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Soldering Iron Suggestions
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Young Croc
Young Croc
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Joined: 16 March 2013
Location: East London
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Points: 1209 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote SMP Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 October 2013 at 4:05am
agreed a TCP is no good up a tree upside or not.  but as for temp easy I have a large range of tips 7's 8's 9's lots of profiles of tip that is where for me a TCP is a winner.

Working on some modern tech like ipod's mobiles and some other stuf I recently bought myself a "puzzle" ( a dead piece of kit from ebay a Berry x-over somone had been fixing with a Blowtorch

It seemed it needed a major board rework around IC 1 tracks missing as well as pads  built like crap in the first instance  (2300) now it's in a rack it works I lend it others for parties etc not bad a cheap "Puzzle" kept me amused and challenged for a few hours all for a fiver I like to fix things all manner of stuff would hate to attempt it without my TCP
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Young Croc
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Joined: 16 March 2013
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Points: 1209 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote SMP Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 October 2013 at 4:20am
oops there is a dowside to being online joining this discussion

I make my own Polyester filler it is better than standard body filler it is hard as rock and does not sand easily but You should not let it get too hard on the tools coz it is a mother to remove it to clean them

this happens of course when you pay it no attention coz you are posting here!!!
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Old Croc
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Joined: 21 October 2008
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Points: 8783 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote SamV Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 October 2013 at 4:54am
Ah I think I get it, a higher wattage iron is able to regulate it's heat better.
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Old Croc
Old Croc


Joined: 30 July 2007
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Points: 7683 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote shagnasty Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 October 2013 at 5:47am
Kinda, a high wattage non-temp controlled is more of a nightmare than a low wattage, you need the temp controller to pour the juice in when you need it and the higher the wattage the more juice you have on tap!!

The cheap gas thing I linked is a classic example, leave it in-attended for 60 seconds on lowest heat and it has oxidised the solder and needs cleaning before you can make the next joint, made this for a customer, shipped today





Managed to wreck a bit of led tape installing it, in the time it would have taken to get the Weller out the van I used the little gas chap to resolder the damage.....
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Old Croc
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Joined: 20 March 2010
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Points: 2637 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Muckerbarnes1 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 October 2013 at 8:54am
I don't imagine Adam is going to be doing any of the above.
 
If you do buy a gas iron.. get the right one. Don't waste money on toys. A  Weller Pyropen lasts years.
 
Billy Dawg.
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Young Croc
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Joined: 16 March 2013
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Originally posted by Muckerbarnes1 Muckerbarnes1 wrote:

I don't imagine Adam is going to be doing any of the above.
 
If you do buy a gas iron.. get the right one. Don't waste money on toys. A  Weller Pyropen lasts years.
 


I never managed to test that out I left mine on my office desk. And my biz partners Son decided to play with it turned it up full for some considerable time doing all kinds of stupidity with it. It was never the same after that always coming loose ended up binning it never bought another
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Young Croc
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Thumbs Up +1 for Antex
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Young Croc
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Joined: 13 November 2012
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Points: 1234 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote APW Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 13 February 2014 at 11:48am

I’m an electronics engineer with over 30 years’ experience and have used just about every make and type of soldering iron going.

In the workshop I have several Weller TCP solder stations (and even more Irons), by today’s standards they are old hat but work well, the reason I have several is because they are all setup with different bits i.e. I have several irons that have IC extraction bits fitted. IMO Weller TCP is an old school work horses.

The OP asked for something for £30-40 so Weller, Pace etc. are out of the running, Antex are OK for a cheap ‘tool box’ Iron but in my experience are just not very reliable, and there thermostatic ones aren’t a lot cheaper than other better makes.

 The most reliable, best value for money solder station I have ever had (and still use daily) costs under £40.00 from CPC, they sell it as badged as Duratool, but my one is badged as a Solomon SL-20, CPC no longer sell this model but the one in the link below looks identical and costs about the same. I’ve have mine about 10 years, and I’ve recently had to replace the iron as the element went, the cost of the element was nearly as much as a complete Iron , the complete Iron cost about £7.00 (so I bought 2).  This iron was purchased as a cheap solder station to keep in my toolbox; it ended up in the workshop when one of the Wellers’ packed up… It never went back in the van.

http://cpc.farnell.com/duratool/zd-929b-89-2922/soldering-station-bs-plug/dp/SD01112

My advice would be to buy the best iron you can in your price range, make sure it’s at least 45watts and has some kind of thermostatic control.

Alan.
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Old Croc
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Joined: 02 January 2010
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Points: 2041 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Adam_Iron_Horse Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 13 February 2014 at 12:28pm
I ended up with the 25W Antex, however have found already its pretty much useless on any thickness of speaker cable but seems to work fine for XLRs etc, could maybe do with investing in one of those ones as well for any heavier duty jobs, couldn't live with using the antex when it comes to re doing our patch panel.
Kryptonik Sound Kollective

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Old Croc
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Joined: 15 November 2013
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Points: 4871 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Dub Specialist Sound Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 13 February 2014 at 12:57pm
old weller 100w with different screw on tips no probs at all on 2.5mm 4mm beffer speaker cable with ease no messing, get yuself a little less wattage and tip for smaller work!
Musical Roots Reggae Vibration is Life! for music is sound...sound is vibration...vibration is energy... and energy begets life. Therein lies my passion!...MUSIC IS LIFE...
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Old Croc
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Joined: 30 January 2007
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Points: 7507 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote cravings Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 13 February 2014 at 5:44pm
i have one of the duratool ones linked above by APW. mine is branded as union brothers i think.. have seen them with a good few brandings. i got mine because it was what we used on the benches on the elctronics course i did and i was used to it, great iron for the price.
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Old Croc
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Joined: 06 November 2009
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Points: 1546 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote discosucks Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 13 February 2014 at 7:56pm
Just got my self one of the gas ones , cost 30 pound , does a great job on anything . Also the top comes off and can be used to melt heat shrink . 
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