soldering iron recommendations

[jussi]

Any recommendations on a good soldering iron for rc hobby. I don't want to spend $200+ on a metcal so I'm thinking a Weller should be satisfactory. But there are tons of different models. Let me know which one you like. Hopefully ones that are still available.

[LCHIEN]

Hakko makes good stations, this basic one with digital readout and all the featues is les that $90
http://www.all-spec.com/products/FX-...FU5afgodBHkAZQ

this is the cheapest weller at $122 and it doesn't have digital readout and the nice solder tip cleaner.
http://www.all-spec.com/products/Wel...-10/WES51.html

Thye're both adjustable, temerature controlled and grounded ESD safe with small tips for finer work. For me, I'd get the Hakko. And I've been an electronics engineer for 40 years.

[Stytooner]

I have a large old weller for bigger jobs and a small no name brand station. I have used both quite a bit for cnc machine building. I don't recall the price on the large iron, but the station was an Ebay buy for about $25 shipped. If you will be using a lot, then a name brand might be worth it, but really the lesser ones work well too.

[jussi]

How about this Weller?

http://www.amazon.com/Weller-WLC100-...eywords=weller

[Stytooner]

For me, ergonomics play a big roll in this decision. The station I have is similar to the last Weller link. I would much rather have a more pencil shape iron. I have seen them, held them, but have not used them. If I can hold it like a pencil though, my hand is steady. Not so much with a big grip on it. Of course much of that grip is insulation which is not a bad thing.
Just personal preference when soldering tiny things. Steady is better than shaky. Another item of usefulness (must have for me) is a magnifying glass on an adjustable stand. Priceless.

[Zip1]

For small electronics +1 on the WLC100 above. I've had it for years, love it. Excellent quality for the price.

[LinuxRandal]

I concur with Loring.
The Hakko was the recommended by many people in the Raspberry PI community and I picked one up when I found it for under $70.
My dad has an OLD USA made Weller, and it was having some issues (temp control). I found a newer model at a local store on a bag sale day, and called him and he got a Weller WESD51 for $75.
He is happy with his, but the Hakko is a better bargain.

[Tom Slick]

I use a Weller WES51 at work and have no complaints. At a previous job they used the model prior to the WES51 with the large grip for 10 hrs a day in a production environment. They went to Hakko when we replaced all of the irons for RoHS compliance. I use a WP35 at home with no problems.

[LCHIEN]

the Weller WLC100 is a power controlled iron.
The Hakko and the more expensive Wellers mentioned are temperature controlled irons.

The difference is that the power controlled one simply has a knob that increases thw watts of the heater in the tip.

THe temperature controlled one has temperature feed back and the knob adjusts the temperature point and the electronics adjusts the power to keep the temperature the same at the tip (where the sensor is) as you try and solder a big terminal joint for example, but it will not overheat a small surface mount IC lead.

For microelectronics where you might ever be soldering to diodes, transistors, ICs or batteries and battery tabs I would get the temperature controlled iron, if you are just soldering wires then the power controlled on is OK.

AS you can see the power controlled ones are under $50 and the temperature controlled ones are under $100. The nicer temperature controlled ones (like the Hakko discussed) have a temperature readout or at least a calibrated dial around the knob so that you can repeatedly use the same temperature for the type of solder you use.

Incidentally the Hakko 888 is available at Amazon, too.

[jussi]

Thanks. Based on the replies I'll prob go with the more expensive unit.

What settings do you guys use? Is there a chart depending on the piece being soldered?

[LCHIEN]

Hakko makes good stations, this basic one with digital readout and all the featues is les that $90
http://www.all-spec.com/products/FX-...FU5afgodBHkAZQ

this is the cheapest weller at $122 and it doesn't have digital readout and the nice solder tip cleaner.
http://www.all-spec.com/products/Wel...-10/WES51.html

Thye're both adjustable, temerature controlled and grounded ESD safe with small tips for finer work. For me, I'd get the Hakko. And I've been an electronics engineer for 40 years.

All-spec the seller of the iron s mentioned here has a promo code of "solders" which will get you an add'l $5 off 50 on Hakko purchase.

[gerti]

What settings do you guys use? Is there a chart depending on the piece being soldered?

I have my iron set at 320ºC. Cooler and soldering takes too long (actually bad for the part), higher and the tin oxidizes faster. I only use higher temperatures when:

- soldering prototype wire [1] where 350ºC is needed to get melt through the insulation
- soldering something with a very large surface area (battery terminals, large gauge wires) that transfer heat away fast, in that case you may need to go to 400ºC

Hope that helps!

[1]: http://www.verotl.com/en/product/ver...number-79-1732

[LCHIEN]

My tech at work likes to keep his at about 700F, that's about 370C.

THat'll do PCBs with lead free solders (96% tin, 3.5% silver) with higher temperature MPs.

Use a slightly lower temperature for 60/40, 63/37 lead /tin solders while you kill the environment.

[gerti]

Use a slightly lower temperature for 60/40, 63/37 lead /tin solders while you kill the environment.

Well, so I happen to have a rather large supply of my favorite multicore left that far predates all the lead worries... There hasn't been terribly much soldering in the last few years, and a pound goes a long way!

Yes I expect lead free solders to need a somewhat higher temperature.

And so do those super-thin needle points that are all the rage, because they lack surface to transfer the heat to the work piece. So be sure to learn how to use a chisel tip: flat for fastest heat transfer (faster soldering yet less heat into the component), or at a compound angle for a smaller contact point to do more delicate work. Also solder mask and surface tension are your friends...

[tfischer]

Check out the soldering stations at Circuit Specialists. I've been using one for maybe 5 or 6 years now and it's excellent.

Here's one I'd recommend:
http://www.circuitspecialists.com/le...g-station.html

But check out the others there as well as you can pay a little more or a little less depending on what features you might like.