used that iron for thirty years and I could still get spare parts for it (I think it's called the XS25 now or something!). I'd replaced the element once, and was on my second pack of five tips, but that's not a bad total for all the years I had out of it. It might be cheap, but it'll make 10 pedals a year for the next twenty years without any trouble.

The Hakko is nice if you've got the cash, I'm sure. How rich are you feeling?

[MaxPower]

I use the $3 soldering irons from harbor freight. Stick a diode the electrical cord to cut down the power a bit and it works pretty well.

I recently splurged and spent big money ($10) on a soldering iron at the Try n Save. Have yet to test it out though.

[vigilante397]

I will always vote for a temperature controlled soldering station. Hakkos are great, but as was mentioned above you can get Chinese knockoffs for a fraction of that price. When I worked as a tech in a shop I didn't want to leave my $200 station at work so I bought a $35 station from eBay and it worked great.

[bloxstompboxes]

Mr Mojo Rising will get over the lack of lament for his johnson, btw.

[FUZZZZzzzz]

I've been using this one: velleman vtss 220. it was 50 euros and heats up in 2 seconds. works like a charm.
https://www.velleman.eu/products/view/?id=439348

[stallik]

I could go look up the Maplin part number of my Precision Gold soldering station but I don't suppose it will do any good now 
Seriously, it was a good thing that's lasted about 8yrs so far so I wonder what Chinesium brand it's sold under now?

There was a pallet of these being sold off at £20 each just before they closed. I picked one up as a spare but now have 2 working in tandem with different sized bits. They stack which is quite neat.
I have seen them on eBay under a different name

[cab42]

If you're only making a few pedals a years, then consider a simple hot-stick-on-a-mains-lead type.  I've had my Antex (CX?) for about forty years.  Still going strong.  I don't need to take shoes and socks off to count the replacement tips in all that time.

I did upgrade to another Antex "workstation" recently.  It's basically the same as the old one, but temperature controlled.  And now I have a forty-year-old backup.   

Yeah, +1 from me. I used an Antex X25 (I think...) iron that I bought as a teenager until very recently. I used that iron for thirty years and I could still get spare parts for it (I think it's called the XS25 now or something!). I'd replaced the element once, and was on my second pack of five tips, but that's not a bad total for all the years I had out of it. It might be cheap, but it'll make 10 pedals a year for the next twenty years without any trouble.

The Hakko is nice if you've got the cash, I'm sure. How rich are you feeling?

++1. I have a JBC 30T I bought +20 years ago. I changed the tip last year, otherwise it has worked perfectly. I actually think I build around 10 pedals a year, so I'll hope that it will last twenty years more.

I was looking at a new iron instead of a new tip, and I found some pretty cheap Hakko clones on Amazon with good reviews, but ended up with a new tip. I would rather spend my money on parts than on tools.

ED's Antex 25 looks good as well. I can get it locally pretty cheap and the tips are cheap!

[Sooner Boomer]

I've got one of these: http://www.bgmicro.com/soldering-station-hardwired-with-temperature-control.aspx

I realize you're in the UK, but something similar should be available.  I think this is the same soldering station Velleman sells (mod. VTSS5U).  Looking at thrir on-line store, I found this: https://www.vellemanstore.com/en/velleman-vtdesol3u-desoldering-vacuum-pump-with-heated-tip
It's a desoldering iron and pump in one unit.  I have/had one and really liked it, esp when you have a lot of stuff to unsolder.

Just out of curiosity, couldn't one make a temperature/power controller out of a common light dimmer?  I've got one mounted in a utility box with a double outlet.  I use it to adjust lighting for photography.

[tubegeek]

Just out of curiosity, couldn't one make a temperature/power controller out of a common light dimmer?  I've got one mounted in a utility box with a double outlet.  I use it to adjust lighting for photography.

Sort of. That's exactly what's in the cheapest Weller base, but it's not a controller, it's just a dimmer. A controller has a sensor and a feedback loop that gives more power when the tip gets cooler and less when it's just idling. Effect is to maintain a set temparature under varying thermal loads. A light dimmer won't do as sophisticated a job. Controllers are available in digital (temp readout display) or analog (dial with mystery markings.)

I have a light dimmer with push on/push off switch, in a 4-gang box on my workbench, with my soldering iron plugged into the switched/dimmable outlet, and another unswitched outlet for the heat gun, drill, etc.. But I still want a temp controlled station: I'm glad to hear the good reviews of the Velleman, those are usually relatively inexpensive.

I use either a 23Watt Weller or a 40Watt Weller depending on what I'm doing - usually the 23W for pedals. I can't say I recommend the Wellers, I've had to repair them from time to time. You can get replacement heating elements but I question whether it's worth the bother. I used to work in an adult ed program teaching electronics lab and I ended up with quite a few left-behind Wellers over the years and after the school went belly-up, a few more. So my cost basis is pretty low on the stuff I've got. But starting from scratch it's not the direction I'd go in.