What kind of soldering iron do you use??

[bc6]

I'm in the market for a new soldering iron and I'm curious what JNS forum members are using. 

Edited April 10, 2023 by bc6
Fixed typo in title.

[cteno4]

Bc,

 

it’s definitely a good move to get one that has decent temperature regulation and access to good and varied tips. While I’ve soldered a ton with plain old simple stick soldering iron and it’s possible to great soldering with them with practice and attention, a decent temp controlled unit really helps as it’s finding the Goldie locks spot for the size of stuff you are soldering, your solder, and the size tip you are using. Once that’s dialed in well soldering becomes much more uniform and systemic. Decent tips really help as tips that oxidize quickly end up being hard to keep well tinned and thus efficiently heating part and solder flowing.

 

I had a couple of no name temp controlled irons (like $50-100) that used fairly standard screw in tips for years. These worked fine and were stable and economical. A few years back I bit the bullet and got a hakko. Hakko irons are kind of the gold standard and mainly built for commercial work, but they have a few more inexpensive ones ($120). I got my 951 station for about $250 on sale. This is a nicer model that had the heating element and tip fused into one cartridge. You can swap tips pretty quickly and easily. Rub is the tip/element runs about $15, but they are high quality and by fusing them you are sposta get better and more even regulated heat transfer. Also if element starts to go it’s easy to replace. So far I really love it! But I love to solder and love tools, so I splurged on this.

 

keeping your tip well cleaned is a big must so having a wire ball tip cleaner is a must. Some irons come with one built into the stand if you can buy one that you can put on the bench where it is most convenient to use while doing your soldering (I prefer this). After a few solders you just poke it in the ball a couple of times fast to rub off excess solder and flux for clean tinning. For really fine soldering you can tin tip and do a light poke to reduce the colder on the tip

 

https://www.amazon.com/Soldering-Iron-Tip-Cleaner-Non-slip/dp/B08SLBSLK4/ref=sr_1_4?crid=234RO9TVXLSTF&keywords=soldering+tip+cleaner&qid=1680988050&sprefix=Soldering+tip%2Caps%2C108&sr=8-4

 

some tip cleaning paste also helps. I usually will paste the tip when I start a soldering session. It cleans the tip well and tins it so tinning with solder during your session goes easier and you need less solder to tin each time.

 

https://www.amazon.com/Hakko-FS100-01-Cleaning-Paste-FT-700/dp/B0195V52J8/ref=sxts_rp_s_a_1_0?content-id=amzn1.sym.eff26b9b-e255-411b-a40d-eccb21f93fe4%3Aamzn1.sym.eff26b9b-e255-411b-a40d-eccb21f93fe4&crid=1SDEI4JQVTEMG&cv_ct_cx=Hakko&keywords=Hakko&pd_rd_i=B0195V52J8&pd_rd_r=aaf30261-7638-4a39-bfff-345554f651af&pd_rd_w=5libr&pd_rd_wg=a4cBg&pf_rd_p=eff26b9b-e255-411b-a40d-eccb21f93fe4&pf_rd_r=5REJ78RN56ZAYMCNZK2S&qid=1680987251&sbo=RZvfv%2F%2FHxDF%2BO5021pAnSA%3D%3D&sprefix=hakko%2Caps%2C78&sr=1-1-5985efba-8948-4f09-9122-d605505c9d1e&th=1

soldering is all about practice! A good iron helps, but practice and understanding the technique is the most important part. I’ve done great solders with really crappy irons and tips in a pinch by being upper careful with technique and testing out the solder, iron and parts to be soldered first. It’s something that can be frustrating the first attempts, but really it gets better if you just strip some wires and practice. Watch a few youtubes on it as well. It’s just a technique that requires you to be systematic in how you do it to get nice solder joints. Even though I took to soldering instantly as a small kid and I’ve soldered a huge amount in my life both for hobby and professional work, I still always try to do a practice solder or two before doing a bunch of stuff. I also try to do a practice with the wire or any pins/connectors to see how the combo works and set the iron temp. A couple of minutes up front then ends up in things going much more smoothly for the session and just better solder joints. It’s especially useful these days as I usually don’t solder for long periods then have a small pike to do and 3 or 4  minutes of practice brings it all back. But it’s funny sometimes I just need to do one quick solder and just whack at it really fast and probably 1 in 3 times I need to redo it as what I did fast might be functional, it’s just bloody ugly and embarrassing!

 

cheers

 

jeff

[bc6]

18 minutes ago, cteno4 said:

Bc,

 

it’s definitely a good move to get one that has decent temperature regulation and access to good and varied tips. While I’ve soldered a ton with plain old simple stick soldering iron and it’s possible to great soldering with them with practice and attention, a decent temp controlled unit really helps as it’s finding the Goldie locks spot for the size of stuff you are soldering, your solder, and the size tip you are using. Once that’s dialed in well soldering becomes much more uniform and systemic. Decent tips really help as tips that oxidize quickly end up being hard to keep well tinned and thus efficiently heating part and solder flowing.

