I need a soldering iron.

[cashishift]

What should I be looking for?

GJ approved units?

 

[EOC_Jason]

Soldering what? Different jobs need different sizes...

For circuit board work and small wires I love my Weller WES51....

 

[cashishift]

General soldering, possibly light circuit board work. Mainly fixing stuff.

smaller gauge wire would be its primary use if i had to guess. occasional soldering of the end of 4ga wire for cars batteries.

 

[kd3pc]

weller stations, as opposed to irons are my go to for most light work. The big, vintage Weller "gun" is the go to for heavier work or UHF connectors.

Hakko stations, especially used, are tremendous value and are as loved as the wellers.

 

[rlitman]

General soldering, possibly light circuit board work. Mainly fixing stuff.

smaller gauge wire would be its primary use if i had to guess. occasional soldering of the end of 4ga wire for cars batteries.

LOL, you're not going to find one iron that can do all that.
That's like saying you want a sports car that can hold its own on the track, but sometimes you want it to haul sheets of plywood and the occasional pallet of rocks.

If you want something inexpensive, that can work on a circuit board and join wires perhaps as large as 16 gauge, I'd point you to this:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000VINMRO/?tag=atomicindus08-20

A soldering station has thermostatic heat control. It will heat up faster, and stay at the right temperature, which makes things so much easier.

The 937+ has a little more power (that's the one I have, though I'm not crazy about the digital control):
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000I30QBW/?tag=atomicindus08-20

Both of these take Hakko tips.

For most other soldering, I use my Weller Portasol. Butane is cordless, so that's a plus, but heat control is a little more difficult with these, and it's easy to overheat the tip if you're not paying attention.

 

[EOC_Jason]

For battery cables I would use like the D650 or a similar sized soldering gun, a little iron won't do it...

Or if you had a propane torch that works too.

 

[cashishift]

LOL, you're not going to find one iron that can do all that.
That's like saying you want a sports car that can hold its own on the track, but sometimes you want it to haul sheets of plywood and the occasional pallet of rocks.

If you want something inexpensive, that can work on a circuit board and join wires perhaps as large as 16 gauge, I'd point you to this:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000VINMRO/?tag=atomicindus08-20

A soldering station has thermostatic heat control. It will heat up faster, and stay at the right temperature, which makes things so much easier.

The 937+ has a little more power (that's the one I have, though I'm not crazy about the digital control):
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000I30QBW/?tag=atomicindus08-20

Both of these take Hakko tips.

For most other soldering, I use my Weller Portasol. Butane is cordless, so that's a plus, but heat control is a little more difficult with these, and it's easy to overheat the tip if you're not paying attention.

They make trailer hitches for sports cars too

This one should be adequate then:

40 watts - pen style

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00B3SG6UQ/?tag=atomicindus08-20

The WLC100 is also tempting
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000AS28UC/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[cashishift]

For battery cables I would use like the D650 or a similar sized soldering gun, a little iron won't do it...

Or if you had a propane torch that works too.

yep - i have a propane torch

 

[Leaflessshadetree]

I'd say you need at least 2 soldering irons and a variety of tips for each, especially for circuit boards. I don't like soldering on battery cables but if that's what you want then that's a third.

 

[Schurkey]

LOL, you're not going to find one iron that can do all that.

I did...but it was discontinued years ago.

I have a Wen that has three interchangeable tips--40 watt, 100 watt, and 450 watt. A damned fine soldering gun. Of course, Wen hasn't made it for a decade or two...or three.

I'd say you need at least 2 soldering irons and a variety of tips for each, especially for circuit boards. I don't like soldering on battery cables but if that's what you want then that's a third.

Battery cable is more a matter of a torch and a pot of hot, liquid lead, and dipping the prepared end. Otherwise you're going to melt the insulation before you get much solder applied.

 

[Marctrees]

cashi - Yes, for the battery large gauge work, the propane torch gently applied w/ wisdom.

Otherwise - For the smaller work - NO need to spend big$ for occasional work.

Either a Old school Weller gun, and / or for smaller work, ANY $12 - 20 pencil iron.

One of the two or similar below - Marc

medium work -

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00002N7S1/?tag=atomicindus08-20

Small work - something like this - The "lead free" part is marketing ******** to appeal to the gluten free crowd, it's just a damn pencil iron.

Insane - We've all been eating Gluten since God made us.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Weller-Electric-Lead-Free-Soldering-Kit/4734289

 

[Marctrees]

This "no Lead" idea on that link is total BS for this application.

Copper water pipes, MAYBE different story, but I think still BS seeing as how the solder barely if at all actually touches the water.

And even then, so what??

But I digressed .......


Schurkey - Just one argument - For the battery terminal or similar heavy gauge wire -

You don't need a pot of molten solder.

