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Soldering Iron?

#21
I get that you're trying to help and appreciated it but the one you listed is the one I've had for years and I usually have my work done by somebody else because I've never been able to get a very good joint with that.

I was thinking that by doing an upgrade I might have better chances and in turn do more of my work. My theory is spend $100-200 on a better iron and save several hundreds by not having to pay a tech.

Maybe I'll try a new tip and different solder before I drop coin on another iron.





BassScum said:
It won't take any longer to learn on a cheap iron then an expensive one. I was trying to stress not to spend a lot of money on an expensive iron for soldering mainly wiring and pots.

I've used this and it works just fine for beginners or advanced.

do.Invalid Link Removed
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#22
prsbass said:
I get that you're trying to help and appreciated it but the one you listed is the one I've had for years and I usually have my work done by somebody else because I've never been able to get a very good joint with that.

I was thinking that by doing an upgrade I might have better chances and in turn do more of my work. My theory is spend $100-200 on a better iron and save several hundreds by not having to pay a tech.

Maybe I'll try a new tip and different solder before I drop coin on another iron.
Click to expand...

I don't think that theory holds up.
If you can't get a good solder with a cheapo (assuming its of sufficient wattage) you won't get a good solder with a fancy one.

I like about 30w and a chisel tip for guitar and cable soldering, unless I'm messing with a board.

The high dollar ones are more accurate, more comfortable, more easily manipulated in tight areas, more convenient, etc... unless there is a special feature you require.

I grab my cheap butane fired Portasol as much or more than my good one. The good one is on the bench. Mostly don't take quick jobs to the bench, but when I do, its mostly for convenience of tools and supplies (and my big magnifier ;)), not the quality of the iron.

Having said that, if you got the spare coin and want a nice station, by all means do it. You'll no doubt enjoy it.
Just don't think that you will magically learn to solder because of it!
 
#23
Thangfish said:
I don't think that theory holds up.
If you can't get a good solder with a cheapo (assuming its of sufficient wattage) you won't get a good solder with a fancy one.



The high dollar ones are more accurate, more comfortable, more easily manipulated in tight areas, more convenient, etc... unless there is a special feature you require.
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I don't think your response holds up.
You say cheap ones work just as good as high dollar ones but you go on to list reasons why high dollar ones are better.
I didn't say I thought I'd magically learn to solder because I had a more expensive iron. I said I thought I might get better results therefore would be more likely to do it more often.
 
#24
If you are doing A LOT of soldering, the Weller stations are absolutely the way to go. But for the more occasional smaller jobs they're overkill IMHO. A $25 Hakko does me just fine.

quigg said:
A better soldering iron will not compensate for lack of experience soldering.
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+1, just like an expensive bass will not compensate for sloppy technique.
 
#26
Hi.

I primarily use Weller WECP-20 station but occasionally use also ERSA Multitip C25 iron. I've sold several of the latter for active hobbyists and pros with nothing but good comments.

IMHO/IME whatever You buy, make sure that the tip is detachable and there's at least some different tips available.

Vero-board is good for practising (pcb soldering mainly), and good rosin core solder and clean surfaces are a must. With delicate work I sometimes use SnPbAg pastes, but the cost is probhivitive. Fortunately I bought a case of wave-soldering paste and I'll probably never run out :D.

Regards
Sam
 
#27
Passinwind said:
Hakko 936 ESD

I've owned and used many of the Weller production grade stations, but I actually prefer the Hakko and it costs around half as much.
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+1

This is what I use as a production iron. This is where things like operator comfort, temp control, and quick recovery, are important.

At the same time, I will agree with others that the Radio Shack iron would be fine for occasional use. The higher temps can damage some things like printed circuit traces if you apply heat for too long.
 
#28
I couldn't help but notice that this discussion seems somewhat analogous to the many discussions about not getting a certain pro's (Jaco, Pino, etc..) sound out of any bass with any mods and how they (the pros) can get their sound out of any bass. It's mostly 'in the hands' :) People who are really good at soldering can get good results in most applications with just about any soldering iron but, if you can afford a nicer one, do it and you won't regret it.

The three things I consider are:
1. Easily changed tips (you may want both fine and chisel tips).
2. Easy to find parts (tips and elements).
3. Active temperature control - best with a readout such as with the proposed Weller WESD51 or equivalent Hakko model. Active temperature control can be particularly helpful for beginners when soldering things that sink a lot of heat such as the backs of pots and otherwise makes for more predictable result regardless of how long the iron has been on.

Also consider is what is available within driving distance. I have a store within driving distance that stocks Weller parts and so that is the brand I bought as that has come in handy.

