Best Soldering Iron?

[n1teblad3]

Whats the best type of soldering iron to use, for soldering things to the mobo(of a console to mod it for portabilizing)? 20, 40 or 60 Watts?

[samjc3]

get one that is switchable between 40 and 110 watts. they are more expensive, but if you ever have to melt the lock on a cell door to spring your friends......

[n1teblad3]

So 40 Watts would be alright for soldering?I found a cheap 17Watt one, thats not hot enough, correct? Oh and don't worry 'bout the lock. I got a 200 Watt baby in the cupboard

[XCVG]

My (insert deity, celebrity, or food here)! 110 watts is too much. 40 watts is probably too much. 17 watts is meh. You want a 20-30 watt iron. Get a good one too. A good one is way better than a Ratshack cheap junk piece of crap. On cheap ones the tips are crap, they get loose easily, they take forever to heat up, and they are just generally junk. I've had two with loose tips and one that had the screw snap off when I tried to tighten it. I now have a Weller WP25 and it's great. You can get all sorts of tips (I like really pointy), the tip stays nice and secure, and it gets hot quick. Some people get 45 watt irons because they need more heat. This one is 25W and it's plenty, almost as good as the 40W stations at school. It cost me $50CAD but you Americans can probably get it for $25 or so.

[samjc3]

My (insert deity, celebrity, or food here)!

my george clooney!

My taco!

dammnnn!!!! 110 watts is awesome!

[n1teblad3]

Thanks! I was just about to buy a 20W one. 25 Watts it is!

[Life of Brian]

I picked up a 40W Weller iron from Home Depot for $17. It has a very pointy tip and heats up quickly. I do pretty much everything with it now.

[XCVG]

Thanks! I was just about to buy a 20W one. 25 Watts it is!

Is it a cheapo? You'll never know how much better a good iron is until you try one!

[n1teblad3]

Its $24.99NZ, so that's kinda like 13 bucks US. Pretty cheap I guess. The shops are different here in NZ , but I'll have a look around for a good one. 'Weller' is the brand right?

[blaze3927]

Its $24.99NZ, so that's kinda like 13 bucks US. Pretty cheap I guess. The shops are different here in NZ , but I'll have a look around for a good one. 'Weller' is the brand right?

New zealand
which part?
i'm originally from palmerston nth.

[XCVG]

Its $24.99NZ, so that's kinda like 13 bucks US. Pretty cheap I guess. The shops are different here in NZ , but I'll have a look around for a good one. 'Weller' is the brand right?

Weller WP25 is the one I have, it is excellent. Hakko makes good irons too. When you choose an iron, look at the way the tip is attached. If there is a setscrew, DO NOT BUY IT. It will not stay tight and will not tighten. Look for one that holds the tip on with a nut.

Although there are other irons that are good, for a beginner it's best to go with a tried-and-true recommended iron. Most people use a ratshack cheapy, it's hard to use and you'll be replacing it every 2-6 months (depending on use). I have no doubt that my WP25 will last several years, especially since I don't use it often. I've done a bit of research and it's probably the best budget iron. Oh and it's made in Mexico, not China.

[n1teblad3]

I'm not from New Zealand, but I live in Hamilton. Its not too busy, but not too quiet. (A lil' bit of paradise )


Thanks for the advice, this is a weller, but its not the correct one right? : Weller WECP-20
I'll keep looking and hope something pops up.

BTW, whats the deal with solder suckers/ de-soldering irons? What do they do, and is it worth having one?

[XCVG]

I'm not from New Zealand, but I live in Hamilton. Its not too busy, but not too quiet. (A lil' bit of paradise )


Thanks for the advice, this is a weller, but its not the correct one right? : Weller WECP-20
I'll keep looking and hope something pops up.

BTW, whats the deal with solder suckers/ de-soldering irons? What do they do, and is it worth having one?

That is a soldering station, looks good, but I don't know if you can get tips. Look it up. If it's cheap and you can get tips, get it by all means.

Also you'll need some way to desolder. A lot of people use a desoldering iron. I use a solder sucker for big stuff and solder braid (aka solder wick) for smaller leads. You can get away with just one, but it's best to have braid and either a sucker or a desoldering iron.

[n1teblad3]

I actually I thought you just heat up the old solder and pull it off

I just went out an bought a 40 W soldering iron from DSE for $24.99NZ.
Its tip it held on with a nut, and it came with an allen key and a mini stand! Hopefully its good quality Although I did forget to buy some solder wire Maybe I'll pick up a solder sucker when I get the wire and a hot glue gun.

Thanks for all ya help Stay cool .....

[XCVG]

I actually I thought you just heat up the old solder and pull it off

I just went out an bought a 40 W soldering iron from DSE for $24.99NZ.
Its tip it held on with a nut, and it came with an allen key and a mini stand! Hopefully its good quality Although I did forget to buy some solder wire Maybe I'll pick up a solder sucker when I get the wire and a hot glue gun.

Thanks for all ya help Stay cool .....

Okay, why would you need an allen key if the tip was held on with a nut?

Also, can you get replacement tips for it? That's a problem with SO many irons it's not even funny.

A pic would be nice, for no real reason.