[Wanted] Decent Starter Soldering Iron/Station

[thetarn]

I am looking to upgrade from the generally available "hot piece of metal" irons that I have been using until now.

Item Wanted: Decent starter soldering iron (chinese clones are fine, TS100 would be brilliant)
Essential Attributes: Temp Control of some kind (magnastat, thermistor, digital logic), replaceable tips
Packaging Essential: NO.
Desired Age: N/A.
Location: ANY.
Willing to accept a shipped item: YES.
Condition: Preferably second-hand as I would just buy a new one if I could afford it. Even the Chinese clones are expensive here!
Intended use: Mainly through hole, a little de-soldering some SMD - light hobbyist use. Lead-Free or Leaded models are fine.
Ballpark/Budget Amount: ~R600-R700 but open to realistic offers (model dependant).
Payment: Cash/EFT/Bitcoin

 

[souljazk]

What I'v learnt with all tools - good tools, make you a better worker. OR in other words, hardwork outdoes talent everytime. Spend once, and save down the line. Spend some more and get that TS100. You can get the TS100 for just over R1k on Gearbest.

Ts100 digital soldering Online Deals | GearBest.com

For electronics use resin core. Get a flux pen (ALWAYS use flux before de/soldering). ALWAYS have a fume extractor and wear eye protection. ALso get solder braid. Soldering paste is $$ but also super easy to work with and gives very professional results, but also requires a heatgun.

 

[thetarn]

@souljazk Thank you for the advice. I was hoping to save some bucks as its a bit expensive to get started. However I found a good deal on a TS100 via ebay UK. Where would you reccomend I look for solder wire/flux/tip cleaner etc? I have checked all of the local suppliers RS/Rabtron etc. bidorbuy is selling mostly cheapo chinese stuff which I have read is generally useless. But then you get Kester solder at R500. lol. Is there a good middle ground?

 

[ThatGuy_ZA]

This might be slightly below your specs but I've got one of these. It's definitely not as fancy as the TS100 but it seems to work nicely and it's easy to get replacement tips. Oh and it's grounded properly - that's something that would concern me with the Chinese clones.

 

[thetarn]

Thanks @ThatGuy_ZA . I have already purchased a TS100. What finally swung me was the ability to use Hakko T12/15 tips with it. Using a small 3d printed modification. Which opens up the tip selection greatly.

So yeah. A bit of a splurge. But hopefully it will last me forever. And I can take it with me when I emigrate to the UK in a few years whereas a station would be a bit bulky.

 

[blueowl]

I see you already went and bought something but thought it was worth mentioning - there was a (what turned out to be a fake) Hakko soldering station on the forum a short while ago; the seller decided to withdraw the sale and give it to someone else - [Sale] - Hakko FX-888 Soldering Station & 2 x Spare Soldering Tips | Electronics and Gadgets - too bad as I hear even the copies are not too bad quality products but nevertheless.....

 

[thetarn]

I actually saw that one but the thread was already closed so I assumed it had been sold. Yeah the clones are pretty good from what I have seen. One can barely tell them apart from the originals, apparently.

 

[souljazk]

@souljazk Thank you for the advice. I was hoping to save some bucks as its a bit expensive to get started. However I found a good deal on a TS100 via ebay UK. Where would you reccomend I look for solder wire/flux/tip cleaner etc? I have checked all of the local suppliers RS/Rabtron etc. bidorbuy is selling mostly cheapo chinese stuff which I have read is generally useless. But then you get Kester solder at R500. lol. Is there a good middle ground?

It is a little expensive, esp if you're not sure when / when / if it will become profitable , assuming your looking to learn some soldering /desoldering / multimeter skills to accompany certain work.

Could you mention a bit of background / what your wanting to do , down the line? Pricing on solder / flux etc differes drastically. Try go to somewhere like RS Components / Mantech and compare them to retailers like Brights/Builders etc.

Much like IT & prob most thing done with your hands, Youtube + practise = good results. I kept my 1st few "jobs" (desoldering & resoldering random parts from dead mobo's) and after just a few weeks, with a couple hours here and there, I could see a marked improvement in the quality of my work. Its one of those things you get a feel for, both in the art itself and the iron / solder, what to look out for / avoid etc.

