Recommend a soldering iron?

[M6erfan]

I know little about soldering but have found wishing I had a good iron from time to time. For basic household duty, any recommendations?

 

[the_nelson]

Hakko

They have a wide range to fit your budget.

Blows weller out of the water

 

[dogdog]

Maybe a used Pace soldering iron station? It's very rugged but not cheap.... more like crazy expensive for avg use if new..

or that cheap Chinese 3 in 1 853D thing that have temp controlled soldering iron. and cheap hot air gun and useless power supply...

Just about the only thing that worked great is the soldering iron for avg use. Tips are cheap.

Either case what ever you choose if you are doing electronics , get a temp control station.

 

[JonnyMac]

Portasol.. thats what snap on rebrand on the truck. Ive got one and its great.

 

[pedrodagr8]

I know little about soldering but have found wishing I had a good iron from time to time. For basic household duty, any recommendations?

Hakko FX-888D is an AWESOME iron. I have one and absolutely love it. The two main brands for hobbyists are Hakko and Weller. Weller is owned by Apex Tool Group I think, anyways their quality has really begun to tank recently. Leaving basically Hakko is the sole quality maker for hobbyists at this time. The Hakko FX-888D is an awesome, rapidly heating, beefy wattage iron. I have used them extensively and they never let me down. If you decide to buy one, look for reputable sellers or authorized distributors. The market is flooded with fakes to the point that around 95% of the 120V models on ebay are fake and 99+% of the 240V models on ebay are fake. You JUST missed Fry's sale where they had it on sale for $70

 

[M6erfan]

Hakko FX-888D is an AWESOME iron. I have one and absolutely love it. The two main brands for hobbyists are Hakko and Weller. Weller is owned by Apex Tool Group I think, anyways their quality has really begun to tank recently. Leaving basically Hakko is the sole quality maker for hobbyists at this time. The Hakko FX-888D is an awesome, rapidly heating, beefy wattage iron. I have used them extensively and they never let me down. If you decide to buy one, look for reputable sellers or authorized distributors. The market is flooded with fakes to the point that around 95% of the 120V models on ebay are fake and 99+% of the 240V models on ebay are fake. You JUST missed Fry's sale where they had it on sale for $70

I was just looking at that Hakko on Amazon. Anyway to tell the fakes from the real deal?

 

[the_nelson]

The two main brands for hobbyists are Hakko and Weller.

Hakko is by all means not a "hobby" company. However, the do make some inexpensive models that can be seen as "hobby" oriented.

 

[larry_g]

I know little about soldering but have found wishing I had a good iron from time to time. For basic household duty, any recommendations?

Specs are to wide open for a recommendation. Basic household could be anything from resoldering connections on some solidstate devise to plumbing pipes. There are a few different wattage irons in a field that broad and just one tool is not going to serve your needs. Just what do you define as 'basic household duty' ?

lg
no neat sig line

 

[the_nelson]

I was just looking at that Hakko on Amazon. Anyway to tell the fakes from the real deal?

Not a fake and a reputable online seller

http://www.onlinecomponents.com/hak...0B521E7-1365-4C9C-B42A-830FF2CB34F4csBw7FzFDt

-or-

http://www.tequipment.net/HakkoFX888D-23BY.html

 

[pedrodagr8]

I was just looking at that Hakko on Amazon. Anyway to tell the fakes from the real deal?

If it is sold by Amazon it will likely be genuine (I haven't heard anyone getting a fake from Amazon). From 3rd party sellers, WAY more likely to be fake. Unfortunately, there is nothing that you can tell from the images alone.


EDIT: Just saw that TEQuipment.net is a 3rd party distributor on Amazon, they are VERY trustworthy and only deal directly with companies so you can trust their stuff is legit.

EDIT2: Larry G makes some excellent points. Before you get an iron, what do you plan to do with it? Soldering circuits requires a very different kind of iron than soldering large 4guage wires together.

