Good soldering iron Besides Wellers!

[TB-EVO 1]

What kinda soldering iron do you all use??? I'm using Weller, but I don't really like it that much.. the tip melts after some soldering jobs. I saw this Hakko soldering kit (with stand and temperature control) at a hobby store today. It seems to be very nice. What other kits had a stand and a temperature control functions besides Hakko??? Hakko costs about 100 dollars. Just wonder if there are better deal with similar funcions. What are the pro using these days anyway???

[aspiringrcracer710]

Switch to Ungar, those are reliable, there is a HUGE variety, and they wont break your bank

[Nairb]

Guess what? Ungar = Weller Weller bought out Ungar a few years ago.

How in the world are you melting your tip? That's crazy talk... My Wellers work like a dream, but I take great care of them, unlike a lot of people.

If you want to try something else, check these two out:
http://www.mpja.com/product.asp?product=4449+TL
http://www.mpja.com/product.asp?product=11171+TL

[Tiggs1]

It's possible that a chemical reaction is melting your tips. Make sure you keep the very tip tinned. Also what kind of soder are you using? Is it flux core? do you use a water, sponge to remove excess sauder? Ungar/ Weller make great irons...the tips should not be melting on you. Also, make sure you are not using too much heat on a fragile tip.

[Grizzbob]

Yeah, that got me wondering, which tip are you using on that Weller, is it a small, pencil-type tip or a big chisel one? Those big chisel tips are VERY tough, something has to be wrong for them to be falling apart or melting..... :)

[jeepinator]

Nah, it is prolly the coating coming off.
It is true that without that nickel plating the tip with almost instantly start pitting and corroding.
Probably some of the very cheap Weller irons have this problem (like any other low end iron from ANY manufacturer).
Answer: Buy a better iron, from any maker.

[JP]

Cant get better than Hakko...also one of the more expensive though :/

[TB-EVO 1]

I bought the 40W weller soldering iron from HOmedepo. It DOES melts the tip. I wasn't the only one who had this problem. Some of people use the same iron have the same problem after a day of use (People at track and at other board). The tip isn't melting away like a solder. It's more like it's melted with the solder after a while. The weller I have is a plug and go type. there isn't any switch to stop the iron from heating. I have to buy new tip after a day of soldering the motor and batteries. That's why I asked who make better soldering iron. From what I read, Hakko seems to be the best out there.

Thanks for all of your input. Thanks!

[jeepinator]

Like I said, don't buy the bottom of the barrel soldering iron. Home Depot is not exactly the place to shop for a solderinf iron ! Come on dude.
Do you go to a grocery store to buy moto oil ? Sure, they have it, but is it what you want ?
The brand "WELLER" is not your problem, your buying habits are.
Go to an electronics parts store, or whatever, and buy something other than the cheapest one in the store.
I have had several Weller irons. None of them have had problems, and ALL of them were A) worth the money, and B) Not the cheapest one.

[TB-EVO 1]

I didn't try to buy a cheapest Iron out there. Homedepo is the only store that's around where I live that carries soldering Iron. If anyone can tell me where is fry's electronic store around Marina Del Rey or L.A area that will be great. I moved to L.A. for schooling and doesn't really know the area that well. And I have nothing against "weller" the brand. From what I read is that Hakko's adjustable soldering Iron is hotter (80W) then the weller's adjustable (60W). At the price around 80 to 90 dollars.(retailed at Fry's). that's why I said best. Maybe I should say "better" not the best.

I don't have any "buying habit" problem. Nor "Weller" the brand is a problem to me. I would be more than happy to spend the right amount of the money to get what is good and lasting. I didn't try to buy the "bottom" of the barrel stuff, it just happened to be the only thing that's availbe to me at the time. So, if anyone has any info where I can get good soldering Iron. I will be more than happy to go there and buy from them.

