soldering irons

[Doug H]

Here's the one I got, Peter:

http://www.circuitspecialists.com/prod.itml/icOid/7501

It's xytronics, $39 with auto-temp control.

Doug

[Brian Marshall]

WOW this thread came back from the dead.  I got my $39 iron a while ago, and the tip is just starting to wear.  nothing like a cheap tip though that turns black after 2 uses.

i love it.

[Peter Snowberg]

Thanks Doug.

I guess the stuff in the printed flyer is different still. I should have just checked the web site to cross match.

Brian,

I get years of life with my tips so I'm wondering what's at the bottom of this whole tip wear issue. I'm curious if you use damp sponge cleaning? Thanks!

Take care,
-Peter

[nightingale]

i vot for the xytronic 137esd all the way~
it's ben over a year, and i am still using the OG tip..

chris r~
i bought 10 of the aluminum enclosures from SS... they are great the ones i ordered were a hair wider than 1590b's... but about an inch longer...
if i recall correctly... they are finished stocking that size tho...
hth,

[Doug H]

I get years of life with my tips so I'm wondering what's at the bottom of this whole tip wear issue. I'm curious if you use damp sponge cleaning? Thanks!

Take care,
-Peter

I've been using mine very heavily for a few months and the tip is holding up fine.

Doug

[Brian Marshall]

Thanks Doug.

I guess the stuff in the printed flyer is different still. I should have just checked the web site to cross match.

Brian,

I get years of life with my tips so I'm wondering what's at the bottom of this whole tip wear issue. I'm curious if you use damp sponge cleaning? Thanks!

Take care,
-Peter

Yes i do clean it with the solder cleaner and the sponge, but i have made about 20 boards with it. so far.  i dont think it is in bad shape, you can just tell that it has been used.  slightly discolored, but not coroded like the radioshack irons.  

radioshack irons got too hot i think.

[smoguzbenjamin]

I remember the first soldering iron tip I killed, it was black, oxidized and corroded till there wasn't a tip to speak of. I went to the shop for a new one and the guy's eyes almost popped out. "What the *hell* did you do to that! :shock: "

Yup that was kinda fun :mrgreen:

[Doug H]

The main thing I've found is keep it tinned all the time. Don't let it dry out while it is hot. Also, keep the temp turned down when not soldering. Turn it off during non-use.

I have mixed feelings about the wet sponge. I use it, but not after every solder. If used too much it seems like little bits of sponge get left on the tip with the potential to foul it. I find if I keep it tinned and the temp turned down, I don't need to use the sponge a lot anyway.

Doug

[Dai H.]

one thing you can try w/a cheapie iron is stick an in-line lamp sw. w/a diode carefully positioned inside to change the AC to half-wave as a sort of "cool-down" switch or mode, when you are trying to carefully reposition parts or whatever and don't need the iron at full temp. Will work better when the cheapie iron has a ceramic element since the regular kind take time to come back up to full temp.

also the sponge seems to affect the tip for the worse the more it's used. I've tried cleaning it w/distilled water, but for the effort, I feel it just makes more sense to buy a new one, since they are pretty cheap.

then i have my home made flux smoke sucking away fan/filter thingie which I position next to the iron, and that helps keep cheapie ones from overheating to some extent. well at least, a lot more than if it wasn't there.

and tighten the tip/check it once in a while since they can come loose (I guess from the heating/cooling cycles). you don't want it falling out while you are working on something!

[smoguzbenjamin]

I have a Voltcraft digitally controlled soldering iron. It has a range between 150C - 450C and a resolution of 1degree C. It heats up in mere seconds, and it's great, soldering's a breeze. Now to find something to solder

[spongebob]

For a poor man's soldering station you can also use a lamp dimmer in front of an ordinary soldering iron, I have seen that advice in some thread a while ago, works very nicely! After the soldering iron has come to temperature you can reduce the power with the dimmer, solder tips last much longer with this method.

Of course a real soldering station with temperature controll is still the best choice, if you can afford it...

[PeterJ]

? for those of you who bought the Xytronic 379 -- I'm planning to get one so I can actually solder something (without waiting two lifetimes for my RS iron to heat up). How long is the cord from the base to the iron -- I want to keep the base on a low shelf off to the side, as I don't have a lot of room in my work area. Thanks, all.

Peter

[Samuel]

It's got to be at least a couple feet...pretty long, way longer than i need.

One thing, though - I love the soldering station, but I got some 1/64" conical tips, and I find them really frustrating, because is seems as though the very tip doesn't get heated very well. Most of the surface works fine, but the very end seems to be noticeably cooler...

[PeterJ]

Thanks, Samuel -- and I'll remember what you said about the tips.

[Alex C]

The cord from the station to the base of the iron is 36.6 inches (yes, I used a measuring tape    ).  I also keep mine on a shelf next to my bench, but it's *right* next to it; your wording sounds like it would be a bit farther.  

Alex

[PeterJ]

Thanks, Alex -- appreciate the extra effort. I'll have to play around with location, location, location.
Peter

[Lonestarjohnny]

Guy's, I waited til all you got done Braggin bout yer Lil O'l Solderin gun and I just had to Show ya Mine, Now I'm not Braggin mind ya  :roll: Cause I live down here in San Antonio where we are on the poor side But instead of gettin Mom some new Livin Room Furniture Last Year,I took are savin's and invested in a real Solder'n Iron,       http://img69.photobucket.com/albums/v210/Lonrstarjohnny/IMG_1493.jpg

Now this is what I call a Texas Style Multi Purpose    Iron, there's nuthin worse than gettin that pedal all solder'ed up and it not workin, with this baby I don't gotta run around lookin for somthin to beat crap outa the durn thing when it don't work, so If your like me and need a way to vent your frustration, Here it is, JD's Texas tyle Solder'n Iron. :lol:  :lol:  :lol:
JD

[Athin]

JD - what do you solder wit that - horseshoes

[smoguzbenjamin]

Holy sh*t!  :shock:

[Lonestarjohnny]

When I'm not usein it on the Bench, I'm out punchin them " Little Doggey's " Man here in Tejas also need's a good Brandin Iron !  :lol:
Happy Trail's,
JD