 

[M6erfan]

Specs are to wide open for a recommendation. Basic household could be anything from resoldering connections on some solidstate devise to plumbing pipes. There are a few different wattage irons in a field that broad and just one tool is not going to serve your needs. Just what do you define as 'basic household duty' ?

lg
no neat sig line

Larry,

Basically this would be used for repairing wiring in household/automotive circuits. Most pressing is I want to replace some caps in a vintage receiver so would like to de-solder PCB's too.

For plumbing pipes I'd probably use MAP gas. No?

 

[M6erfan]

If it is sold by Amazon it will likely be genuine (I haven't heard anyone getting a fake from Amazon). From 3rd party sellers, WAY more likely to be fake. Unfortunately, there is nothing that you can tell from the images alone.


EDIT: Just saw that TEQuipment.net is a 3rd party distributor on Amazon, they are VERY trustworthy and only deal directly with companies so you can trust their stuff is legit.

EDIT2: Larry G makes some excellent points. Before you get an iron, what do you plan to do with it? Soldering circuits requires a very different kind of iron than soldering large 4guage wires together.

Thanks Pedro, great info...

 

[pedrodagr8]

Larry,

Basically this would be used for repairing wiring in household/automotive circuits. Most pressing is I want to replace some caps in a vintage receiver so would like to de-solder PCB's too.

For plumbing pipes I'd probably use MAP gas. No?

Then you are also going to also want some liquid flux, desoldering braid and/or a desoldering pump and some extra solder. Do NOT use the white paste flux that is commonly used on pipes. THis has zinc chloride in it which can actually turn a circuit board mildly conductive (a very bad thing of course).

 

[exmaxima1]

I know little about soldering but have found wishing I had a good iron from time to time. For basic household duty, any recommendations?

I use a Weller WES51 soldering station at work every day, and it never breaks. I don't know what gets into these Hakko fans that believe they're the only decent iron available. In any case, you don't need a full blown station for your application---a simple iron will suffice. I used a Weller WP35 for many years building amplifiers and fixing things around the house. It will certainly meet your needs. It's reliable and tips---which do wear out---are easily available unlike many other brands. Get a small chisel tip for general use. Amazon carries Weller:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000B5YIYS/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[M6erfan]

Great advice everyone, thank you!

Now I need to learn how to properly use a SI...

 

[djb2]

Maybe a used Pace soldering iron station? It's very rugged but not cheap.... more like crazy expensive for avg use if new..

or that cheap Chinese 3 in 1 853D thing that have temp controlled soldering iron. and cheap hot air gun and useless power supply...

I have two Pace soldering rework stations.

If you don't know what you need, stay far away from them. They were high end machines in their day. Used machines might be a tiny fraction of their original price, but their replacement parts are priced to match their original high price. New vacuum pump vanes are insanely expensive, and even a new heating element for the handle is more than you'll want to spend.

If you think that you need a soldering station, go for a FleaBay 3-in-1 machine around $100. Tips and other replacement parts are cheap.

 

[Davefr]

Hakko

They have a wide range to fit your budget.

Blows weller out of the water

^^That's a stupid generalization. You need to compare specific models. Weller makes a broad range of soldering irons/stations including the WX1010 that will power up to a 200 watt iron and go to 850 degrees in just a few seconds. (German made)

Touch screen and comes with ethernett and USB ports.

 

[PBCampbell]

A soldering station would be overkill, but this is the home of overkill when it comes to tools(lol). Probably any single wattage iron would work as well as any other for occaisional use, but if you want a step up look into American Beauty or Hexacon for old style, overbuilt, american industrial soldering irons.

 

[Docman]

If you're just looking for a basic soldering station -- essentially the pencil iron and a variable temp controller -- then that HAKKO one is near top-of-the-line without going into the ultra high end. For a cheaper option of the same there's the $30 Aoyue station. IMHO it's a better option for occasional hobbyist use, unless you like to buy high-end.

