Choosing a general-purpose soldering gun

[wylbur37]

When I was a teenager, I purchased a Weller 8200 dual-heat (100/140
watt) soldering gun. It served me well over the years. Then about ten
years ago, I went through a period where I didn't need to do any
soldering and decided to give it away as part of "uncluttering". (I
later realized that was a mistake).

Now, I need to do some soldering again and need a soldering gun. I
could purchase a new Weller 8200 through mail-order, which will cost
over $40. (I could also get one used via eBay for as low as $8, but I
don't trust buying used stuff from strangers).

I could also purchase a new soldering gun at Radio Shack, either a
dual-heat (150/230 watt) model (Cat. No. 64-2187) for $29.99, or a
single-heat (100 watt) model (Cat. No. 64-2193) for $12.99.

If I recall correctly, back when I still had my Weller 8200, the first
heat setting (100 watts) was usually enough for most wiring jobs. Very
rarely did I have to click it back to the second position (140 watts)
except to solder some thicker metal items.

I'm currently leaning towards getting the Radio Shack 100 watt model,
not only to save money but because the heavier model (150/230 watt) is
probably too hot anyway and might burn out some components. Another
reason I'm leaning towards getting the Radio Shack one is that there
are numerous Radio Shack retail stores near where I live (in New York
City) and I could just go and buy one over-the-counter without the
hassle of waiting for it to be delivered. (As for the Weller 8200,
it's more expensive and I don't know which stores in New York City
would sell it anyway).


I was wondering what your thoughts were on ...

a. whether 100 watts is sufficient for most soldering jobs
(involving ordinary stuff like LEDs, resistors, etc.).

b. whether you've had any experience using the Radio Shack soldering
guns mentioned above and whether you think they're any good.

c. whether you know of any retail stores in the New York City area
that sell a Weller 8200 soldering gun for $30 or less.


Thanks for your help.

 

[Phil Hobbs]

Michael A. Covington wrote:

A gun or an iron? By "gun" I assume you mean the device, invented by Carl
Weller, that heats up quickly by driving a huge current through a wire tip.
(It contains a big transformer, and you can feel it buzzing a little as you
use it.) By "iron" I mean something with the heating element separate from
the tip.




a. whether 100 watts is sufficient for most soldering jobs
(involving ordinary stuff like LEDs, resistors, etc.).



It is way too much. If you are working with small components, the best
soldering instrument is a temperature-controlled iron (not gun) of maybe 15
to 25 watts. By temperature-controlled I mean that they contain a
thermostat or temperature sensor to maintain a uniform 700 degrees F (or
various others; on printed circuit boards I use a lower temperature).

Because of the temperature control, an iron of this type heats up rapidly
(in about 1 minute); it runs at full power until working temperature is
reached, then automatically cuts back its power.

A soldering *gun* is for appliance repair, heavy automotive wiring, and the
like. I know that back in the 1960s, people used to use soldering guns with
small components (which were bigger back then), but it's not easy.




b. whether you've had any experience using the Radio Shack soldering
guns mentioned above and whether you think they're any good.



Don't know.

$70 will buy you a temperature-controlled iron from Radio Shack, the
64-2185, that should be a pleasure to use. (I haven't tried it; I use a
Weller station that I bought secondhand at a hamfest.)

Radio Shack also has some irons in the 15- to 30-watt range that are not
temperature controlled. The 64-2051, at $8, looks good for work with small
components.

They do have an iron with a gun-shaped handle, just to confuse you.

Radio Shack is of course catering to the hobbyist market. For
industrial-quality soldering irons, look at:
http://www.mouser.com/catalog/618/1261.pdf
http://www.mouser.com/catalog/618/1262.pdf
The Weller WES50 and WESD10 are temperature-controlled, like what I use.
The WTCPT is also very good (it has a thermostat built into the iron, but no
adjustments or display). Weller's "economical" soldering station is not
temperature-controlled, but lets you vary the power (which is not nearly as
handy).




c. whether you know of any retail stores in the New York City area
that sell a Weller 8200 soldering gun for $30 or less.



For an old-fashioned Weller soldering gun (a tool that certainly has its
place) I'd try Wal-Mart or K-Mart.




Soldering guns are great for connecting metal shields and heavy wires to

ground planes, e.g. in a dead-bug RF prototype. They cool down much
faster than a Godzilla soldering iron, which is the other good method

Cheers,

Phil Hobbs

 

[mike]

wylbur37 wrote:

When I was a teenager, I purchased a Weller 8200 dual-heat (100/140
watt) soldering gun. It served me well over the years. Then about ten
years ago, I went through a period where I didn't need to do any
soldering and decided to give it away as part of "uncluttering". (I
later realized that was a mistake).

Now, I need to do some soldering again and need a soldering gun. I
could purchase a new Weller 8200 through mail-order, which will cost
over $40. (I could also get one used via eBay for as low as $8, but I
don't trust buying used stuff from strangers).

I could also purchase a new soldering gun at Radio Shack, either a
dual-heat (150/230 watt) model (Cat. No. 64-2187) for $29.99, or a
single-heat (100 watt) model (Cat. No. 64-2193) for $12.99.

If I recall correctly, back when I still had my Weller 8200, the first
heat setting (100 watts) was usually enough for most wiring jobs. Very
rarely did I have to click it back to the second position (140 watts)
except to solder some thicker metal items.

I'm currently leaning towards getting the Radio Shack 100 watt model,
not only to save money but because the heavier model (150/230 watt) is
probably too hot anyway and might burn out some components. Another
reason I'm leaning towards getting the Radio Shack one is that there
are numerous Radio Shack retail stores near where I live (in New York
City) and I could just go and buy one over-the-counter without the
hassle of waiting for it to be delivered. (As for the Weller 8200,
it's more expensive and I don't know which stores in New York City
would sell it anyway).


I was wondering what your thoughts were on ...

a. whether 100 watts is sufficient for most soldering jobs
(involving ordinary stuff like LEDs, resistors, etc.).

b. whether you've had any experience using the Radio Shack soldering
guns mentioned above and whether you think they're any good.

c. whether you know of any retail stores in the New York City area
that sell a Weller 8200 soldering gun for $30 or less.


Thanks for your help.

A GUN is great if you need high temperature with low thermal mass
infrequently. Like when you want to solder a wire onto a tube socket.
For current electronic work, they're obsolete.

Get a Weller (or any one of a zillion similar brands)
temperature controlled iron and be done with it. Ham radio swap meets
are good places to get used/refurbished ones. Going price is around
$40. I can put you in touch with a trusted refurbished one if you like.

For small stuff, Antex makes a 15W iron that works nicely for normal
components on a circuit board. Does a credible job on Surface Mount
with the right tip.

For heavy electronic soldering you're gonna want
an Ungar 47W 1050degree iron. Lots of thermal mass, but not huge like
the one you used in shop class 40 years ago. Put it on a light dimmer
and it will work over a wide range of applications.
mike


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