Just bought one of these cute Sparkfun soldering irons for working away from home.
DIGIKEY Sparkfun soldering iron
Works on 120v and 230v
Adjustable to 5 temp settings.
Comes stock with nice fine tip - compatible with Hakko replacements.
Only US$15
DIGIKEY Sparkfun soldering iron
Works on 120v and 230v
Adjustable to 5 temp settings.
Comes stock with nice fine tip - compatible with Hakko replacements.
Only US$15
I don't think "adjustable temperature" means the same thing as "temperature controlled", so I wouldn't expect it to a workhorse, just useful for those emergency situations.
Its not clear that its temperature controlled but it looks reasonably decent with good reviews. I would get some Hakko tips and check it with a thermocouple just to be sure.
Soldering Iron - 60W (Adjustable Temperature) - TOL-14456 - SparkFun Electronics $15 at Digikey US.
Soldering Iron - 60W (Adjustable Temperature) - TOL-14456 - SparkFun Electronics $15 at Digikey US.
Yes. It's not a workhorse.
A new friend asked me to look at fixing his CD player. But I'm living away from my home at the moment and do not want to spend a lot on tools. I was happy to order this alongside the components I needed and it has done the job very comfortably.
It appears well made. The tip is nicely fine for small work. The handle grip is comfortable and the cord is very flexible so makes manipulation very easy.
A new friend asked me to look at fixing his CD player. But I'm living away from my home at the moment and do not want to spend a lot on tools. I was happy to order this alongside the components I needed and it has done the job very comfortably.
It appears well made. The tip is nicely fine for small work. The handle grip is comfortable and the cord is very flexible so makes manipulation very easy.
I just use a cheapo Antex 30 watt iron now.
Works very well and tips last for months or years.
Bought a cheap Weller and tips lasted 3 days ! Far too hot.
Tried a couple of Maplin soldering stations, neither lasted a week.
Works very well and tips last for months or years.
Bought a cheap Weller and tips lasted 3 days ! Far too hot.
Tried a couple of Maplin soldering stations, neither lasted a week.
Almost the same here - I have a 25W antex. I remember using my dads years ago and the larger irons feel unwieldy. I also have a gas iron for use in the field when doing astrophotography (ie camping, -15degC and dark). Too hot for normal stuff but the heatgun and torch are useful too.
I got this earlier this year for under $20:
75w mini electric soldering iron adjustable temperature t12 tip dc 12-24v power digital display soldering iron diy handle kit Sale - Banggood.com sold out-arrival notice-arrival notice
It uses the Hakko T12 style tips which combine tip, heater and thermocouple. Temperature is adjustable via a pot and the display shows the setting and actual temp. I last used it to solder the taillight wiring under my friend's project truck, powered from a 19V laptop power brick. It would run very nicely from an 18V tool battery, but wattage at 12V is enough for lighter duty soldering.
The only flaw I've noticed is the LED lacks a red filter for better contrast, and changing the settings for sleep time or temperature correction is tricky (I had to watch a Youtube video to make sense of the instructions).
Here's a similar thing on ebay, in stock, but with a more informative OLED display and probably much easier to access settings:
T12 OLED Soldering Iron Welding Tool Solder Adjustable Temperature DC 12-24V 72W | eBay
There are also "dumb" T12 irons available in line voltage or DC versions; they are temperature controlled (temperature set by knob) but don't have a display or sleep timer. I was planning to get one when I spotted the smart version for just a few more bucks.
T12 Mini Electric Soldering Iron Adjustable Temperature+Tip DC12-24V 75W US | eBay
75w mini electric soldering iron adjustable temperature t12 tip dc 12-24v power digital display soldering iron diy handle kit Sale - Banggood.com sold out-arrival notice-arrival notice
It uses the Hakko T12 style tips which combine tip, heater and thermocouple. Temperature is adjustable via a pot and the display shows the setting and actual temp. I last used it to solder the taillight wiring under my friend's project truck, powered from a 19V laptop power brick. It would run very nicely from an 18V tool battery, but wattage at 12V is enough for lighter duty soldering.
The only flaw I've noticed is the LED lacks a red filter for better contrast, and changing the settings for sleep time or temperature correction is tricky (I had to watch a Youtube video to make sense of the instructions).
Here's a similar thing on ebay, in stock, but with a more informative OLED display and probably much easier to access settings:
T12 OLED Soldering Iron Welding Tool Solder Adjustable Temperature DC 12-24V 72W | eBay
There are also "dumb" T12 irons available in line voltage or DC versions; they are temperature controlled (temperature set by knob) but don't have a display or sleep timer. I was planning to get one when I spotted the smart version for just a few more bucks.
T12 Mini Electric Soldering Iron Adjustable Temperature+Tip DC12-24V 75W US | eBay