Getting into re-work stations is typically beyond the hobbyist, but those things are great for electronics repair work.

 

[jetdawg]

^^That's a stupid generalization. You need to compare specific models. Weller makes a broad range of soldering irons/stations including the WX1010 that will power up to a 200 watt iron and go to 850 degrees in just a few seconds. (German made)

Touch screen and comes with ethernett and USB ports.

Yes because I'm sure he was looking for an industrial unit.

 

[rusty_ratchet]

If you're looking for something that is extremely basic and only for occasional use then the Weller WLC100 iron is fine. Like I said, it is light duty and the temperature control is very basic (there is no feedback to control the temp).

A nice, lower commercial grade iron is the Weller WES51. This is a nice iron that will be good for a wide range of projects.

Both are classic irons, it just depends on which better suits your needs and budget.

 

[the_nelson]

^^That's a stupid generalization. You need to compare specific models. Weller makes a broad range of soldering irons/stations including the WX1010 that will power up to a 200 watt iron and go to 850 degrees in just a few seconds. (German made)

Touch screen and comes with ethernett and USB ports.

Awesome!!!

So I can shuffle my iPhone and charge it from the station... bout time!!!

So tell me... without quoting the manual... what exactly does one do with an ethernet port and a USB option on a soldering station. Im sure inquiring minds would love to know.

Heads up... I already know the answer... so fear not, you don't have to explain it to me.

Trust me there is no one on this board who needs that type of control over a unit. I solder for a living and when it comes to bells and whistles... I prefer to opt out.

The OP wants a simple iron. The Hakko 888D is a great iron for the price and will do everything he needs it to do. The WE51 had its place, but at this time you are just paying for a name.

But hell... it's made in Germany so it must be great right

 

[royesses]

If you want decent and don't want to spend for Hakko or Weller, take a look at Circuit Specialists. That's what I'm using now for about 10 years. Before I had Pace, Weller and Hakko. I still use a Hakko portable power 808 De-Soldering Gun.
http://www.circuitspecialists.com/soldering-stations

 

[JUNK-MAN]

I'd say a Weller, Had mine for wile (1 year) and got it used when I got it, still works good never had an issue.

 

[Davefr]

Awesome!!!

So tell me... without quoting the manual... what exactly does one do with an ethernet port and a USB option on a soldering station. Im sure inquiring minds would love to know.

Trust me there is no one on this board who needs that type of control over a unit. I solder for a living and when it comes to bells and whistles... I prefer to opt out.

The OP wants a simple iron. The Hakko 888D is a great iron for the price and will do everything he needs it to do. The WE51 had its place, but at this time you are just paying for a name.

But hell... it's made in Germany so it must be great right

I think the USB and Ethernet ports are used for remote monitoring, setup and firmware updates.

Yes, it's overkill but I wanted to point out to the other poster that Weller does in fact make some high end stuff.

I agree that Hakko 888 is good value.

I bought my WX1010 when Zoro was having one of their flash sales. Right after you hit the power switch and reach the iron it's already at it's temp setting.

I love overkill!!!

 

[M6erfan]

Lol, the WX1010 looks like one hell of an iron, but definitely overkill for my purposes. But hey, any idea is welcome, thanks!

 

[pedrodagr8]

I think the USB and Ethernet ports are used for remote monitoring, setup and firmware updates.

Yes, it's overkill but I wanted to point out to the other poster that Weller does in fact make some high end stuff.

I agree that Hakko 888 is good value.

I bought my WX1010 when Zoro was having one of their flash sales. Right after you hit the power switch and reach the iron it's already at it's temp setting.

I love overkill!!!

That Weller is their response to the huge rise in popularity of JBCs irons. JBC makes some killer irons that were getting hugely popular (still are), forced Weller to make something with similar heating profiles. JBC got famous for their irons that turned off when you placed them in the holder and in the time from when you removed them from the holder and touched them to the board had reached full temperature. They carry a similar or higher price tag than the Weller there.

