I have been borrowing my brothers Wella solder station that is about £250+ (T0053250399N | Weller WS 81 Soldering Station 80W, 230V | RS Components) to replace and I like it, have got used to it but would rather not spend that as he now wants it back!! It is the model with a digital display, not made any more.
It is 80W, would a 60W be sufficient for working on a valve amp and making interconnects etc?
thanks,
It is 80W, would a 60W be sufficient for working on a valve amp and making interconnects etc?
thanks,
Soldering irons are a personal choice. I've used Metcal for the last 12 years and found it very suitable for tube gear, which is all I use. It self-regulates and there's a good choice of tips to suit point-to-point wiring. I have the Metcal OKI SP200. You often see them on eBay. Good value. Uses Metcal or OKI parts.
Metcal OKI SP200 SP-PW1-20 soldering station power supply PSU (offers welcome) | eBay
Metcal OKI SP200 SP-PW1-20 soldering station power supply PSU (offers welcome) | eBay
60W is OK. At home I use a Weller WTCP-S with matching TP-S stylus and it is fine for tube amp point to point soldering and some SMD parts (you need to use the appropriate tip). This popular vintage soldering iron from the '80 is often on sale from internet second hand outlets; I have bought mine there years ago. It is a purely electromechanical device so it is reliable, and spares are still available from Weller. On my iron, I replaced the heating element 5 years ago and I shortened the slylus cord a few times due to wear near the connector. It looks shabby now, after almost 40 years of use, but it still working and electrically safe.
I use an Antek, 25W/40W mains voltage iron at home. It replaced the RS 25W iron which has served me for 2 decades.
It is perfectly good for almost anything you're likely to throw at it, and cheap.
And if you want to solder to half inch copper bar for your PSU earth bus, then you're better off with a small butane torch.
I use 3 different generation of Weller station at work, and the oldest are the best. The new ones arent half as good.
Metcal are great, if you are rich or running a business. I am neither haha.
It is perfectly good for almost anything you're likely to throw at it, and cheap.
And if you want to solder to half inch copper bar for your PSU earth bus, then you're better off with a small butane torch.
I use 3 different generation of Weller station at work, and the oldest are the best. The new ones arent half as good.
Metcal are great, if you are rich or running a business. I am neither haha.
apart from the daily work with weller needle tip soldering and smd tweezers, I bought a cheap 230V soldering tool with all the temperature control and digital adjustment and display in the handle for less tan 20 euro, including various tip shapes. aliexpress ...
T12 for the win!!
I use this one https://www.amazon.ca/Soldering-station-portable-Temperature-Controller/dp/B075PDNTMK/
I use this one https://www.amazon.ca/Soldering-station-portable-Temperature-Controller/dp/B075PDNTMK/
I sprung for this one last year its relatively cheap for a soldering and solder sucker in one unit. Since I was a teenager I've owned maybe five different soldering devices. But I needed something with a desoldering sucking gun when I wanted to learn tubes and thought I'd restore some old equipment. I used the desoldering gun this year to recap Heathkit and Eico bench supplies, so easy it just sucked the solder right off the pads and the caps fell right out. There are so many choices with soldering stations.
Stahl Tools DSDS Variable Temperature Digital Solder and Desolder Station
Whatever you get I'd suggest buying a supply of replacement tips right off the bat just to have them around. Usualy I use a small chiesel point but occasionally you need the real fine sharp point tip, and tips wear out. Auto shut off is a must too, but I think they all might have that now. I also wanted to salvage a transformer from an old Regency police radio, two of the mounding crews were soldered to the chassis. I cranked the heat up real high and this unit had enough wattage to melt a 3/8 inch wide glob of solder bonding a screw, the chassis and a terminal strip enough to get it sucked off. Normally for that I would have pulled out an old Weller gun I have and pre-melt and even preheat the chassis with a butane torch then sucking it off. But this sucked it off all at once, I was very surprised it could do that, of course slower than pulling out the Weller and torch, but still.
