Soldering Iron Recommendations?

The Metcals are the best irons. The SP200 system is about $290. They warm up in seconds and have impressive heat control.

John

"Jim Thompson" wrote in message news: snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com...

Hi Jim,

I too, have an aged WTCP that has been repaired several times. The heater and thermal switch have both been changed over the years. Still use it for the heavy stuff with 600 to 800F tips.

When we started to do some SMT work, I bought a cheapie (it was $100 at the time) JF96ESD through Ameritronics

Nice thing is that it is variable temperature. We were making the change from Tin/Lead solder to Lead Free and I wanted to be able to experiment with different working temperatures. Mostly this is used by itself but for larger work that involves ground planes, we have a zephytronics hot air fountain (130-150C) for pre-heating.

Only problem I've had with the JF96 is that the cord between the base and handle developed an open circuit. Found where the open was and spliced it back together. Been working for about 3 years since without any further problems.

Sort of funny working days with an esd safe SMT iron and at nights, doing artwork with an arc welder and OxAcet torch.

Sort of like when your reading glasses break, how can you see to fix them...

btw- on the topic of Zen- Q: What did the Zen master say to the hot dog vendor? A: "Make me one with everything"

Some people have backup glasses (I do). Some people have backup soldering irons (I have a $3 non-temperature controlled piece that I'm quite skilled with).

"TheM" wrote in news:4kTen.1392$ snipped-for-privacy@news.siol.net:

even "low voltage" can have a lot of current behind it. short the wrong thing,and you've burned out a PCB trace,maybe an inner layer trace that's hard to spot. Or burned out an IC from the current you shunted thru it.

He said "cheapy replacement", the Antex irons are cheap as chips and last for years.

Those of us who are myopic just get closer (though there are limits, especially when cutting, grinding, soldering etc.)

I could even dig up an old, essentially unused, Weller soldering gun if I had to. Or a fairly decent butane powered soldering iron.

Interesting - Antex used to be rubbish many years ago, Wellers were far better.

Ian

Sorry, I don't do cheapy. Some of us can afford ten cents a day to have the best soldering gear.

John

It's safe when you know it's safe. If a powerdown/restart cycle will take 10 minutes, as it sometimes does, soldering a hot circuit is useful.

John

That's why we tell techs not to do it, but rules are made to be broken...

That's nothing - try using a broken oscilloscope to fix itself! You could solder with a zippo lighter and a nail, after all. ;-)

Cheers! Rich

When I got out the Weller, it was the first time in more than a year ;-) ...Jim Thompson

snipped-for-privacy@Hovnanian.com...

...

"The Twilight Zone" -

Brings tears to my eyes just reading the synopsis. Poor ol' Mr. Bemis!

Thanks, Rich

I didn't know how lucky I was until I began to grow longsighted in my late 40s. Before that, I could focus from infinity down to perhaps 3 inches. I could count individual dots on a glossy magazine cover without any difficulty and also read typewritten text from 15 ft across a dimly lit room. Now I can read a newspaper without glasses by holding it at least 10 inches away, but can only do it comfortably in good light.

Ain't it great aging gracefully ;>)

"ian field" wrote in news:CqWen.26164$w% snipped-for-privacy@newsfe07.ams:

I like my 15W antex,and they're SIMPLE. If I had a small lathe,I'd make my own tips for it. I liked that idea someone here had about an adapter using copper wire for SMD tips.I can even see an adapter for removing SMD chips and caps.

Jim Thompson wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com:

Antex are not "cheap",they are inexpensive. They are a quality tool.

I said 99% of the time.