Unless you are doing in factory for a thousand of terminations, then maybe.

And yes, a bit of insulation near the end may degrade from the heat, but no bigee other than aesthetic appearance.

Just the torch, heat the lug AND the wire, and apply either rosin core, OR even acid flux brushed on wire and inside terminal, and no core old school solder, making sure it wicks, capillaries, fully flows.

Set to side to naturally cool, no jiggling while solidifying, job done Space Shuttle quality, forever. Marc

 

[raiderhillbilly]

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000AS28UC/?tag=atomicindus08-20

I have a weller 23watt (red one) and a Radio Shack 30watt that would not heat up enough to work on guitar parts so i bought the Weller 40watt station from Amazon. If anyone wants a smaller iron cheap, PM me.

 

[lostmymanual]

General soldering, possibly light circuit board work. Mainly fixing stuff.

smaller gauge wire would be its primary use if i had to guess. occasional soldering of the end of 4ga wire for cars batteries.

Solder 4ga wires and board level soldering and two complete different equipment requirements that are incompatible. That would be the equivalent of using a 20lb hammer for pins. You'll get it started and then destroy the project. I reality, 4ga wires aren't very well soldered without specialty equipment and should be crimped instead. The amount of conduction a 4AWG cable possesses will **** the heat right out of your iron and leave you frustrated and without any type of solder penetration.

You can; however get away with about 12ga wire with an iron capable of using replaceable tips and temperature controls suitable for board repairs. My personal favorite is the biforcated tips.

Note that 60/40 solder melts at about 370 degrees (F). Most of these "15" or "25" Watt plug-in soldering irons heat up to about 900 degrees. The fact that their tip starts eroding away is a dead give away that they are heating up way too hot for a good soldering iron. 600 degrees is as high as you want to go and even then, you must minimize the dwell time to keep from destroying components and board substrate. Working with one of those irons at the board level can be accomplished by a skilled solderer. There is a such thing as "deadening" solder and most laymen do just that without realizing why their solder joints are cracking.


I can tell you that if you are serious about learning the craft of soldering that skipping the wall plug units and buying a station is required. The Weller station mentioned above is just fine as long as you can control the heat. More solder is NOT the fix for a job that is not cooperating. Cleaning and preperation; which include removing conformal coatings, oils and tinning before joining is the fix.

Everyone "thinks" they can solder if they have ever stuck 2 things together just like everyone "thinks" they can weld.

Spend about $60 on a soldering station and practice tinning leads with flux. Do not depend on the rosin core of the solder. Clean the oxidation of the solder and the work peice with alcohol. Thermally shock the iron with a wet sponge immediately before applying the solder. Heat the work pieces then "FLOW" the solder. Do not load the solder tip with a glob of solder then try to soak it on. Unlearn that habit if you have developed it and you will be well on your way to becoming a soldering expert. There is a place for that in soldering micro-level components with many legs smaller than the tip point, lots of flux, lots of practice and lots of preperation but it is not how to splice wire.

BTW, I'm not trying to be terse. I do happen to hold advanced soldering skills near and dear to my heart. I was soldering since I was 8 years old and thought that made me accomplished. I later learned I was doing hack work. If you remember the old original slot cars; the REAL slot cars that ran on a bank of deep cycle batteries on tracks the size of buildings, then you'll know what I'm talking about that. Building those big slot cars with piano wire and solder was a real joy. Their are only a few tracks left in the country these days. I thought I knew how to solder. After I joined the Navy, did my first tour and finally later formally learned how to truly solder at the component level in a lab; I finished my time following submarine duty in one of the last military component level troubleshooting and repair labs at Fleet Technical Support Center. I was fortunate enough to finish an arduous tour with a shore duty that I truly loved. It's not work when you love what you do.

As a civilian automation Electronics Technician, one of the biggest problems I now deal with are people who do not know how to solder, when or how to crimp and how to terminate wires. It's not rocket science but it does require a moderate level of caring; which is usually the root cause of the problems encountered. Crimping is not a cop-out if you haven't the facilities or equipment available for correct soldering.

I encourage you to pursue it as it is very rewarding and fast becoming a lost craft. I didn't say lost "art" because it is a science even though most people seem to turn off their brains and disregard the fundamentals of what they trying to accomplish.

It's all in the setup, just like welding thin wall steel. Flux is your friend. Isopropyl cleans most things just fine. Contact cleaner is your enemy. If you do not buy an ESD setup, then learn to ground yourself to the ground plane of board before touching components. You can easily improvise ESD protection with household items or just about anything that's a conductor including foils.

Less heat and more clean!

This will cheaply get you started but something with a temperature display is preferred. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000AS28UC/?tag=atomicindus08-20 If you let the iron heat up and turn it down to the point that it will melt the solder vs deadening the solder right away, then you're already ahead of the curve.