Stahl Tools DSDS Variable Temperature Digital Solder and Desolder Station
Whatever you get I'd suggest buying a supply of replacement tips right off the bat just to have them around. Usualy I use a small chiesel point but occasionally you need the real fine sharp point tip, and tips wear out. Auto shut off is a must too, but I think they all might have that now. I also wanted to salvage a transformer from an old Regency police radio, two of the mounding crews were soldered to the chassis. I cranked the heat up real high and this unit had enough wattage to melt a 3/8 inch wide glob of solder bonding a screw, the chassis and a terminal strip enough to get it sucked off. Normally for that I would have pulled out an old Weller gun I have and pre-melt and even preheat the chassis with a butane torch then sucking it off. But this sucked it off all at once, I was very surprised it could do that, of course slower than pulling out the Weller and torch, but still.
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+1 for Weller TCP-S.
I have been using its continuously for forty years.
I have few other soldering stations (desolders, hot air stations), but Weller is the everyday tool.
I have been using its continuously for forty years.
I have few other soldering stations (desolders, hot air stations), but Weller is the everyday tool.
I use the Hakko FX888D. Have zero complaints about it, and never needed any more heat than it can put out building tube amps. (65W) HAKKO | Soldering Iron | HAKKO FX-888D
BUT, make sure you buy one from a genuine distributor, the ones on eBay from China are copies. ....that's not some paranoid everything made in China is fake notion, there really are clones of the 888D made. Hakko - Google Drive
BUT, make sure you buy one from a genuine distributor, the ones on eBay from China are copies. ....that's not some paranoid everything made in China is fake notion, there really are clones of the 888D made. Hakko - Google Drive
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Buy a Weller (Cooper Tools). Expensive, but real workhorses. Have mine since the mid 1980s. Still working.
Hakko is a reknowned company, too. They produce good desoldering tools, too. Made in Japan.
Hakko is a reknowned company, too. They produce good desoldering tools, too. Made in Japan.
Don't bother with Wella . My Weller power supply literally fell to bits , the front panel came away exposing all the mains wiring . Really plastic-ey . I have a 25 year old Wella that annoyingly since replacing the original element , now requires new elements once a year .
CPC have an iron at a very attractive price which includes various tools . I got one of these for fine work
https://cpc.farnell.com/duratool/d03292/soldering-station-kit/dp/SD02147
316a
CPC have an iron at a very attractive price which includes various tools . I got one of these for fine work
https://cpc.farnell.com/duratool/d03292/soldering-station-kit/dp/SD02147
316a
Don't pay for brands or features you never need.
I have 2 such irons, after broke one pushing too hard. They are cheap, and do what they are designed for. The seller easily replaced the one that was broken.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B013JM4AW4/
I have 2 such irons, after broke one pushing too hard. They are cheap, and do what they are designed for. The seller easily replaced the one that was broken.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B013JM4AW4/
OK, you may be had bad luck. Sure there are better companies then WELLER (not Wella) out there, but what you show is a tiny non- pro unit thats very cheap. I don't expect it to beat my WELLER, much too small unit compared to mine.
I changed the heater element once with mine and the soldering tips have gone and needed to be exchanged. The base station runs like new since 35 years. Not a bad quality I would say.
I changed the heater element once with mine and the soldering tips have gone and needed to be exchanged. The base station runs like new since 35 years. Not a bad quality I would say.
What you show is a handheld, without temperture control. You say this is a useless feature, but I use it all the time. Thats the difference, we all need the equipment that satisfies our different needs. I would never be without a soldering station. Had some of those cheap handheld before when I was a kid. For serious soldering jobs, thats for sure not the right tool.
Do you have any experience with new Weller soldering station models ?
Frankly honesty!!
What ^^ said. I use the 50W model WES51 and it is more than enough power. Replacement tips are available and this thing lasts forever. It seems replacement model WESD51 may still be found.
Mine is the predecessor, WECP20. Build like a tank. Weller is still industry standard product. And I don't think those managers would buy crap to work every single day with.
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For decades in the shop, and now at home, the Weller WTCP has been my (and many professional techs) main choice.
I disregard any negative views about it, there's bound to be a few units that fail, and users that don't know how to maintain them.
I disregard any negative views about it, there's bound to be a few units that fail, and users that don't know how to maintain them.