Righteous Weller soldering gun?

[jmarkwolf]

I inadvertently sold my dad's old Weller 200W/240W decades old soldering gun, and am still kicking myself. That gun was probably as old as me, and I'm old, and it always kicked booty.

Bought a new "Professional" D550Pak 200W/240W at ACE Hardware yesterday. What a disappointment! Right out of the box the lights didn't work and the second range didn't work at all. The trigger switch just feels cheesy. Made in Mexico according to the packaging. It's going back today.

Can anyone advise if they make a worthy soldering gun anymore, or suggest an alternative?

 

[Kscardsfan]

Seems like most of the ones I see anymore are cheap junk. If you find a good one at a reasonable price it’s a unicorn.

 

[dogdog]

200W ??? define soldering gun usage ?

 

[Sevenhills1952]

200W ??? define soldering gun usage ?

Depends on what he's soldering, just like welding.
Ebay I see lots of Wellers. Mine...I make my own tips. Solid copper wire bent to match, ends bend out (after installing the nuts). Pinch the end in a vice. Paste flux and tin it.

Sent from my SM-S205DL using Tapatalk

 

[Azzkker]

I use a wall solder gun for all but small items for which I use my digital Weller solder station.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000VM3PTU/?tag=atomicindus08-20

This will not disappoint. I have two of them, my original I bought back in 2002 and it's still working like new.

 

[tarbellb]

Go buy the same one off Ebay.

Or look into Hakko, always a stellar choice.

 

[RTM]

Lots of them at Garage sales and on CL around here. I have these, both from GSales

8200-n 140/100W
D550 260/200W

 

[jmarkwolf]

200W ??? define soldering gun usage ?

Wiring harness work. Twist a couple or three stranded 16awg wires together and try to tin them with a 100/140watt Weller doesn't work very well.

Or desolder something quickly before heat transfer ruins what you're trying to work on.

Or desolder large components from a circuit board that has large high-current solder planes thick with solder.

The list goes on.

 

[MoonRise]

For soldering (or desoldering) any circuit board stuff, use a soldering station and NOT a 'soldering gun'.

Soldering gun typically is 'electrical' at the tip. As in, may be electrically 'live' or electrically conductive. At least the 'old school' soldering guns (like the classic Weller stuff) that I am familiar with and have used.

Soldering station typically has a heating element (often ceramic) that uses the electricity to heat up the actual soldering tip. The tip is electrically isolated, no voltage on it or through it.

And old-school soldering guns are usually big and bulky and heavy, because you are holding the ENTIRE item in your hand. Including the heavy transformer.

With a soldering station, you only hold the handpiece. The transformer and such sits on the bench (or floor ) and is connected to the handpiece with just a relatively small and light cable. And they're usually temperature controlled. And have a continuous (or near continuous) duty-cycle (unlike all of the soldering guns I've seen or used).

Several 16 gauge stranded (or solid) wires twisted together and tinned and then soldered together? No problem for even my 'little' soldering station. Which is older and not even digital!

The 'name' to get in soldering stations is Hakko.

I've ordered from these folks in the past, no problems at all with service or the products.

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

YMMV and all that.

 

[bwringer]

Lots of them at Garage sales and on CL around here. I have these, both from GSales

8200-n 140/100W
D550 260/200W

Earlier this year I found a whole '70s Weller soldering gun kit in the case, virtually un-used, for $5 at a Habitat Restore. One of my best scores ever. The wee tin of flux had spread goo all over the inside, but that was easily handled.


I'll agree a decent soldering station is most often a better tool for the job, especially anything delicate, but sometimes you just need that gently humming blast of heat.

 

[RTM]

I use my guns for steaming dents out of wood, cutting plastic materials, etc. Not so much soldering small wires since I got a pencil.

I suspect that soldering metal sheet might be in their realm as well.

 

[The Cobbler]

I have 2 of those old wellers. bought them both at Habitat probably
one is like brand new, the other has used signs. you can find them on ebay sometimes

 

[jmarkwolf]

Sorry Moonrise.

I hear what you're saying but I've soldered (and desoldered) everything from 0.020 inch fine pitch surface mount components, using pencil irons and soldering stations of course, to large power components in my 37 year engineering career and there is little to compare to a good 'ole Weller gun when you need it.