I'm only stating the obvious from my experience with the low-end weller soldering iron, which does melt. I'm not saying Weller the company makes bad soldering irons. But what I bought from them does suck. That's why I started this thread to ask everyone's opinions.
[ 08-18-2001: Message edited by: TB-EVO 1 ]

[ 08-18-2001: Message edited by: TB-EVO 1 ]

[baih]

there is a fry's electronics in manhatten beach at rosecrans and sepulveda but they
have weller. the better blue case type.
socal r/c would be your only other choice
if you want something different.
email baih@pacbell.net
i had the same problem with the 40 watt
soldering.

[superpitstain]

hehe, i told my dad i want a soldering iron, and he gave me a weller soldering gun, it specially donlt fit my needs since i use it to solder my miniz(which things are small) and the gun is huge, and clumsy, so i bought a 5 dollar hobbico iron form tower hobbies, works great so far

[THE-Maxx]

Wellers are very nice irons, and they are manufactured by Cooper Tools, a well known manufacturer of commercial-grade tools.

However, PACE makes the best most expensive irons in the world. I recently bought a PACE, and it is the finest tool I have ever had the pleasure of owning. I am a licensed Amamteur Radio operator, in addition to my hobby of RC car racing, so I am practically soldering all the time...

I found out about PACE from my previous experience in the United States Navy, as an electrical engineer on a nuclear submarine. It is the tool chosen by the Navy as the standard.

[superpitstain]

neat, where can you get pace? and how much? do they sell those osldering pencils?(the ones rc people use)

[goobydoosdad]

I struggled with irons for some time as well.
I bought soem of the radio shack but they only lasted a short time. I also bought a very good hobby shop recommended iron $80. That one lasted just a year. Fed up with chasing around for irons I went to Lowes Home Improvement and bought an 80 watt Weller. For what I use it for. it works great. It has the large 3/8 inch tinned tip. I also can get a smaller tip for this model if necessary. I think some times we confuse poor craftsmanship for poor maintainance. Also to consider is what your using it for. I learned that the smaller irons I was getting were not
taking the abuse I was giving them. It is not good to use a lesser wattage iron for a heavy duty job. The best thing about my weller is the price----$20 for an 80 watter. I also found out how to maintain a soldering iron.

[Railman]

As an ex slotcar nut as a teenager I always used the metal clad tip Ungars. They were small brutes, with enough heat to solder spring steel chassis together & solder the motor cans to the chassis. I recent years I have used several other types of name brands & off brands. As Goobydoosdad said it has a lot to do with maintanance & teqnique. What you have to realize is that the rosin is a mild acid & when brought up to high temps it is very corosive. If not cleaned off the tip with water it'll eat it up. Thats why you
use the sponge. Keep it tinned & cleaned with a sponge & they'll last a lot longer Just my $.02

[rims']

god bless soldering irons!

[TB-EVO 1]

Baih,

Thanks for the tip. Just happened that the Fry's electronic that you mentioned is just 10 mins drive from my house. I went there and bought myself a Hakko 936 soldering station and it works wonder! Ah, I'm so happy! I have no idea that fry's electronic is that close to where I live. Maybe I should go out more and get myself familiarizing with this new city besides just go to school and staying home.

Oh by the way, Does any one know anything about ESD-safe function in soldering stations??? Is it necessary to get that function?? What does ESD-safe means anyway? What does it do???

Thanks!

[baih]

sounds like you only go to your local hobby
store and socal r/c. if you need motors and
parts try going to ultimate hobbies in
the city of orange. it is about 45 minute
drive from you and 20 minute drive from
socal r/c.
baih@pacbell.net
bruce

[TB-EVO 1]

Bruce,

I got to Ultimate hobbies sometimes. I bought my TB-Evo from them which is pretty expensive and a little bit over priced. I went to Tamiya's TCS final to check out the race and buying some tamiya parts since they are on sale. They are selling Evo for only 198. But I paid almost 400 at ultimate.