Use a station with a solder pencil versus an iron with a direct plug and you will have vastly better control. Solder irons are good for wood burning... And my strong recommendation and hopes is that no one here ever gets sucked into buying a solder "gun". They are garbage for actual soldering. They are GREAT for melting stuff if that is your aim (like those little plastic melting knife tips).

Good luck my friend.

 

[matt_i]

I had the pleasure of using a Metcal soldering station many years back. I was amazed at the thin little pencil and the seemingly supercharged amount of heat that could be flowed from that tip. Not like anything I've ever used before or since. Of course the amazing performance is quite costly and I've never been able to justify it for my small needs.

I recommend getting a butane version as another tool to supplement your soldering abilities, I have the Master Appliance version and it has done countless jobs on trucks and trailers, saving a lot of hassle with trying to find cords and also working in places where there were none. A side benefit is the exhaust gas output is perfect for shrinking moisture-seal tubing.

 

[Falcon67]

I have a Weller gun I got from Lowes. Good for most things around here - car work and such. I don't do PCB work, so a station would be overkill. Not that there is anything wrong with that.

 

[BearsFan315]

I needed a new iron, and bought this item here: Aoyue 469 Variable Power 60 Watt Soldering Station with Removable Tip Design
as i wanted adjustable temp, changeable tips, and at least 60 Watts !!

Man is this thing nice, great little iron for all my soldering needs. i have used the hell out of it, doing wiring around the house for small items as well as soldering wires for my 1929 Restoration !! TONS of TIPS you can get based on what you are doing...

no complaints here

 

[MoonRise]

+99 on a "soldering station" for most electrical/electronic soldering.

https://www.circuitspecialists.com/soldering-stations

Or Amazon or wherever.

And a +2571 on not trying to use a soldering iron/station to even attempt to solder car battery cables. They will most likely not produce enough "heat" to get the job done (which is not the same thing as the "temperature" of the soldering tip).

 

[lostmymanual]

I recommend getting a butane version as another tool to supplement your soldering abilities, I have the Master Appliance version and it has done countless jobs on trucks and trailers, saving a lot of hassle with trying to find cords and also working in places where there were none. A side benefit is the exhaust gas output is perfect for shrinking moisture-seal tubing.

The Master Appliance gas soldering iron is hands-down the best portable gas unit ever made. I've tried everything from Weller, Dremel and some brands I've never heard of that some shops outfitted with. They were all garbage but I wanted to give it a shot because I was familiar with their heat guns. The Master Appliance actually controls heat, has a decent tank and is quality made. I actually ordered one after working with one on the job. That is primarily what I use for tinning and splicing wiring with outside of the home. Mostly automotive stuff.

Top of the line soldering stations can get way too pricey for a homeowner. $2500+ for a Pace soldering station is way too much for someone to learn on but they were top notch and a joy to use.

Also, Master Appliances Professional heat gun is top of the line. I've had one for over a decade. I've used it for everything from heat shrink to paint removal for 2 entire decks. I think it's rated for something crazy like 1K degrees. I don't know if it actually gets that hot but I suspect it can at the nozzle because do know it can light wood and dried paint on fire. Their lesser heat guns also get hot but do not move near the volume. It makes picking up a Black and Decker seem like a hair drier. Buy once and cry once with that heat gun. I suspect you'd need a straight up propane torch to make anything hotter without instantly burning it.

ETA: I'm not trying to offend anyone. Lots of people make it through life just fine learning to use what they have. At some point, everyone has to weigh the benefits and make compromises on something or another.

 

[Conor]

I recently bought a Hakko FX888D and it kicks ***. It gets HOT really fast, and stays hot.

 

[Jawn]

I recently bought a Hakko FX888D and it kicks ***. It gets HOT really fast, and stays hot.

I love my FX888D for electronics work but anything bigger than through-hole electronics or small gauge wire, use something with more oomph. I use a 140w Weller soldering gun for such... the kind you find at flea markets cheap. I think I paid $4 for mine, probably 1970s vintage but nearly new condition in the box.

 

[Infinia]

occasional soldering of the end of 4ga wire for cars batteries.

 

[tool_scrounge]

I had the pleasure of using a Metcal soldering station many years back. I was amazed at the thin little pencil and the seemingly supercharged amount of heat that could be flowed from that tip. Not like anything I've ever used before or since. Of course the amazing performance is quite costly and I've never been able to justify it for my small needs.

e

Metcall soldering irons are great. I see them in a lot of companies around here. Get a used on on ebay for home use. I really like the near instantaneous warm up time.

 

[Finky198]

+1 for Master Appliance great stuff has lasted 20 years butane user here as well. They also make excellent heat guns.