1 Wild R/T
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Those were never the "Mack Daddy" unless all you solder is huge wires.... Most of the stuff I solder that tip will hit three components at once....
Soldering iron - need a new one
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Those were never the "Mack Daddy" unless all you solder is huge wires.... Most of the stuff I solder that tip will hit three components at once....
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Well, most of us didn't solder what you soldered back then....the key words being "back then".
Perhaps I should have added the qualifier "Harry Homeowner" or "anyone but an electronics service guy" Mack Daddy....
Point being back then, most of us either bought the garden variety $3 stick soldering iron (and dealt with that things' aggravations) or sprang the big bucks (I think maybe like $12!) for a Weller at the Radio Shack....and yes, a variety of
tips was available for them, including sharp-pointed ones.
They got hot fast when you hit the trigger, yet didn't stay juiced all the time.
YY1
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I also solder a lot of 22 and 24 ga wire and some components ans maybe a surface mount one or two.
That old iron never burned anything up.
I believe it's not the heat but the duration that does damage to small electronics.
Better to have too much heat and be quick than to let a not hot enough iron sit on the part.
That old iron never burned anything up.
I believe it's not the heat but the duration that does damage to small electronics.
Better to have too much heat and be quick than to let a not hot enough iron sit on the part.
Ironbuilt
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My problem isn't finding a good iron, it's finding good lead solder. I still have my dad's Craftsmen from the 70's.
threewood
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I had a Weller from Lowes and it was a steaming pile of ****. I got on Amazon.com, looked up soldering iron and found one with tons of good reviews, ordered it and have been happy ever since.
If you are going to buy a soldering iron, it is important to pay attention to several key points that should be considered when choosing a soldering iron or soldering station:
1. What is the power consumption of the soldering iron
2. What type of soldering iron
3. The presence or absence of temperature control
4. What size and shape of the tip
5. How comfortable will it be to work with this device?
If you solder a wire or install a new connector once a year, the cheapest mains powered soldering iron will work for you. If you work on electronics and solder every day, you definitely need a quality soldering station.
You can look at the top soldering stations and choose exactly what suits you.
1. What is the power consumption of the soldering iron
2. What type of soldering iron
3. The presence or absence of temperature control
4. What size and shape of the tip
5. How comfortable will it be to work with this device?
If you solder a wire or install a new connector once a year, the cheapest mains powered soldering iron will work for you. If you work on electronics and solder every day, you definitely need a quality soldering station.
You can look at the top soldering stations and choose exactly what suits you.
70runner
Well-Known Member
If your hobbies involve frequent soldering, soldering station is a good investment. Best one I've found is the Hakko FX888D.
flyingfarley
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My old trusty solder station guit working late last year. I bought a Weller WLC100 40W solder station for 37.00, and a set of st4 weller tips for 19.00 and have wired two cars since i got it and it works fine for automotive wiring. The secret is to keep the heating tip tinned when the solder gun is hot and just setting.....Mine will be turned on in the morning when I am wiring a car and runs all day. I am one of the old school guys that welds every connection...no crimp connectors. This set up does fine on even 10 GA wires....
These are good ones. Sold them for decades on the MAC truck. https://www.amazon.com/Wall-Lenk-LG400C-Heavy-Soldering/dp/B000VM3PTU The tips are replacable as well.
I sold hundreds of the butane powered ones as well. They are powerful and work well. They will require new tips and internal parts more often than the electric ones though.
I sold hundreds of the butane powered ones as well. They are powerful and work well. They will require new tips and internal parts more often than the electric ones though.
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IMO...
I guess it all depends on what you are soldering. I like, and still use, an old Weller 100 watt gun, with the replaceable copper tips and 2 small light bulbs, with on-off control. It works great for electrical and electronic works. For precision electronic work, like printed circuit boards, a small chisel point low wattage (20-30 watts) soldering iron works best for me...it just takes a little longer to heat the joint. I also have a low wattage DE-soldering devise that vacuums the molton solder away ftom the connection point. BTW...use only a small diameter ROSIN CORE solder for electric and electronic work NOT acid core. I've used Ersin Multicore solder for years with great success. Unfortunately, tin-lead based solders are becoming hard to find, especially for soldering copper water pipes. And silver based solders need special fluxes and very high temps to work.
If you are contemplating soldering copper water pipes or gutters and downspouts, or copper radiators, obviously you will need more firepower, like a torch, albeit propane/air or MAPP gas/air or acetelyene/air.
Just my opinion of course.
BOB RENTON
I guess it all depends on what you are soldering. I like, and still use, an old Weller 100 watt gun, with the replaceable copper tips and 2 small light bulbs, with on-off control. It works great for electrical and electronic works. For precision electronic work, like printed circuit boards, a small chisel point low wattage (20-30 watts) soldering iron works best for me...it just takes a little longer to heat the joint. I also have a low wattage DE-soldering devise that vacuums the molton solder away ftom the connection point. BTW...use only a small diameter ROSIN CORE solder for electric and electronic work NOT acid core. I've used Ersin Multicore solder for years with great success. Unfortunately, tin-lead based solders are becoming hard to find, especially for soldering copper water pipes. And silver based solders need special fluxes and very high temps to work.
If you are contemplating soldering copper water pipes or gutters and downspouts, or copper radiators, obviously you will need more firepower, like a torch, albeit propane/air or MAPP gas/air or acetelyene/air.
Just my opinion of course.
BOB RENTON
Hemirunner
Well-Known Member
I have a Weller pencil iron and the gun. For almost all automotive stuff, you can get it with a gun. I also have a resistance soldering station for delicate stuff.
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