As your skills develop, the ability to work on PCBs can come in handy for fixing effects, amps, and other electronics as there are often failures from bad switches, jacks, bad connections, and easily replaced electrolytic caps that are easily spotted without the need for any real electronics knowledge - as long as you learn enough not to shock yourself!

Cheers!
 
#29
ibnzneksrul said:
If you are doing A LOT of soldering, the Weller stations are absolutely the way to go. But for the more occasional smaller jobs they're overkill IMHO. A $25 Hakko does me just fine.


+1, just like an expensive bass will not compensate for sloppy technique.
Click to expand...

So you're telling me you can play just as good on a bass that has a warped neck with 1/2" high action as you can on a bass that has a perfect neck and action?
 
#30
Makaio said:
I couldn't help but notice that this discussion seems somewhat analogous to the many discussions about not getting a certain pro's (Jaco, Pino, etc..) sound out of any bass with any mods and how they (the pros) can get their sound out of any bass. It's mostly 'in the hands' :) People who are really good at soldering can get good results in most applications with just about any soldering iron but, if you can afford a nicer one, do it and you won't regret it.

The three things I consider are:
1. Easily changed tips (you may want both fine and chisel tips).
2. Easy to find parts (tips and elements).
3. Active temperature control - best with a readout such as with the proposed Weller WESD51 or equivalent Hakko model. Active temperature control can be particularly helpful for beginners when soldering things that sink a lot of heat such as the backs of pots and otherwise makes for more predictable result regardless of how long the iron has been on.

Also consider is what is available within driving distance. I have a store within driving distance that stocks Weller parts and so that is the brand I bought as that has come in handy.

As your skills develop, the ability to work on PCBs can come in handy for fixing effects, amps, and other electronics as there are often failures from bad switches, jacks, bad connections, and easily replaced electrolytic caps that are easily spotted without the need for any real electronics knowledge - as long as you learn enough not to shock yourself!

Cheers!
Click to expand...

Thanks for being realistic and providing real suggestions it's very appreciated.
The tip about buying a brand that a local store provides parts for is very handy.
I bought a HVLP a few years back after reading a million reviews and deciding it was the best one I could get. I have been calling every tech in town and nobody in my area services the brand I bought so I have to either do it myself or throw it away. If I had known that before, I would have bought a different brand.
 
#31
prsbass said:
So you're telling me you can play just as good on a bass that has a warped neck with 1/2" high action as you can on a bass that has a perfect neck and action?
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:confused: Ummm, no.

What I posted is known as an analogy. IOW, a more expensive soldering iron will not make up for lack of soldering skills, just as a more expensive bass will not make up for lack of playing skills. Assuming both soldering iron and bass are working properly and not in some kind of unusable condition.
 
#32
So if cheap soldering irons are just as good as expensive ones why do people waste their money on the expensive ones?
I believe my original question was what brand around $200 was recommended, not, why I don't need to spend more than $30.
I guess I just don't understand why people have such a hard time just answering the quesiton.



To the people who simply listed a product pertaining to my original post, Thanks you. I wish there were more of you.
 
#33
prsbass said:
So if cheap soldering irons are just as good as expensive ones why do people waste their money on the expensive ones?
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They're not just as good, the more expensive stations have many more features and conveniences that the basic ones don't have. But what it all comes down to is what is happening at the tip, where you're heating the joint and melting the solder, where both types do basically the same thing.

If you're willing to spend the money and you'll be doing a lot of soldering, then get one of the nice Weller or Hakko stations. Seriously.
 
#36
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#38
Comparing soldering irons to basses is like comparing rocks to atom bombs. A soldering iron is a simple tool. The analogy that makes sense is Radio Shack vs Weller is like comparing a Craftsman socket wrench to a Snap-on. Both will work very well for the work you want to do. These guys are just trying to help you save money. Once you get the hang of soldering(it’s not hard) you will understand. A more expensive iron is not easier to use. It’s just heat.
 
#40
prsbass said:
So if cheap soldering irons are just as good as expensive ones why do people waste their money on the expensive ones?
I believe my original question was what brand around $200 was recommended, not, why I don't need to spend more than $30.
I guess I just don't understand why people have such a hard time just answering the quesiton.



To the people who simply listed a product pertaining to my original post, Thanks you. I wish there were more of you.
Click to expand...

Understood. I have an idea. It might be amusing to think about what you could set yourself up with on a $200 budget. Soldering is often less than half of the job. Getting stuff apart without damage can be more of a challenge. For this reason, your budget might justify a temp controlled soldering station like the Hakko, a decent de-soldering pump, some solder wick, fine stainless tweezers, a good quality magnifying glass, good solder with "no clean" flux, and safety glasses. Those are my weapons of choice on most repair and prototyping projects.
 

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