Post by thread:[OT] Want to buy soldering iron station

www.hosfelt.com/ had a WLC-100 (?) for $38ish the other day, if that's the same as the JDR iron. Don't know on the RS iron. Skill has a lot to do with results, as does experience with that particular iron, and tip selection (and, as I've been learning lately, water soluble flux doesn't flow as well as I'd like, so you need to work with the flux you're using. It is easy to remove indoors, out of the rain <G>) Best I can say on irons in 15 words or less is, "If it helps, it's good - if you need more iron capabilities, spend more money." Are you doing or do you plan to do though-hole, or SMT, and/or super fine pitch SMT? Will the station work with those as you gain more experience with it? (I'm sure many of us could do anything with a $3 Radio Shack iron with a 1Meg resistor hand-connected to ground, frankly <G>) Mark John Pearson wrote: > I want to buy a new soldering iron station. Is the digital station sold by > Radio Shack any good? > > I also saw a Weller analog station in JDR cataloge for $50.00. > > These okay for a hobbiest? > > Thanks > John

<x-flowed>I have 2 irons that I use in my consulting business, and I like them both. One is the Weller WLC100, and the other is a Weller EC2002M. The EC2002M is the BEST iron I have ever used, and I have used most of them. However, it is not cheap. There are similar analog units that are probably just as good, from Weller. The WLC100 is probably appropriate for a hobbyist. I am not familiar with the Radio Shack unit you are referring to, but I have never been impressed by any irons by anyone other than Weller, including Metcal, who make even more expensive irons. It depends on what you are doing, and how serious you are. If you need an iron that can handle virtually anything from 20 mil pitch IC's to 5 watt resistors, then buy a good, temperature controlled Weller iron like the EC2002M (but you don't need the digital feature.) If you are just looking for a general purpose iron, then a cheaper Weller is probably good. Also, Weller has an EXCELLENT warranty program. They replace virtually anything for either free, or $70. Ed At 10:09 AM 5/3/2000 -0700, you wrote: >I want to buy a new soldering iron station. Is the digital station sold by >Radio Shack any good? > >I also saw a Weller analog station in JDR cataloge for $50.00. > >These okay for a hobbiest? > >Thanks >John </x-flowed>

Ed Wrote > I have 2 irons that I use in my consulting business, and I like them both. > One is the Weller WLC100, and the other is a Weller EC2002M. The EC2002M is > the BEST iron I have ever used, and I have used most of them. However, it > is not cheap. There are similar analog units that are probably just as > good, from Weller. My vote is for the Weller WSD80. I have had one for the last few months and I am going to slowly dump all our other irons (Hioki, other Wellers etc) and replace them with WSD80's. Our hotair pencil is hardly ever used now. Much to my total disbelief I can solder (moderate size) SMD with this and a fine tip. Heat recovery is as good as units much more expensive. It may cost a bit more, and I know the question was about personal/hobby use but it represents very good value for money. _____________________________ Lance Allen Technical Officer Uni of Auckland Psych Dept New Zealand http://www.psych.auckland.ac.nz _____________________________

I saw the following in another mail list. I am copying it without permission. I hope he won't mind. >Look at this soldering station- http://www.web-tronics.com/solstat.html >I have one and it seems to do a great job. Also a reasonable selection of >tips available, as well as other >replacement parts. You can't beat it for the price! >72/3 John N4FLJ ---------- > From: John Pearson <spam_OUTxeroTakeThisOuTCMC.NET> > To: .....PICLISTKILLspam@spam@MITVMA.MIT.EDU > Subject: [OT] Want to buy soldering iron station > Date: Wednesday, May 03, 2000 1:09 PM > > I want to buy a new soldering iron station. Is the digital station sold by > Radio Shack any good? > > I also saw a Weller analog station in JDR cataloge for $50.00. > > These okay for a hobbiest? > > Thanks > John