 

I had a couple of no name temp controlled irons (like $50-100) that used fairly standard screw in tips for years. These worked fine and were stable and economical. A few years back I bit the bullet and got a hakko. Hakko irons are kind of the gold standard and mainly built for commercial work, but they have a few more inexpensive ones ($120). I got my 951 station for about $250 on sale. This is a nicer model that had the heating element and tip fused into one cartridge. You can swap tips pretty quickly and easily. Rub is the tip/element runs about $15, but they are high quality and by fusing them you are sposta get better and more even regulated heat transfer. Also if element starts to go it’s easy to replace. So far I really love it! But I love to solder and love tools, so I splurged on this.

 

keeping your tip well cleaned is a big must so having a wire ball tip cleaner is a must. Some irons come with one built into the stand if you can buy one that you can put on the bench where it is most convenient to use while doing your soldering (I prefer this). After a few solders you just poke it in the ball a couple of times fast to rub off excess solder and flux for clean tinning. For really fine soldering you can tin tip and do a light poke to reduce the colder on the tip

 

https://www.amazon.com/Soldering-Iron-Tip-Cleaner-Non-slip/dp/B08SLBSLK4/ref=sr_1_4?crid=234RO9TVXLSTF&keywords=soldering+tip+cleaner&qid=1680988050&sprefix=Soldering+tip%2Caps%2C108&sr=8-4

 

some tip cleaning paste also helps. I usually will paste the tip when I start a soldering session. It cleans the tip well and tins it so tinning with solder during your session goes easier and you need less solder to tin each time.

 

https://www.amazon.com/Hakko-FS100-01-Cleaning-Paste-FT-700/dp/B0195V52J8/ref=sxts_rp_s_a_1_0?content-id=amzn1.sym.eff26b9b-e255-411b-a40d-eccb21f93fe4%3Aamzn1.sym.eff26b9b-e255-411b-a40d-eccb21f93fe4&crid=1SDEI4JQVTEMG&cv_ct_cx=Hakko&keywords=Hakko&pd_rd_i=B0195V52J8&pd_rd_r=aaf30261-7638-4a39-bfff-345554f651af&pd_rd_w=5libr&pd_rd_wg=a4cBg&pf_rd_p=eff26b9b-e255-411b-a40d-eccb21f93fe4&pf_rd_r=5REJ78RN56ZAYMCNZK2S&qid=1680987251&sbo=RZvfv%2F%2FHxDF%2BO5021pAnSA%3D%3D&sprefix=hakko%2Caps%2C78&sr=1-1-5985efba-8948-4f09-9122-d605505c9d1e&th=1

soldering is all about practice! A good iron helps, but practice and understanding the technique is the most important part. I’ve done great solders with really crappy irons and tips in a pinch by being upper careful with technique and testing out the solder, iron and parts to be soldered first. It’s something that can be frustrating the first attempts, but really it gets better if you just strip some wires and practice. Watch a few youtubes on it as well. It’s just a technique that requires you to be systematic in how you do it to get nice solder joints. Even though I took to soldering instantly as a small kid and I’ve soldered a huge amount in my life both for hobby and professional work, I still always try to do a practice solder or two before doing a bunch of stuff. I also try to do a practice with the wire or any pins/connectors to see how the combo works and set the iron temp. A couple of minutes up front then ends up in things going much more smoothly for the session and just better solder joints. It’s especially useful these days as I usually don’t solder for long periods then have a small pike to do and 3 or 4  minutes of practice brings it all back. But it’s funny sometimes I just need to do one quick solder and just whack at it really fast and probably 1 in 3 times I need to redo it as what I did fast might be functional, it’s just bloody ugly and embarrassing!

 

cheers

 

jeff

Thanks Jeff 

Ive had soldering irons in the past Ive have a soldering iron that I actually think is a Hakko but made for another company unfortunately it is with a relative. Ive been looking at a Pinecil or a TS100. I need a soldering iron there are no two ways about it by hook or crook Im getting one either way. Thanks for your great wealth of knowledge on the subject and reminding me of the fundamentals of soldering.

 

I think if Im not here or reddit Im on YouTube researching my favorite subjects like N scale trains, Soldering Irons or looking for reference material on Japanese trains. I'll take your advice and throw it at the wall and see what stick which will probably be a lot of it 🙂

[cteno4]

I’ve seen a lot of those nice adjustable temp usb-c stick irons lately. Those look nice with the fused element and tip. Quite affordable as well. Look like a great option to the older bigger base station systems. usb-c power supplies all over now days. Amazing they are now able to plow all the electronics into the handle. Using usb-c dc helps a lot.
 