I'm going to be turning a old phone / webcam into a DIY microscope to aid my work.

FLux - you get liquid (like water) ; gel (looks nice to work with but I'v not used any) and then 'normal' solder which can be kak to work with.
Solder - acid core / rosin core / and some are labled 60/40 (percentage of X and y respectivly). What are you wanting to solder? I THINK rosin core is recommended for electronics, but I could be wrong.
Desoldering - get some decent tweezers and a heatgun with small variables. Work it round and round in a uniform way, you'll see the solder go nice and shiny, kind of like the T9000 in Terminator 2. Then you can use the tweezers to CAREFULLy & GENTLY lift the chip. If there is resistance, carry on with the heartgun. YOu never want to aim the heatgun in 1 spot and keep it aimed at the spot /chip. Its like working with boobs, you got to knead them, and not squeeze 1 spot.
Tip cleaner - NEVER use sandpaper, unless you want to risk messing the tip up - fine if you have cheap / spare tips. ALWAYS clean and always tin the tip, this (+ a decent quality tip) will last a long long time. I use a old glass jar from some jam and steel wire from PnP, like what you'd use to clean pots etc.

Above all else - work in a well ventilated room, and use eye protection. Also , solder can and will splatter, and burn your skin, so get some thick rubber gloves. I try work in old tracksuites (not nylon typo ones.

EEVblog #431 - PCB Wave Soldering

Soldering station technology & the lie of "SOLDERING PATRIOTISM"

Banggood TS100 soldering iron review(highly recommended!)

 

[thetarn]

Wow! Thank you for the detailed response!

Currently I am only doing a little hobby work. Some de-soldering from dead things. And the odd bit of repair, audio cables, power supplies from old chargers etc. Until now I have been using a crappy 60w Ellies iron. I have a collection of unknown solder with flux core. And some lead solder rosin core (unknown composition) that I bought at the local hardware store. It works well enough. But I see the advantage of having good tip cleaner/flux etc.

Yep. 60/40 rosin core wire seems to be the most recommended type. But one is generally cautioned to stay away from the chinese brands (basically everything on bidorbuy). There are some great videos comparing their performance to known brands. I could order some of the better brands off ebay. But would prefer to find a reputable local source if possible. mantech and the rest are either selling generics or 1KG rolls of the fancy stuff for R800+. Have found one or two local manufacturers that look promising from their MSDS sheets. But will have to see if they sell to the general public.

I have a bosch heatgun (like a hairdryer on steroids not a fancy smd rework station). Have successfully re-flowed a macbook and xbox with it before (made an adapter for the tip). All went fine. Then I tried to re-flow an iPhone and cooked it lol. All personal stuff. Wouldn't dare attempt that on someone else's stuff.

So yeah. Mostly just a guy who won't take "it can't be fixed" as an answer until I have tried every last thing I can to resurrect it (with the help of ole Google and a can-do attitude).

I do plan on creating a product soon that will require a lot of soldering. So yeah it may pay off at some point. But hobby/fun is more my end goal.

 

[thetarn]

I'm keen to see what you're doing with the phone microscope. I have thought to do the same myself. Are you going with the laser lens route, or something more advanced? I saw one project where they used a webcam and a canon lens. But that sounds a bit overkill!

 

[souljazk]

Wow! Thank you for the detailed response!

Currently I am only doing a little hobby work. Some de-soldering from dead things. And the odd bit of repair, audio cables, power supplies from old chargers etc. Until now I have been using a crappy 60w Ellies iron. I have a collection of unknown solder with flux core. And some lead solder rosin core (unknown composition) that I bought at the local hardware store. It works well enough. But I see the advantage of having good tip cleaner/flux etc.

