Soldering Iron Suggestions

That Weller looks like a chunk!

While I have a fancy high-wattage, temperature controlled iron on the bench, the one I carry in my toolbox for on-site or up-ladder soldering is an Antex 25W XS as already recommended.  Simple and effective for most jobs.

Keep an eye on ebay etc, you can sometimes pick up Weller TCP stations for reasonable money and you can still buy most of the spares.

for the last 30 odd years I have had a Weller TCP. for me there is only one soldering iron to use a weller TCP they are without doubt the best iron change tips change temp or profile heat fast and good output mine has until recent times been in use everyday for almost all that time all the Bench Engs i know use Weller TCP's buy one thats it job done easy to fix when they fail which has not happened so far just new tips

or here is link for it damn may even buy it myself it is cheap!!!!!!

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Weller-Soldering-Station-with-TCP-24V-Iron-/300977465279?pt=UK_Home_Garden_PowerTools_SM&hash=item4613a7a7bf

What temp is good? I knwo you keep saying watts, but wouldn't a temp be more useful?

How hot is a 50w?

My B&D is 20w but does either 500 or 900 Degrees. Which I didn't believe til I tested it with one of those Fluke IR jobbies.

Weller TCPs will run from a 60w 19v laptop psu!!!!

Obviously not 50w anymore, but tbh, unless you are belting 2x6mm onto a spade they are fine.

The cheap gas ones are crap for production work but hanging upside down in a truss putting a 5xlr back on 5mins before the house opens, they beat a TCP every day of the week!!!!

As for Sam's point, he has highlighted exactly the reason you need temp controlled kit, a 20w will hit 900 deg, will drop to 700 as you tin it and 20secs later the solder has oxidised on the bit, I only use Savbit 60/40 and run around 325-350 deg C, this it way hotter than you need. 250 would do but that's how my tips are setup and I run like that, but my 100w irons are the same temp as the 50w as they are thermostatically limited, you need more watts to smash in the heat on big terminations, wet the joint, flow the solder and get out, quick, by the time a 25w iron has got 2x4mm upto the 250deg where you might make a joint the speak on it starting to change shape!!!

Soldering is about quick consistent joints, nice, high wattage irons let you do that, try soldering an AP-5 for your d&b rig with a 25w iron, you 4g4 will sink the heat out and the pin will fall on the floor before you get a joint I would be happy with...





Edited by shagnasty - 04 October 2013 at 4:05am