I looked at one last year to maybe pick up one of these to do quick solders at my modeling area in the tv room to be lazy and not have to go down in the basement where the soldering workbench is! It was nice as they are quite small now and I have a big usbc power supply next to my chair. But I nixed it as then I needed a holder and cleaner and I learned that when using a soldering iron not at a work bench were the only times I ever burned myself or something else with an iron! I use to hate it when I needed to do a solder on something in situ in a cabinet (too ouch trouble to pull things apart) and I would know I was going to come out with at least one burn! So I decided less burns and get some exercise going downstairs was good and all the hear is right there and ready fo go!

 

sorry about all the other soldering stuff, just found those there the neglected bits of soldering as folks would buy a nice iron and be mad they didn’t get better results! 

please do a review of whatever you end up with in the tools forum, always good to hear more about them.

 

jeff

[bc6]

3 hours ago, cteno4 said:

I’ve seen a lot of those nice adjustable temp usb-c stick irons lately. Those look nice with the fused element and tip. Quite affordable as well. Look like a great option to the older bigger base station systems. usb-c power supplies all over now days. Amazing they are now able to plow all the electronics into the handle. Using usb-c dc helps a lot.
 

I looked at one last year to maybe pick up one of these to do quick solders at my modeling area in the tv room to be lazy and not have to go down in the basement where the soldering workbench is! It was nice as they are quite small now and I have a big usbc power supply next to my chair. But I nixed it as then I needed a holder and cleaner and I learned that when using a soldering iron not at a work bench were the only times I ever burned myself or something else with an iron! I use to hate it when I needed to do a solder on something in situ in a cabinet (too ouch trouble to pull things apart) and I would know I was going to come out with at least one burn! So I decided less burns and get some exercise going downstairs was good and all the hear is right there and ready fo go!

 

sorry about all the other soldering stuff, just found those there the neglected bits of soldering as folks would buy a nice iron and be mad they didn’t get better results! 

please do a review of whatever you end up with in the tools forum, always good to hear more about them.

 

jeff

Those adjustable USB C soldering irons are pretty cool and yeah they are pretty affordable. I like them because they dont take up as much space as a soldering station and they use multiple power sources.

 

I appreciate you mentioning all the other soldering related items because they are overlooked items and if I don't use them other people will I'm sure. I think I need a refresher in soldering anyway as its been a while lol. 

 

Sure it'll be nothing fancy and everyone and their mother has probably done a review of the iron. 

[cteno4]

Yes nice and compact. Just need a simple iron holder.

 

LOL I’ve been soldering for 56+ years and I still need refreshers!

 

really it’s great to hear others’ impressions of products like this, there is so much variety these days, can be hard to choose and “reviews” on product sites are less and less real.

 

jeff

[bc6]

I bit the bullet and ordered a TS101 soldering iron with a power supply and other accessories 

 

https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/hbcAAOSwFIpkHBo4/s-l1600.jpg

[cteno4]

Nice!

 

jeff

[Madsing]

This looks interesting, and a nice alternative to older models with a separate controller.

Tell us how it goes!

Marc

 

[bc6]

11 minutes ago, Madsing said:

This looks interesting, and a nice alternative to older models with a separate controller.

Tell us how it goes!

Marc

 

Will do I'm pretty stoked to get it as I have a project to work on. 

[chadbag]

I use the Hakko FX888D with digital control.  Bought on Amazon, of course.  I've had it for 9 years now and it was a game changer for me.  Used it for not only train related, but wiring guitars, R/C, etc.  All sorts of things.  I previously used simple analog "wand" type and they were always hard to control the temperature on and stuff.

 

I'd buy it again, and may just buy a new one once we finish the house and move in as the R/C/Guitar wiring room is in the basement and the train room is in the bonus space above the garage in the new house.

Edited April 24, 2023 by chadbag

[bc6]

I actually just purchased the same iron as your I can't wait for it to show up.

Edited April 25, 2023 by bc6

[cteno4]

I was all ready to get the FX888D when I got a good deal on the 950. Everyone I read was happy with the FX888D and one of club members has one and like it a lot.

 

cheers,

 

jeff

[bc6]

Thats cool the 950 is a nice looking soldering station. Ive read a lot of people are happy with it too at least I wont have that feeling of the iron being snatched out of my hands. 

[cteno4]

The 888 is great and I was just about to buy it but got a great deal on the 950. It’s a bit overkill for my use but it should last me the the rest of my life well, and a joy to use.

 

jeff

[Wolf]

For the little stuff I do the TS101 does the job, although had to order different tips