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soldering iron recommendations..

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  • #1

    soldering iron recommendations..

    I had a 40W one that sort of did the trick but it's been getting really weak lately. Last time I used it it was having major trouble melting solder and i burnt a couple wires in frustration.. so definitely need a new one. I'm thinking maybe 60W would have an easier time for the backs of pots and things like that too.

    there are lots of cheapies on amazon with fancy dials that select the temperature but don't wanna trust the cheap brands : and if you look at the reviews there are lots of ones saying to stay away.. I'm ready to get one that's a serious investment and will last a while, but I don't want to overspend on something with dials and stuff I don't need.

    Weller 60W/120V Soldering Iron, LED Halo Ring - WLIR6012A : Amazon.ca: Tools & Home Improvement

    Should I just go for this one and call it a day? I can re-use the stand\cleaning station thing from the busted one I have now, I'm pretty sure.
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  • #2
    I've kind of stuck with 40-45W myself. If it's too hot, I'd be afraid of frying pots and other components. 40W is just about right to melt solder for guitar work, IME.

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    • #3
      The higher wattage irons will not fry anything. It actually does the opposite. It allows you to heat up a small area (on the back of a pot) quickly without the heat spreading to the innards.

      With a low watt iron you have to leave it on the pot longer to get it hot enough to melt the solder. This allows the heat to flow further than just the area you're working on.

      The key to good soldering is lots of heat for a short duration of time (as opposed to less heat for a long duration). And, of course, heat the metal that you want the solder to flow onto rather than heat the solder and drip it onto the metal.
      Originally Posted by IanBallard
      Rule of thumb... the more pot you have, the better your tone.

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      • #4
        I'm in the same position as you, and will be buying a Hakko FX888D. Weller stuff is a little pricey for the quality you get, and I want something that heats up reasonably quickly, allows me to set/maintain the tip temperature, and will last me a long time.
        Join me in the fight against muscular atrophy!

        Originally posted by Douglas Adams
        This planet has - or rather had - a problem, which was this: most of the people living on it were unhappy for pretty much of the time. Many solutions were suggested for this problem, but most of these were largely concerned with the movements of small green pieces of paper, which is odd because on the whole it wasn't the small green pieces of paper that were unhappy.

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        • #5
          Weller is way overpriced and is not any better quality than the no-name brands that only cost 30%-50% of Weller. Plus, you can replace the no-name iron if it goes bad and still would have paid less in total than the Weller.
          Originally Posted by IanBallard
          Rule of thumb... the more pot you have, the better your tone.

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          • #6
            ^ What he said. I've had 3 or 4 Wellers go phut in the last year.

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            • #7
              I own high end Weller and Hakko stations and design and build audio systems for a living and use the high stuff all the time

              and I would say those expenses for those are completely unnecessary -

              Buy this Yihua on Amazon and be done -I have one and have completely evaluated it -it's all you will ever need

              ​​​​​​https://www.amazon.com/YIHUA-Solderi...0-4513d670b6bc

              “For me, when everything goes wrong – that’s when adventure starts.” Yvonne Chouinard

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              • #8
                Originally posted by NegativeEase View Post
                I own high end Weller and Hakko stations and design and build audio systems for a living and use the high stuff all the time

                and I would say those expenses for those are completely unnecessary -

                Buy this Yihua on Amazon and be done -I have one and have completely evaluated it -it's all you will ever need

                ​​​​​​https://www.amazon.com/YIHUA-Solderi...0-4513d670b6bc

                It's a quarter of the cost and with more features and accessories than a comparable Weller station
                “For me, when everything goes wrong – that’s when adventure starts.” Yvonne Chouinard

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                • #9
                  Going to a Weller 100/140 watt gun was a great decision for me. Heats up in 15 seconds, no goofy stand or station to futz with, haven't fried a pot since switching from a lower wattage iron. Still hate soldering though, feels like going back in time 50 years.
                  Originally posted by crusty philtrum
                  Anyone who *sings* at me through their teeth deserves to have a bus drive through their face
                  http://www.youtube.com/alexiansounds

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                  • #10
                    I have a Hakko and it's rad. Use it for pedals and guitar stuff and random other projects. Simple to use

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