Soldering Iron vs Soldering gun???

[littletoes]

OK guys---Enlighten Me!

What is the difference between a soldering iron, and a soldering gun????

Are the applications different? (I'm sure they are!), just not sure what they might be, OR what might work better for "me".

Not going to do much soldering of electronic boards (I usually just replace them!), if I was going to 'drop' some solder on a board, it would be a big mess!

What I seem to be doing, is trying to save some money by re-soldering connections back on wires, the guns just seem SO-OOO bulky, and hard to get in tight places....

I have some interest in a Weller WPS18MP.

 

[Alchymist]

Gun heats up quickly, cools quickly, ideal for intermittent use. Iron takes a while to heat up, usually left on for bench use where repetitive soldering is being done. Irons range from huge 1/2" or so tips down to tiny micro tips, many have thermostat adjustable temperature control, guns usually 2 heat settings, trigger controlled.

 

[tcianci]

The basic function of the 2 tools is the same but you will find that soldering guns tend to be higher in wattage (heat capability) than the irons. Knowing which one to use and when is the trick. Both devices reach the temperatures needed to melt and flow solder but Too much heat (that is being able to heat not only the solder joint but too much of the surrounding area or components) will damage more stuff than it fixes unless you move fast with the tool. Conversely, if you try to solder with an iron that's too small in wattage, you will find that you're spending a lot of time trying to get the joint up to temperature and that will also damage surrounding stuff. High wattage irons or guns tend to have bigger tips which may not be able to apply heat to a very concentrated area. A rough rule of thumb would be to use an iron for circuit board work and a gun or large iron for discreet components like cable lugs or heavier (16 gauge and thicker) wire for splices or connections to terminals.

Hope this helps.

BTW if you have no experience in soldering , You would want to be using a "flux core" solder for electrical work. The whole theory in getting a good solder joint is to heat the joint sufficiently so that the items to be soldered actually melt the solder. The solder follows the heat so if you melt a blob of solder onto the tip of the iron or the gun, put it to the joint and expect it to flow, you're not going to be successful. Rather, you want to "tin" the soldering tool with a small amount of solder which will help the tip of the tool to transfer heat to the joint and then bring the solder to the joint and it will flow once it is sufficiently heated. A little (or a lot) of practice never hurts.

 

[littletoes]

This is GREAT advice!

I probably have more soldering experience than most folks walking around....but that is on PIPES....not the same animal! Although the technique described above is exactly the same.
Experience using an Iron/Gun is almost non-existent, for me.

Thanks Guys!! It truly is a BIG help....I'm about to solder 14 guage wire.

 

[Gary S]

You should have one of each. Soldering gun for bigger jobs, and soldering iron for small jobs that too much heat can damage.
And, most important, you can't use just any flux core solder. For electronics, it must be rosin core solder.

 

[tcianci]

You should have one of each. Soldering gun for bigger jobs, and soldering iron for small jobs that too much heat can damage.
And, most important, you can't use just any flux core solder. For electronics, it must be rosin core solder.

Right you are! That's what I meant to say instead of flux core. I've got MIG wire on my brain I guess...Thanks for the straight skinny.

 

[hifi_hokie]

Acid & water-cored are the devil.

Ditto for lead-free...I like the 2% silver bearing stuff given the choice, but good old 60/40 will probably be around until the zombies get us all.

 

[LEVE]

Two major differences between a soldering gun and soldering iron are, of course the heat, but also a soldering gun can induce a current into the circuit. That can fry (electrically) today's circuits. A soldering iron is not as likely to have this problem.

So, be careful when using a soldering gun around a printed circuit board unless you know what's mounted on that PCB. It could get ugly, and expensive, real fast.

 

[Alchymist]

Two major differences between a soldering gun and soldering iron are, of course the heat, but also a soldering gun can induce a current into the circuit. That can fry (electrically) today's circuits. A soldering iron is not as likely to have this problem.