Yep. 60/40 rosin core wire seems to be the most recommended type. But one is generally cautioned to stay away from the chinese brands (basically everything on bidorbuy). There are some great videos comparing their performance to known brands. I could order some of the better brands off ebay. But would prefer to find a reputable local source if possible. mantech and the rest are either selling generics or 1KG rolls of the fancy stuff for R800+. Have found one or two local manufacturers that look promising from their MSDS sheets. But will have to see if they sell to the general public.

I have a bosch heatgun (like a hairdryer on steroids not a fancy smd rework station). Have successfully re-flowed a macbook and xbox with it before (made an adapter for the tip). All went fine. Then I tried to re-flow an iPhone and cooked it lol. All personal stuff. Wouldn't dare attempt that on someone else's stuff.

So yeah. Mostly just a guy who won't take "it can't be fixed" as an answer until I have tried every last thing I can to resurrect it (with the help of ole Google and a can-do attitude).

I do plan on creating a product soon that will require a lot of soldering. So yeah it may pay off at some point. But hobby/fun is more my end goal.

Pretty much in the same boat re not accepting "it cant be fixed" or is uneconomical, which I often think is a excuse of "I just don't know what the F is wrong and my boss is breathing down my neck to make money". FYI never reflow solder, after the initial solder joint is created, the flux is gone (the smoke you see if the flux burning off) and to reflow it is not optimal. A dead / dry solder joint will generally be murkey / dull. There are also other signs of a bad joint.


Soldering Guide for RC Quadcopter Beginners - Oscar Liang

Attachment browser: dry solder joint.jpg by sonicj - RC Groups

Immobiliser Dry Joint - www.FordWiki.co.uk

Repairing Audio Video Electronic Components: How do you fix it when it breaks

Here is a nice project, I still need to get around to, which for me will help me inject current into a device, say a dead laptop, and then using a multimeter, see where the current is being impeded / redirected to ground etc.

I forgot to add - Desoldering - you'll need desoldering braid, this is copper infused with flux. I see many youtubers add some flux (this helps the solder melt), and the run the braid with the soldering top ontop of it, to wickup the remaining solder. You can also cut the legs, remove the chip and then wick the left over up, obv this is not recommended if you want to reuse the chip. You also get heated tweezers which help.

PS: You also get flux pens which look nice and accurate to work with.

 

[souljazk]

I'm keen to see what you're doing with the phone microscope. I have thought to do the same myself. Are you going with the laser lens route, or something more advanced? I saw one project where they used a webcam and a canon lens. But that sounds a bit overkill!

Yes looking at the DVD lens route or using a webcam mod which seems a bit more 'professional'

 

[Greekking]

Sorry if I missed something, replies were too long to read hahaha

Would something like that work for you ?

 

[souljazk]

Sorry if I missed something, replies were too long to read hahaha

Would something like that work for you ?View attachment 14957

Whats the magnification on that lens?

I'm in the process of making this, just waiting for the arms to arrive from Gearbest.

HT-01 "Helping Hand" Soldering Stand Comes with 6 Arms, a USB powered Fan

Helping Hands Third Hand Soldering Tool 6 Flexible Arms Six Arm Soldering Station With Swiveling Alligator Clip for RC Drone-in Parts & Accessories from Toys & Hobbies on Aliexpress.com | Alibaba Group

6 Flexible Arms Soldering Vise Helping Hands Third Hand PCB Repair Fixture with Magnifying Glass Lens & LED Flashlight

Going to have a magnifying glass, fan, torch and then 3 free hands. Might make one with 8 arms for some flexability, no pun intended.

 

[Greekking]

I need to find the 2nd box.

Not 100% sure to be honest. This unit will be much cheaper than those options though, think it was R250 but need to confirm

Whats the magnification on that lens?

I'm in the process of making this, just waiting for the arms to arrive from Gearbest.

HT-01 "Helping Hand" Soldering Stand Comes with 6 Arms, a USB powered Fan

Helping Hands Third Hand Soldering Tool 6 Flexible Arms Six Arm Soldering Station With Swiveling Alligator Clip for RC Drone-in Parts & Accessories from Toys & Hobbies on Aliexpress.com | Alibaba Group

6 Flexible Arms Soldering Vise Helping Hands Third Hand PCB Repair Fixture with Magnifying Glass Lens & LED Flashlight

Going to have a magnifying glass, fan, torch and then 3 free hands. Might make one with 8 arms for some flexability, no pun intended.