I have a Weller EC2002A. The factory inspection date on it is 1-18-1984. I think I bought it that summer. It's been a great iron, nothing has broken or burned out. With the right tip, I can solder darn near anything. I have a small box with a collection of tips and various solders (and a Sal Ammoniac tinning block makes tips last twice as long). My personal opinion then and now - if you are going to do electronics for a long time, spend the bucks for a good quality iron. Making the job fit the tool is never fun. Same is true for all your tools, really. (I'd never buy anything but a Tektronix oscope, either). I haven't seen the Radio Shack iron, but I have never seen a good Radio Shack iron in the past. Back to PIC programming..... Robert Wuest, PE Sirius Engineering Company Ed Troy wrote: {Quote hidden}> > I have 2 irons that I use in my consulting business, and I like them both. > One is the Weller WLC100, and the other is a Weller EC2002M. The EC2002M is > the BEST iron I have ever used, and I have used most of them. However, it > is not cheap. There are similar analog units that are probably just as > good, from Weller. The WLC100 is probably appropriate for a hobbyist. I am > not familiar with the Radio Shack unit you are referring to, but I have > never been impressed by any irons by anyone other than Weller, including > Metcal, who make even more expensive irons. It depends on what you are > doing, and how serious you are. If you need an iron that can handle > virtually anything from 20 mil pitch IC's to 5 watt resistors, then buy a > good, temperature controlled Weller iron like the EC2002M (but you don't > need the digital feature.) If you are just looking for a general purpose > iron, then a cheaper Weller is probably good. Also, Weller has an EXCELLENT > warranty program. They replace virtually anything for either free, or $70. > > Ed > > At 10:09 AM 5/3/2000 -0700, you wrote: > >I want to buy a new soldering iron station. Is the digital station sold by > >Radio Shack any good? > > > >I also saw a Weller analog station in JDR cataloge for $50.00. > > > >These okay for a hobbiest? > > > >Thanks > >John

<x-flowed>At 10:09 AM 5/3/00 -0700, you wrote: >I want to buy a new soldering iron station. Is the digital station sold by >Radio Shack any good? > >I also saw a Weller analog station in JDR cataloge for $50.00. > >These okay for a hobbiest? > >Thanks >John Marlin P Jones has the Weller WLC-100 for $36.95. (http://www.mpja.com/) Radio Shack has a sale on their $150 station for $75 this month. (http://www.radioshack.com/b2b/) ================================================================ Robert A. LaBudde, PhD, PAS, Dpl. ACAFS e-mail: ralKILLspamlcfltd.com Least Cost Formulations, Ltd. URL: http://lcfltd.com/ 824 Timberlake Drive Tel: 757-467-0954 Virginia Beach, VA 23464-3239 Fax: 757-467-2947 "Vere scire est per causas scire" ================================================================ </x-flowed>

You mentioned the Sal Amoniac tinning block. I bought one of these out of a catalog once and couldn't figure out what to do with it. It was basically a big salt lick. Didn't melt, didn't seem to do anything to the iron tip, didn't have any instructions. How exactly are you supposed to use one? Robert Wuest wrote: {Quote hidden}> I have a Weller EC2002A. The factory inspection date on it is > 1-18-1984. I think I bought it that summer. It's been a great iron, > nothing has broken or burned out. With the right tip, I can solder darn > near anything. I have a small box with a collection of tips and various > solders (and a Sal Ammoniac tinning block makes tips last twice as > long). > > My personal opinion then and now - if you are going to do electronics > for a long time, spend the bucks for a good quality iron. Making the > job fit the tool is never fun. Same is true for all your tools, really. > (I'd never buy anything but a Tektronix oscope, either). > > I haven't seen the Radio Shack iron, but I have never seen a good Radio > Shack iron in the past. > > Back to PIC programming..... > > Robert Wuest, PE > Sirius Engineering Company > > Ed Troy wrote: > > > > I have 2 irons that I use in my consulting business, and I like them both. > > One is the Weller WLC100, and the other is a Weller EC2002M. The EC2002M is > > the BEST iron I have ever used, and I have used most of them. However, it > > is not cheap. There are similar analog units that are probably just as > > good, from Weller. The WLC100 is probably appropriate for a hobbyist. I am > > not familiar with the Radio Shack unit you are referring to, but I have > > never been impressed by any irons by anyone other than Weller, including > > Metcal, who make even more expensive irons. It depends on what you are > > doing, and how serious you are. If you need an iron that can handle > > virtually anything from 20 mil pitch IC's to 5 watt resistors, then buy a > > good, temperature controlled Weller iron like the EC2002M (but you don't > > need the digital feature.) If you are just looking for a general purpose > > iron, then a cheaper Weller is probably good. Also, Weller has an EXCELLENT > > warranty program. They replace virtually anything for either free, or $70. > > > > Ed > > > > At 10:09 AM 5/3/2000 -0700, you wrote: > > >I want to buy a new soldering iron station. Is the digital station sold by > > >Radio Shack any good? > > > > > >I also saw a Weller analog station in JDR cataloge for $50.00. > > > > > >These okay for a hobbiest? > > > > > >Thanks > > >John