Sent from my LG-ls990 using Tapatalk

 

[CRXPilot]

Lol, the WX1010 looks like one hell of an iron, but definitely overkill for my purposes. But hey, any idea is welcome, thanks!

Glad I found this thread. My sig has the best soldering iron I've ever used.

 

[engineer2]

Whatever you get make sure it goes above 380°C to work with lead-free solder which has a higher melting temperature. I'm sure most all of them do, since lead-free has been around for over 10 years. Some circuit boards are not lead-free, but that is usually industrial equipment.

 

[ttpete]

If you're looking for a larger general purpose iron, American Beauty has been around for over 60 years.

 

[dutchgray]

I have a couple of Weller PCP stations, bought used. They are simple and work well for general work. Loads out there so they are cheap, relatively reliable but easy to fix if they go wrong, just buy a used pencil for spares. Use a no7 tip for lead/tin solder and No8 for unleaded.

 

[exmaxima1]

If you're looking for a larger general purpose iron, American Beauty has been around for over 60 years.

LOL, those massive irons are ideal for soldering GUTTERS or leaded glass, not electrical work.

 

[zakmartin]

I've been using an Aoyue 9378 for a couple years now and all I can say is WOW! I've restored 1980's boom boxes, 2-din head units, simple wiring, etc. etc. This thing is super fast and the temp is super accurate. I have absolutely nothing bad to say about it (and it's an amazing deal).

Link to Aoyue Solder Station

 

[ttpete]

LOL, those massive irons are ideal for soldering GUTTERS or leaded glass, not electrical work.

OP wasn't specific about type in original post.

When I first got into electricity and tube electronics, I used a 125 watt American Beauty for everything. There were no small pencil irons then, and almost everything was larger and required a heftier iron, anyway. I still have it, and also a 300 watt behemoth.

I have a modern Aoyue soldering station that I use now for most things.

 

[exmaxima1]

OP wasn't specific about type in original post.

When I first got into electricity and tube electronics, I used a 125 watt American Beauty for everything. There were no small pencil irons then, and almost everything was larger and required a heftier iron, anyway. I still have it, and also a 300 watt behemoth.

I have a modern Aoyue soldering station that I use now for most things.

I have one too, cotton covered cord and all. I don't think I've plugged it in since 1965....

 

[PBCampbell]

American Beauty and Hexacon have a large array of soldering equipment. They're not just the big wattage irons. 15/20 watts and up, soldering stations, and even resistance soldering rigs.There's another American industrial soldering company too, but I can't recall their name.

 

[four.cycle]

I've been using one of these for years:
http://toolmonger.com/2006/11/01/finds-wellers-portasol-line/
mine's actually a "Portasol" brand.
had to buy replacement tips from the Snap-On man (Blue-Point brand.)

easy. fast.

 

[Rarified27]

There's nothing wrong with the red Weller stuff, but the light blue/aqua colored stuff is a better quality.

Both are fine for home/DIY work.

I use a China-made Mudder and an off the rack (HD) red Weller at work, with an aqua Weller at home- they've all been fine for building and rebuilding lots of electronic music equipment (speakers, amps, keyboards, samplers, etc).

 

[cgv69]

There are a lot of different good options depending on your intended use but for a decent general purpose tool for occasion use, something like the Weller WP35 would be fine (and I'm not even a big Weller fan) but as little as it sounds like you are going to use it, there probably isn't any good reason to spend more then that.

 

[GirchyGirchy]

There are a lot of different good options depending on your intended use but for a decent general purpose tool for occasion use, something like the Weller WP35 would be fine (and I'm not even a big Weller fan) but as little as it sounds like you are going to use it, there probably isn't any good reason to spend more then that.

Finally a voice of reason...hell, even a cheap Weller SP23 would probably work just fine. There's no need for a soldering station for occasional use.