Can anyone recommend a reasonable and reliable company where I could buy a soldering station?
This one I use. Some others in these forums use it also. Get a spare sponge, rosin flux and solder with rosin flux. I run mine at 50 percent for most soldering. Probably higher if soldering feeders to rails. Practice on scrap wire and track if you have not soldered before.
This helps you develope a procedure that suits you.
http://www.ares-server.com/Ares/Ares.asp?MerchantID=RET01229&Action=Catalog&Type=Product&ID=81014
Rich
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I received a Radio Shack soldering station for my birthday. I like it pretty well except for the iron tip. I much prefer a copper tip, but I couldn’t find one to fit. Therefore, I made one out of a piece of thick copper wire. It is much better for me. Now, the soldering station works just fine. I have assembled some electronic projects of medium size (dual inline IC sockets and components about quarter-inch size).
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Most of the name brands work well. Weller is a good one.
This link will take you to a list/ratings page. http://www.elecraft.com/Apps/summary_of_soldering_stations.htm
funny thing is that my favorite soldering iron is a dual wattage 15/30 watt iron I bought at radio shack. The 15 watt is good for soldering electronics like decoders and such where the 30 watt range is good for soldering feeders to rail. I have had this iron for about 5 years now and I am one my first tip still ( I grind mine down when they get old and pitted and recoat them.
Bob,
I bought an inexpensive Radio Shack soldering station 3 or so years ago that’s worked decently. However, I found out last year that they don’t make a replacement tip for it! [V][tdn]
Go with Weller. You will NOT be disappointed. We use them at work and they are just terrific! And, if you can manage it, Bob, buy one that has an adjustable temperature knob on the station. Also, buy both a broad tip for soldering track and a fine tip for decoder work.
Tom
I find the only thing useful in a soldering station is the holder and that can be made out of a block of wood and a coat hanger easy enough.
really? I just got the pencil iron and i have seen tips aplenty for it at my local Radio Shack (not that i need them all that much). Last time I replace the tip of the iron was never. i have ground down my current tip once and recoated it with solder but otherwise it has been fine
Yep, really. The pencil iron has replacement tips. The 20W/40W soldering station doesn’t. Mine came with a medium point tip. I wanted to outfit it with a fine tip and a broad tip but - Nope! - taint available.
Tom
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Radio Shack does not sell a tip for that soldering station, as far as I know. You may be able to find one that is close enough at Fry’s because they have a huge assortment of soldering tips.
But, as I said above, my home-made copper tip works better for me than anything I’ve seen for sale. I took my iron Radio Shack tip to The Home Depot and matched the size of heavy duty copper wire to it and bought a couple feet. I used my Dremel tool and a couple files to make two tips, one with four sides and one with three sides (the three-sider was difficult).
Previous discussion - http://cs.trains.com/trccs/forums/t/103316.aspx
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I’ve been using one of these for nearly 15 years and the tip isn’t showing any signs of wear at all.
Temperature regulation is more accurate than with one like the Radio Shack version that uses a separate plug-in iron from a different manufacturer.
You’ll never regret owning a good soldering station. It completely does away with any and all soldering aggravation!
My recommendation is the Weller WTCPT soldering station. Mine is more than 20 years old, and the station as well as all the original tips are still doing fine.
- Jeff
Weller is the name in soldering stations. They are nice, I have one. But new ones are pricey and you can do fine soldering with lesser and cheaper equipment. An ordinary iron lacks the thermostatic control of the Weller soldering stations, so while sitting on the bench, hot, inbetween soldering jobs the tip gets very hot and the tinning burns off. A good metal soldering iron stand will conduct a lot of heat away from the tip, keeping it cooler while not in use. Combine the stand with a wet sponge in a tray to wipe the tip and keep the tinning bright, and you are in business for a more reasonable sum of money.
If you’re going to go that route, for about $14.00 more you can get the digital readout:
http://www.action-electronics.com/wewesd51.htm
I picked up mine several years ago when the calibration shop I was working in combined with another and this was “excess” and to be discarded. I “discarded” it right into my basement and have been using it ever since. I also got several extra tips for it, although I have yet to replace one.
Wow - marked for later. That looks like a very quality piece, and LOTS of tips available for it - even the mini-SMD stuff. Cool. And for only $50!
–Randy