Advice on soldering iron please...

[Odie Ferrous]

I need to be able to replace chips on circuit boards as part of my
service.

Having spent a few days researching the type of soldering iron I need, I
spoke to a local Maplins branch (perhaps not the best idea?) who said
that I do NOT need a temp-controlled iron - a simple, 18W iron would do
the job.

Because their temp-regulated soldering iron kit cost Ł100 I decided to
go with their recommendation.

Having looked at this newsgroup for the first time, I do get the
impression I have wasted my money and my time.

Would someone in the UK be able to recommend an ideal soldering iron kit
for what I have in mind?

Thanks


OD

 

[Joe McElvenney]

Hi,

I need to be able to replace chips on circuit boards as part of my
service.

Having spent a few days researching the type of soldering iron I need, I
spoke to a local Maplins branch (perhaps not the best idea?) who said
that I do NOT need a temp-controlled iron - a simple, 18W iron would do
the job.

Because their temp-regulated soldering iron kit cost Ł100 I decided to
go with their recommendation.

You have been badly advised I'm afraid. A temperature-controlled iron
is something you shouldn't be without but, remember the saying about free
lunches, it will set you back around Ł50. What is strange is that Maplin
do one of these which would have bumped-up the sales-person's commission
by a small percentage so why he/she sent you along the el-cheapo road I
can only guess.

Vann Draper (do a Yahoo UK search) have a range of them as well (the
same animal although slightly more expensive than the Maplin one) but
stock a range of spares and bits as well.


Bite the bullet, sod the expense, go for it!


Cheers - Joe

 

[CBarn24050]

Having looked at this newsgroup for the first time, I do get the
impression I have wasted my money and my time.

Don't belive anything you read in these newsgroups! What you have is fine, get
a piece of verobard and some components and practice.

 

[John Miller]

CBarn24050 wrote:

Don't belive anything you read in these newsgroups! What you have is fine,
get a piece of verobard and some components and practice.

Then by your own standard, your advice is not to be believed!

Odie:
Especially for circuit board work, a temperature-controlled iron is
preferred by far, but for an experienced person, it is not essential. But
most experienced persons of my acquaintence would use nothing else if there
were any choice in the matter.

--
John Miller, slingin' solder since 1954
Email address: domain, n4vu.com; username, jsm

This sentence is false.

 

[CBarn24050]

Then by your own standard, your advice is not to be believed!

Quite so, a little practice and he will not need my or anyone else's advice.
Will his soldering be any better with a temp controlled iron? I don't think so,
it's very easy for you to spend his money for him on things he doen't need. Are
you going to pay conpensation? I thought not.

 

[Bob Masta]

On Tue, 08 Jun 2004 15:09:10 +0100, Odie Ferrous
<odie_ferrous@hot.dot.mail.dot.com> wrote:

I need to be able to replace chips on circuit boards as part of my
service.

Having spent a few days researching the type of soldering iron I need, I
spoke to a local Maplins branch (perhaps not the best idea?) who said
that I do NOT need a temp-controlled iron - a simple, 18W iron would do
the job.

Because their temp-regulated soldering iron kit cost Ł100 I decided to
go with their recommendation.

Having looked at this newsgroup for the first time, I do get the
impression I have wasted my money and my time.

Would someone in the UK be able to recommend an ideal soldering iron kit
for what I have in mind?

Thanks


OD

Don't know what's available on your side of the pond,
but in US you can get irons made by Weller and others
that are inexpensive (relatively speaking) and still
temperature controlled. You install different tips
for different temperatures. Works on the Curie
effect: when the tip reaches the designated temperature
(Curie point), a little magnetic core inside it loses its magnetism
and shuttles to the off position until it cools down enough
to re-acquire its magnetism.

These are way cheaper than the "soldering station"
types, especially if you get one that runs straight off
the mains. A little more than a basic simple iron, but
well worth it.

Just my USD$0.02 worth...


Bob Masta
dqatechATdaqartaDOTcom

D A Q A R T A
Data AcQuisition And Real-Time Analysis
www.daqarta.com

 

[Odie Ferrous]

Thanks for all your suggestions.

I have now purchased a full-blown SMT Reworking station from Antex.

ODie

 

[Robert Stankowic]

CBarn24050 wrote:

Then by your own standard, your advice is not to be believed!


Quite so, a little practice and he will not need my or anyone else's
advice. Will his soldering be any better with a temp controlled
iron? I don't think so, it's very easy for you to spend his money
for him on things he doen't need. Are you going to pay conpensation?
I thought not.

Well, the only thing I can think of is, that many/most of the simple
irons become too hot when left alone or "freeze" when used on wider
copper (ground planes for example).
Freezing is annoying and too high temperature may easily exceed the
component specs, which often will not destroy them, but reduce their
lifetime.
With the necessary skills this is not a problem, but it can be for a
beginner.
Once you can manage to complete a soldering point in two seconds or
less (and nevertheless produce a good connection), the heat is no
Problem anymore.