 

[souljazk]

This looks pretty good, might try make it this weekend as I'v got a old Logitech S5500

Electronics blog: DIY USB soldering microscope

 

[souljazk]

I need to find the 2nd box.

Not 100% sure to be honest. This unit will be much cheaper than those options though, think it was R250 but need to confirm

Those options are a few hundred, but making one yourself, costs < R200

4Kunststoff Flexible Wasser Öl Kühlmittel Rohr Schlauch 30cm für-CNC | eBay

 

[P1000]

If you are looking for solder, this is locally produced, so should have a lot less lead tax (I think):
W63NC0705 500g - SOLDER WIRE LEADED NO-CLEAN 0.7mm 500G ROLLS
It also works very well. Some types do not work nicely, especially those coming from China.

If you are going to desolder, always add some lead. With most products using lead-free these days, they are a lot harder to desolder and the higher temperatures and longer times increases the chances of damaging something.

I think the TS100 is your best bet in your price range.

 

[thetarn]

Pretty much in the same boat re not accepting "it cant be fixed" or is uneconomical, which I often think is a excuse of "I just don't know what the F is wrong and my boss is breathing down my neck to make money". FYI never reflow solder, after the initial solder joint is created, the flux is gone (the smoke you see if the flux burning off) and to reflow it is not optimal. A dead / dry solder joint will generally be murkey / dull. There are also other signs of a bad joint.

I also have been planning to build one one those ATX PSUs. I am looking at using the power supply from an old decoder though. I have already stripped a bunch of stuff out of it. It had some nice 7 segment displays, with logic board et al. The supply also has 3, 5, 12, -12 rails but a few other ones that look interesting.

 

[souljazk]

If you are looking for solder, this is locally produced, so should have a lot less lead tax (I think):
W63NC0705 500g - SOLDER WIRE LEADED NO-CLEAN 0.7mm 500G ROLLS
It also works very well. Some types do not work nicely, especially those coming from China.

If you are going to desolder, always add some lead. With most products using lead-free these days, they are a lot harder to desolder and the higher temperatures and longer times increases the chances of damaging something.

I think the TS100 is your best bet in your price range.

Q - is adding flux not part of requiring lower temps to melt the solder, lead free or not?

THanx for that link, looks good, def will be buying some aswell!

 

[thetarn]

Seconded! that looks like a nice price for a decent amount (1kg would just be overkill!) I have been using the same 500g roll I got from my grandpa for about 8 years now haha. But it's weird stuff think more suited to "electro-mechanical" work than fine soldering.

The lead just interacts with the non-lead solder and helps lower the melting temp afaik. Also adding a blob helps evenly distribute the heat across the contacts (in the case of a smd chip for instance) meaning you loosen the item more quickly with less chance of it overheating.

bigclivedotcom is a great guy to learn some of this from. I found this video particularly enlightening:

Also Marco Reps is a great guy to watch some stuff on. I love his humour! In my mind he is like the Pewdipie of the techy world lol.

 

[atunguyd]

Here is a nice project, I still need to get around to, which for me will help me inject current into a device, say a dead laptop, and then using a multimeter, see where the current is being impeded / redirected to ground etc.

Just for the record and I am not trying to be a douche but adding some banana plugs to a psu does not make it a lab power supply.

The most important feature of a lab psu is true voltage and current limiting (not shutting down when a limit is reached but capping it at that level). This is why you pay so much for them.

I can set my lab psu to current limit at 10ma and then apply voltage to any portion of a circuit confident that I will not fry anything.

That psu in the video will be great for general voltage supply and you will probably benifit a lot from it, it just ain't a lab psu.



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[P1000]

Q - is adding flux not part of requiring lower temps to melt the solder, lead free or not?

THanx for that link, looks good, def will be buying some aswell!

