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Author Topic: New soldering iron suggestions  (Read 14718 times)

Jason Joseph

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Re: New soldering iron suggestions
« Reply #50 on: October 16, 2017, 09:58:11 AM »

Hakko owner here myself. Works great, easy to setup and use..
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Mike Diack

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Re: New soldering iron suggestions
« Reply #51 on: October 16, 2017, 03:43:17 PM »

Amid all the Hakkomania, I'd like to put in a word for the Metcal. I have some MX500s (but there are later models). The tip selection means you can do anything from TSSOP ICs to plumbing repairs.
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Stephen Kirby

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Re: New soldering iron suggestions
« Reply #52 on: October 20, 2017, 02:52:40 PM »

Amid all the Hakkomania, I'd like to put in a word for the Metcal. I have some MX500s (but there are later models). The tip selection means you can do anything from TSSOP ICs to plumbing repairs.
+1000

I've been in electronics manufacturing for more than 35 years.  Everything from weapons spec military gear to consumer electronics.  Have been an engineering manager in multiple contract manufacturers, been in the tech centers of others, and currently work on the OEM side.  It's expired now but I've held a Mil-Std-2000 soldering certification.  As well as having contributed to the spec itself.

What's on my bench at home is a Metcal 500 series.  I did a bunch of beta testing for them and this was comp'd.  But I would have spent my own money to get one anyway.  As the saying goes:  There's nothing more expensive than a cheap tool.  I've done everything with Metcals from Fender tube amps to adding jumper wires to 4K image sensors.

As for leaded vs. lead free.  It's just about impossible to find products with leaded solder these days.  The primary difference is that leaded solder is more ductile.  It gives a bit under strain, but also suffers from fatigue failure more easily.  SAC305 is stronger but can be fractured by shock more easily.  It's a trade off.  Then you have the metallurgy of circuit board and component finishes, my day job life for the last 35 years.

Rosin fluxes are just about extinct.  All the efforts in chemistry are in "no-clean" fluxes.  Some products are made with organic acid based fluxes and water washed where they have to be conformal coated or high power RF where leakage is an issue.  Rosin fluxes need solvent cleaning and industry can't effectively deal with solvents and safety/environmental regulations.  So about the only place you see rosin is with hobbyists stuck in the last century.
My personal favorite hand solder flux is Alpha NR205.  I also have some samples of flux from Indium and Senju that work well (part of being in industry is rep's constantly asking me to try stuff).  All of them are no clean.
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Scott Holtzman

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Re: New soldering iron suggestions
« Reply #53 on: October 20, 2017, 03:24:34 PM »

+1000

I've been in electronics manufacturing for more than 35 years.  Everything from weapons spec military gear to consumer electronics.  Have been an engineering manager in multiple contract manufacturers, been in the tech centers of others, and currently work on the OEM side.  It's expired now but I've held a Mil-Std-2000 soldering certification.  As well as having contributed to the spec itself.

What's on my bench at home is a Metcal 500 series.  I did a bunch of beta testing for them and this was comp'd.  But I would have spent my own money to get one anyway.  As the saying goes:  There's nothing more expensive than a cheap tool.  I've done everything with Metcals from Fender tube amps to adding jumper wires to 4K image sensors.

As for leaded vs. lead free.  It's just about impossible to find products with leaded solder these days.  The primary difference is that leaded solder is more ductile.  It gives a bit under strain, but also suffers from fatigue failure more easily.  SAC305 is stronger but can be fractured by shock more easily.  It's a trade off.  Then you have the metallurgy of circuit board and component finishes, my day job life for the last 35 years.

Rosin fluxes are just about extinct.  All the efforts in chemistry are in "no-clean" fluxes.  Some products are made with organic acid based fluxes and water washed where they have to be conformal coated or high power RF where leakage is an issue.  Rosin fluxes need solvent cleaning and industry can't effectively deal with solvents and safety/environmental regulations.  So about the only place you see rosin is with hobbyists stuck in the last century.
My personal favorite hand solder flux is Alpha NR205.  I also have some samples of flux from Indium and Senju that work well (part of being in industry is rep's constantly asking me to try stuff).  All of them are no clean.

Thank God I still have 1/2 a case of 20 year old flux stripper - Firmly stuck in the last century with my Hexacon Therm-O-Trac and Pace rework station (from the 80's)
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Scott AKA "Skyking" Holtzman

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Stephen Kirby

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Re: New soldering iron suggestions
« Reply #54 on: October 20, 2017, 08:20:39 PM »

Thank God I still have 1/2 a case of 20 year old flux stripper - Firmly stuck in the last century with my Hexacon Therm-O-Trac and Pace rework station (from the 80's)
Nothing wrong with the Pace stuff.  But I could never take the Johnson's.  Always seemed like hucksters whenever I met them or saw them presenting "technical papers" (very thinly disguised advertisements) at workshops.
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Bob Leonard

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Re: New soldering iron suggestions
« Reply #55 on: October 20, 2017, 11:20:31 PM »

Thank God I still have 1/2 a case of 20 year old flux stripper - Firmly stuck in the last century with my Hexacon Therm-O-Trac and Pace rework station (from the 80's)


OK, trade secret. Buy some industrial strength toilet cleaner. Works better and smells better. Also good for silver solder.
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David Buckley

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Re: New soldering iron suggestions
« Reply #56 on: October 23, 2017, 07:10:05 PM »

As a Metcal owner, I'd (of course) argue there is only one iron to have at home.  It was a big investment a number of years ago, but a "no regrets" investment.  So yeah, crazy expensive, for a soldiering iron.  I bought once, and cried, just once.

I have several that live in toolbags, but they are disposables, and I have no attachment to them!

Most of the time, for most jobs, soldering irons are like mixers; if you cant do it on a mixwiz, the problem isn't the hardware.
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Richard Turner

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Re: New soldering iron suggestions
« Reply #57 on: October 23, 2017, 07:38:58 PM »

Weller WTCPT

youll find them all day long on ebay used for $50 only downside is you need to swap tips to change temp but if your just giving a touch of solder here and there on patch cords or inside a guitar its a very temp stable and reliable unit. I've soldered on lots of 8ga battery lugs and stuff as fine as 30ga with my antique one.
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Re: New soldering iron suggestions
« Reply #57 on: October 23, 2017, 07:38:58 PM »


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