So, be careful when using a soldering gun around a printed circuit board unless you know what's mounted on that PCB. It could get ugly, and expensive, real fast.

When working on ESD sensitive pc boards, an iron with a grounded tip is essential.

 

[flippin]

When working on ESD sensitive pc boards, an iron with a grounded tip is essential.

Was about to chime in with exactly the same info. If you are looking for a great soldering iron for electronics, the robin egg blue Weller stations (wtcpt) have been around since electricity was invented and they are bomb proof. You could find used ones all over the place and there's a bunch of youtube videos teaching you how to retro fit a tip ground if you need to.

That said for mobile work most of us have switched to Weller Portsols (butane irons) with great success.

 

[racingtadpole]

I tend to shy away from battery powered soldering devices (weve trialled nearly all of them at work and we keep coming to the same conclusion). I use a Goot PX232 46W iron at both work and home (liked it so much at work that when my Weller crapped its heater coil I bought one for home) and if I need portable I have a Weller Pyropen (just dont solder upside down in the bowels of a Cat dozer dash board with the exhaust port facing the wrong way... )

 

[jeffmoss26]

I did a good amount of audio work throughout college so I soldered my fair share of cables. I used a Weller WLC100 soldering station for 99 percent of my work, with different tips depending on what I was working on. About the only thing I used the soldering GUN for was tinning 12 gauge wire for speaker cables. The iron just did not produce enough heat.
I don't do much soldering anymore, so I just have a basic Parts Express soldering station. I used it last night to bring a friend's Bose Wave Radio back to life! Temperature control is critical, use the right type of solder, and keep the tip clean. I replaced the sponge in my soldering station with a brass scouring pad. Seems to work a lot better.

 

[Steinmetz]

Guns are actually a transformer where one of the windings comprises the heating element. They will only operate on AC. The "advantage" is that they heat quickly, but in my experience, provide very uneven heat. I never use them. An iron heats a plug tip by a resistance heater, thus providing the thermal capacitance that allows more even heating.

I use the "American Beauty" soldering irons on most things, including my old radio equipment.

 

[mopho]

Fyi a quality Iron will be at temp in less than 60 seconds. The issue with a the $7 jobber from homedepot is temp control and recovery. It turns on and just get hotter and hotter untill it burns the tip up and is worthless. A quality soldering station will not only stabilize at the temp you set it has the added capacity to hold that temp while your working I could leave it on for days without issue. If you ever plan on doing any amount soldering save yourself the headache and pick up a quality soldering station.

This is what I'm currently using.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004M3U0VU/?tag=atomicindus08-20

I do 8ga and 10ga connections regularly.

 

[subarub4]

The above posts have you covered as what each type is but if you ever use flux don't use anything with zinc chloride for electronics!

 

[subarub4]

Fyi a quality Iron will be at temp in less than 60 seconds. The issue with a the $7 jobber from homedepot is temp control and recovery. It turns on and just get hotter and hotter untill it burns the tip up and is worthless. A quality soldering station will not only stabilize at the temp you set it has the added capacity to hold that temp while your working I could leave it on for days without issue. If you ever plan on doing any amount soldering save yourself the headache and pick up a quality soldering station.

This is what I'm currently using.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004M3U0VU/?tag=atomicindus08-20

I do 8ga and 10ga connections regularly.

I'm looking at getting that same soldering station, so tired of buying the radio shack 40W and 15 W irons.. the tips are ****.

 

[mopho]

I'm looking at getting that same soldering station, so tired of buying the radio shack 40W and 15 W irons.. the tips are ****.

In my experience you will only become frustrated working with it and, with the results of the connections. I Race R/C and my connections not only have to be durable but, pass very high amperage. That said if you do order that Iron plan on ordering a tip or two the one it comes with is a tiny electronics tip

 

[subarub4]

In my experience you will only become frustrated working with it and, with the results of the connections. I Race R/C and my connections not only have to be durable but, pass very high amperage. That said if you do order that Iron plan on ordering a tip or two the one it comes with is a tiny electronics tip

Well most of my work consists of PCB's and other small electronics, last work I did had me using a iron for a little over 5 hours (restored a 1963 Hammond B3) so I think right now I have a total of 5 of the radio shack irons, I don't care about the connections because I need something with a stable temp as some of the simple things ***** the heat out of the tip.