I bought my futaba 3PDF from them too. But It was very much used but they sold it to me price-tagged new (paid 190 something for it). I got it home and start to play with it and found out all the setting are not at manufactur's pre-set settings. Many different features are set as it was used in a race already. I too happy about it and when I went and talked to them about it the only answer they gave me was that it was a display model it was only used to show how each function was used. I took their words for it. The radio is running fine and never glitch on me once so it wasn't too bad.

Ultimate is a good store though. They are the cheapest hobby store that I know of.(meaning that they sold most of the parts at really good price). I still recommand them.

I can only blame myself for buying my Evo too early from them and ended up paying too much. But it is a nice car. I love it. (but my extra 200 dollars could really get me another car). Sigh~~~~

[superpitstain]

yea, ultimate had the hpi racer2 for 150 something, and now it's still 180 something i think

[Hairball]

If you know where SoCal R/C is, just a few blocks away is a Fry's too. Its on Ellis Rd I think. Maybe Elucid. Anyway, you can see it from the I405 N Bound.

[TB-EVO 1]

does the lead contain in the solder effect it's conductivity of current? There are many lead-free solders in the market and selling more expensive. Is it just healthier to the user?

[jeepinator]

Good question TB-EVO !

Inquiring minds want to know.

I know that "silver solder" is the best for conductivity. It is what is used on hand-wound mod motors (to solder the winds to the comm).

[TB-EVO 1]

Hummm... Silver solder?? I haven't seen it in Fry's or places that I can buy solder from. Dean's seems to be the only one who makes them. Or are they? Any other stores selling silver solder?

[superpitstain]

i buy silver solder from www.acerracing.com (http://www.acerracing.com) they got 6% silver, deans has 4% doesn;t matter, hehe

[J mAn]

I use a Tenma digital temature controlled soldering station it has a digital readout for the temature seting then a swith that swiches the readout to the actual tip temature. The temature range is 300-950 degrees F. I use a chissle type tip and it hasn't worn out yet. It also heats up very quikly it will heat up to the highest temature setting in a few minutes. Once you set it for a certain temature it will stay consistant within a few degrees. The best part is the price it is manufactured and distributed by mcm electronic and i got it from them for $89! The sight is www.mcmelectronics.com (http://www.mcmelectronics.com) . When you enter the sight it will say register now. Click regester now but when the page comes up you don't have to register, just use the search at the top and search for tenma.

[ 08-26-2001: Message edited by: J mAn ]

[Crazy Canuck]

Great Planes makes a Silver Solder. Im not sure what the content is but it works well.

[bluesy]

Silver solder is by far the best way to go. It will take more heat to get the joint to solder properly but it will also take more heat to have it come undone. The higher the silver content the higher the heat necessary thus the stronger the joint. Jewellers use silver solder for everything including gold coloured for gold repairs. Lead is a conductor as well as all other metals and won't affect the conductivity. Silver and gold have the best conductivity but RC doesn't require that level of conductivity or the cost. Gold contacts in computers are used for conductivity and lack of oxidation. RC users would benefit from silver solder for its resistance to melting at the heat levels generated at the motor contacts. Make sure the solder joint is a good one to minimize heat at that joint. just my $.034CDN :cool: :cool: :cool:

[J mAn]

I use radioshack 4 percent silver solder. It is cheap and is lead free too.

Actually Deans is 2 percent silver.

[ 08-27-2001: Message edited by: J mAn ]

[baih]

the hakko 936 is on sale at frys electronics.
$69.95

[TB-EVO 1]

baih,

since when was it on sale??? I bought my about a week ago and it wasn't on sale. Do they offer price adjustment?

[TB-EVO 1]

Bruce,

Thank you for your info about the soldering station is on sale. I went to fry's again today and got a price adjustmet. WOOHOO. 69.95 for a great soldering station. Man that feels good whenever I can get a really good bargin.

Thanks again Bruce. You are the money-saver!