Mine is the same: a big "salt lick". Originally, it was all nice and square. I chamfered (chipped away about a 1/8 inch with a screw driver, IIRC) one of the edges on the top and have worn several grooves into that edge. I place a hot tip in the groove and twist and rub, just a little bit and only to the coated part of the tip. A little smoke comes off and the groove gets a bit deeper each time. The tip is bright and shiny afterward. That big salt lick is going to last 50 years. BTW, don't store your tips or turn off your iron after cleaning. You should leave a little solder on them to protect them. And turn the iron off if it won't be used for a while. A tip can last several years if properly cared for. Robert Wuest, PE Sirius Engineering Company Brian Kraut wrote: {Quote hidden}> > You mentioned the Sal Amoniac tinning block. I bought one of these out of a > catalog once and couldn't figure out what to do with it. It was basically a big > salt lick. Didn't melt, didn't seem to do anything to the iron tip, didn't have > any instructions. How exactly are you supposed to use one? > > Robert Wuest wrote: > > > I have a Weller EC2002A. The factory inspection date on it is > > 1-18-1984. I think I bought it that summer. It's been a great iron, > > nothing has broken or burned out. With the right tip, I can solder darn > > near anything. I have a small box with a collection of tips and various > > solders (and a Sal Ammoniac tinning block makes tips last twice as > > long). > > > > My personal opinion then and now - if you are going to do electronics > > for a long time, spend the bucks for a good quality iron. Making the > > job fit the tool is never fun. Same is true for all your tools, really. > > (I'd never buy anything but a Tektronix oscope, either). > > > > I haven't seen the Radio Shack iron, but I have never seen a good Radio > > Shack iron in the past. > > > > Back to PIC programming..... > > > > Robert Wuest, PE > > Sirius Engineering Company > > > > Ed Troy wrote: > > > > > > I have 2 irons that I use in my consulting business, and I like them both. > > > One is the Weller WLC100, and the other is a Weller EC2002M. The EC2002M is > > > the BEST iron I have ever used, and I have used most of them. However, it > > > is not cheap. There are similar analog units that are probably just as > > > good, from Weller. The WLC100 is probably appropriate for a hobbyist. I am > > > not familiar with the Radio Shack unit you are referring to, but I have > > > never been impressed by any irons by anyone other than Weller, including > > > Metcal, who make even more expensive irons. It depends on what you are > > > doing, and how serious you are. If you need an iron that can handle > > > virtually anything from 20 mil pitch IC's to 5 watt resistors, then buy a > > > good, temperature controlled Weller iron like the EC2002M (but you don't > > > need the digital feature.) If you are just looking for a general purpose > > > iron, then a cheaper Weller is probably good. Also, Weller has an EXCELLENT > > > warranty program. They replace virtually anything for either free, or $70. > > > > > > Ed > > > > > > At 10:09 AM 5/3/2000 -0700, you wrote: > > > >I want to buy a new soldering iron station. Is the digital station sold by > > > >Radio Shack any good? > > > > > > > >I also saw a Weller analog station in JDR cataloge for $50.00. > > > > > > > >These okay for a hobbiest? > > > > > > > >Thanks > > > >John