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Quality Soldering Irons


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Knightrous
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Joined: 15 Jun 2004
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Location: NSW


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Quality Soldering Irons

I've become a lot more interested in making circuits and picaxe units these days and I need a decent soldering iron for doing fine work with sensitive parts. I'm wondering if a few people would be able to give me some feedback on soldering irons. I'm currently looking at getting a T2250 Soldering stations from DSE (http://www.dse.com.au/cgi-bin/dse.storefront/4377128302bf0efa2740c0a87f9c0716/Product/View/T2250)

I want to look at learning how to solder surface mounted parts and all that jazz Razz
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Post Sun Nov 13, 2005 8:19 pm 
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prong
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I have this same soldering iron, except I got mine about 7 years ago and it does not have the display readout, the rest looks to be very very similar though.

I have found it to be a kickarse soldering iron, I worked for a year or so repairing Fuji digital camera and had to do a lot of very very fine soldering (mostly tiny surface mount fuses and resistors) and I found that my soldering iron at home was much nicer to use than my works one (i forget what brand they were, but they were expensive! Razz)

I found the handle really good to grip, and the silcon covered wire stuff did not melt at all, plus it heated up quickly and kept its temperature well

Mine has held up pretty well, though I try not to pug it round for robto building that much, or do anything dodgy like melt holes through plastic Razz

My only complaint was the sponges that came with it seemed to have some sort of detergenty something in them, it foamed when wet and I found until I rinsed the sponges very very well when I used them it made the soldering iron tip very hard to tin and seemed to form a layer on the tip. After I rinsed them well they were fine.

Not sure how much it was, as it was a long time ago and a birthday present but all in all, good stuff!

Post Sun Nov 13, 2005 8:34 pm 
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Knightrous
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I'm looking at getting one for christmas Razz
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Post Sun Nov 13, 2005 8:42 pm 
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Grotto



Joined: 30 Aug 2005
Posts: 38
Location: Morisset NSW


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Im not knocking the T2250 or anything, but I would
advise going one step back and go for the DSE T2200.
I doesnt have the digital display, but you dont need
that fine control anyway. The analog display is enough.

I bought a T2200 back when it was called a T2000, I'm
talking Shocked 15 years Shocked ago! And wierdly enough,
it was $99.00 back then too. Worth more though, damn inflation!

Ive used mine pretty heavily over the years. I'd say I average
about 10-30 hours a week, every week for its entire life. No
kidding either.

Ive replaced a few tips($5) of course, and I have had to
replace the heating element once ($25) after a failed
attempt to repair faulty plumbing Embarassed - dont try it!
And I had to replace the power switch once cause it had
physically worn out.

I'm amazed that it still goes after all these years but it has,
and because Ive had it so long, I have spare stuffed tips
that I often use for plastic work.

I really couldnt suggest anything more strongly than this.

PS - No, I dont work for DSE Rolling Eyes And I have seen inside the
new ones and they are exactly the same (except the plastic color)

Happy shopping....
Grotto
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Post Mon Nov 14, 2005 1:08 am 
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wilko



Joined: 25 Sep 2005
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i got this tiny "weller" soldering iron for $5 at a garage sale. it takes about 2mins to heat up and can solder thick auto wire!!!
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Post Mon Nov 14, 2005 9:16 am 
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kkeerroo
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Joined: 17 Jun 2004
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Location: Brisbane


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At home I use a cheap soldering station from Jaycar and find that it works fine for hobby type work.
Howerver, for those with deep pockets I would strongly recomend a Hakko brand soldering station as it will last a lifetime. But if your really into pcb asssemblies with SMD componants, at work we use the Metcal SP-200. We run these 16 hours a day 5 days a week with almost no down time. But since the cheapest price I have been quoted at work is $800 plus $25 for the tip cartridges I think it can wait. Besides I can always take whatever I need repaired in to work and use the tools during my lunch break.
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Post Mon Nov 14, 2005 3:58 pm 
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Grassy



Joined: 19 Apr 2006
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Location: Eastwood, Sydney (near Ryde)


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i no this is a little off topic, but how many Watts should i get in my soldering iorn? i just need it to solder the electronics vfor myb feather

Post Sat Jun 03, 2006 9:49 am 
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Philip
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Watt sort of soldering iron? 80 W to make battery pack or a somaller one to fit into tiny areas.

I would get a smaller one 30 ish watts and see if you ever want more than that.
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Post Sat Jun 03, 2006 11:10 am 
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Knightrous
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I have a DSE T2250 Soldering station with digital temp adjustment and I use it from soldering 30g wire on circuit boards to soldering NiCD's together. I think it was only $140, but one of the best Christmas pressents I've had in a long time.
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Post Sat Jun 03, 2006 11:14 am 
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Glen
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15w pencil for the delicates 80w with a flat tip for the high power stuff. get both. (and a big ass 1kg roll of solder... best investment yet)
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Post Sat Jun 03, 2006 12:22 pm 
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Nick
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If you need to make a battery pack with heavy braid, I recommend the giant Weller 175W iron from Bunnings. I has so much thermal mass in the tip that it can solder heavy braid to the base of a C cell in just a second or two, which is great for avoiding heat damage. I tried the same thing with a temp controlled Weller iron (like the DSE 2200) and with a large butane powered iron and neither could do it.
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Post Sat Jun 03, 2006 3:15 pm 
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Knight



Joined: 30 Mar 2006
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Location: Sydney, Australia


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I'm going to make a point and say if you want a "quality" soldering iron, DSE is not the place to look. Goto Jaycar, they have a much higher quality of equipement over DSE.

As to the number of watts, as was previously mentioned, a high power one is good for solid stuff, like power wires and such. But a small one has the advantage of not cooking an IC.

Of course with a temp controled station thats not a problem as you can set it low for ICs and high for other stuff

Post Sun Jun 11, 2006 12:03 pm 
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Glen
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i use the ersa analogue 60, its awesome, heats up to 450 degrees in about 10 seconds, and the replacable tips are awesome.



i got taught how to solder surface mount yesterday and im already putting resistors onto E^2 chips and such. the tiny needle tips are awesome. and so is multicore solder.

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Post Wed Jun 14, 2006 11:23 pm 
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