Yeah, adding flux is supposed to remove oxides and to prevent further oxidation, so it is a good idea (but it won't lower the melting point of solder). The solder I linked has a flux core, so if you work quickly enough, you can get away without adding more flux. It is also no-clean flux, so you can leave it, but I generally don't.

 

[souljazk]

Just for the record and I am not trying to be a douche but adding some banana plugs to a psu does not make it a lab power supply.

The most important feature of a lab psu is true voltage and current limiting (not shutting down when a limit is reached but capping it at that level). This is why you pay so much for them.

I can set my lab psu to current limit at 10ma and then apply voltage to any portion of a circuit confident that I will not fry anything.

That psu in the video will be great for general voltage supply and you will probably benifit a lot from it, it just ain't a lab psu.



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I agree that its not a proper lab PSU, but more something fun to make for hobbyists / those doing basic work.

 

[thetarn]

Just for the record and I am not trying to be a douche but adding some banana plugs to a psu does not make it a lab power supply.

The most important feature of a lab psu is true voltage and current limiting (not shutting down when a limit is reached but capping it at that level). This is why you pay so much for them.

I can set my lab psu to current limit at 10ma and then apply voltage to any portion of a circuit confident that I will not fry anything.

That psu in the video will be great for general voltage supply and you will probably benifit a lot from it, it just ain't a lab psu.



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I agree that its not a proper lab PSU, but more something fun to make for hobbyists / those doing basic work.

Your comment is extremely valid. As is that of souljazk. I guess it all comes down to what one is doing and what one needs.

I do not have urgent need of a super fancy lab power supply, but something with a little variability is useful. I doubt Nikola Tesla and his ilk were shopping on ebay. One makes do with what one has to hand and what one can afford. The limitation is then only imposed by one's ability and the capabilities of the materials to hand. Expecting lab performance from a simple ATX PSU would be ludicrous. But that is not what we are expecting.

And as a hobbyist, making/repurposing something in order to make something else like this is not only a good learning experience but also in the spirit of making things sure I haven't invented something great. But I am in the mindset of taking what I have and making something useful out of it. And that is a step in the right direction, no mater how inefficient the end result may be.

 

[thetarn]

Just for the record and I am not trying to be a douche but adding some banana plugs to a psu does not make it a lab power supply.

The most important feature of a lab psu is true voltage and current limiting (not shutting down when a limit is reached but capping it at that level). This is why you pay so much for them.

I can set my lab psu to current limit at 10ma and then apply voltage to any portion of a circuit confident that I will not fry anything.

That psu in the video will be great for general voltage supply and you will probably benifit a lot from it, it just ain't a lab psu.



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Also I can see how you might be more inclined to make that comment considering the video refers to the results as a "lab bench power supply" which, I agree, is a misrepresentation.

 

[atunguyd]

Also I can see how you might be more inclined to make that comment considering the video refers to the results as a "lab bench power supply" which, I agree, is a misrepresentation.

Yep that's all I was saying. Nifty useful psu it is..... Lab power supply it definitely ain't.

I was lucky that years ago my company gave me one of their old lab dual power supplies. It is a great piece of kit which I would not replace in a hurry.

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[thetarn]

Yep that's all I was saying. Nifty useful psu it is..... Lab power supply it definitely ain't.

I was lucky that years ago my company gave me one of their old lab dual power supplies. It is a great piece of kit which I would not replace in a hurry.

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I worked for a WISP/Radio company which folded shortly after I left. They had all sorts of cool tech which I wish I knew what happened to. Oscilloscopes, bench psus, solder stations. The lot.

 

[atunguyd]

I worked for a WISP/Radio company which folded shortly after I left. They had all sorts of cool tech which I wish I knew what happened to. Oscilloscopes, bench psus, solder stations. The lot.

We had an electronic refurb factory which we closed. The accountants got all the equipment that had a book value of zero and got it moved into a pile in the centre of the room. We are talking tecktronik and HP digital scopes, weller and hakko solder stations, signal generators, fume hoods etc.... (enough for about 20 work stations). The engineering staff were told that whatever is left in that pile the next day is going to the tip so help yourself.

There was even a bga rework station but I don't recall what happened to that.

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