 

[mopho]

I'm willing to bet "How did i ever live without this?" comes out of your mouth once you get it.

 

[subarub4]

Oh yeah I'm sure!

 

[PhysicsDude]

I recommend getting a 50W iron with a built in stand and temperature control knob.

I have this station and it does the trick. Puts out a pretty good amount of heat:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000I40HFQ/?tag=atomicindus08-20

Its a cheap one, but sufficient for most needs.

If you want a nicer unit, the Weller temperature controlled station is much nicer, makes soldering anything where more head is required a lot easier, but its also 4X the price.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000BRC2XU/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[lahv4321]

So if I just need a soldering tool to do some miner home repairs and jewelry repair I'd probably want a soldering iron? . . . .

 

[Alchymist]

So if I just need a soldering tool to do some miner home repairs and jewelry repair I'd probably want a soldering iron? . . . .

Would probably sufice as long as it's an adjustable temperature controlled style. Soldering is all about 1) choosing the solder type for the materials to be joined, and 2) estimating the amount of heat required and where applied.

For example, soldering to small copper strips together - it may take a while with a smaller heat source, and a lot of heat conducted away from the joint, but doable. More heat would shorten the job, but may not be available.

On the other hand, a high heat and a very short duration is essential on some connections where excess exposure would result in damage to adjacent components or insulation.

Here's some good reading:
https://www.protostack.com/download/NASA Student Handbook for Hand Soldering.pdf

 

[nadogail]

Nobody mentioned using a blow torch and soldering coppers.

Guns or Irons, they each have their place.

 

[Bigbandguy]

Another little trick that might come in handy. When you are soldering electronic components such as resistors, capacitors etc. (you can tell I work on old radios and amps etc) It will be a good idea to have one or more pairs of surgical hemostats which are little clamps normally used to hold blood vessels closed during surgery. Harbor Freight sells a non sterile knockoff very inexpensively. If you clamp one of those around the component lead next to your solder joint, it will act as a heat sink and keep other components from being damaged. I have everything from a temp controlled station, to the usual RS irons, and several guns (all Wellers including the big one) It is a good idea to match the tool to the job. Radios it would be an iron or a small Weller. For #12 wire, one of the bigger Wellers .

 

[zmaxmotorsports]

The basic function of the 2 tools is the same but you will find that soldering guns tend to be higher in wattage (heat capability) than the irons. Knowing which one to use and when is the trick. Both devices reach the temperatures needed to melt and flow solder but Too much heat (that is being able to heat not only the solder joint but too much of the surrounding area or components) will damage more stuff than it fixes unless you move fast with the tool. Conversely, if you try to solder with an iron that's too small in wattage, you will find that you're spending a lot of time trying to get the joint up to temperature and that will also damage surrounding stuff. High wattage irons or guns tend to have bigger tips which may not be able to apply heat to a very concentrated area. A rough rule of thumb would be to use an iron for circuit board work and a gun or large iron for discreet components like cable lugs or heavier (16 gauge and thicker) wire for splices or connections to terminals.

Hope this helps.

BTW if you have no experience in soldering , You would want to be using a "flux core" solder for electrical work. The whole theory in getting a good solder joint is to heat the joint sufficiently so that the items to be soldered actually melt the solder. The solder follows the heat so if you melt a blob of solder onto the tip of the iron or the gun, put it to the joint and expect it to flow, you're not going to be successful. Rather, you want to "tin" the soldering tool with a small amount of solder which will help the tip of the tool to transfer heat to the joint and then bring the solder to the joint and it will flow once it is sufficiently heated. A little (or a lot) of practice never hurts.