Any 60watt Soldering Iron Recommendations ???

[Theflyingfreak]

Anybody got any 60 watt soldering iron recommendations, I really want it for soldering big battery leads / connectors ???
I currently have a 40watt draper and it';s "OK", I keep having to file the tip down though where it creates a half moon shape and it doesn';t stay tinned very well, might that be helped by using separate flux / solder as opposed to solder with flux in it ???

[flybywire]

I';m using a solder station from Maplin http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/60w-professional-lcd-solder-station-with-esd-protection-a55kj?gclid=Cj0KEQjw_42eBRDHqcG1psmtneEBEiQAWPL8WLVZsPBNu2puN1Cm-nOpSOGbN7KGnScNt23f4nsw5aUaApmb8P8HAQ

It';s similar to this one, more or less, and it';s the only iron I need for all solder jobs, even soldered brass collets to steel, no probs.

[Jimbodiddly]

Theres also this -

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/60W-ESD-PROTECTION-PROFFESSIONAL-LCD-SOLDERING-IRON-STATION-/251585160575?pt=UK_Home_Garden_PowerTools_SM&hash=item3a93a4e57f

Its a totally refurbished Maplin solder station, looks to be the same one@flybywire has & @teslahed, I"m tempted myself lol

Jim

[flybywire]

Theres also this -

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/60W-ESD-PROTECTION-PROFFESSIONAL-LCD-SOLDERING-IRON-STATION-/251585160575?pt=UK_Home_Garden_PowerTools_SM&hash=item3a93a4e57f

Its a totally refurbished Maplin solder station, looks to be the same one@flybywire has & @teslahed, I"m tempted myself lol

Jim

Yeah, that looks irresistible for £25!  Wow.  As I say, mine is different to that, but probably has the same innards?

This is mine:
http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/60-w-lcd-display-solder-station-n89cz

Twice the price of yours Jim.  But it is good tho.   

P.S I have mine on the floor under the desk, so the LCD is handy to see the current temp (with my dodgy eyesight)

[Theflyingfreak]

Does anyone happen to have tried one of these ??
http://www.amazon.co.uk/SD4080-Professional-Soldering-Iron-Wattage/dp/B0041SXRIO/ref=cm_cr_pr_pb_t

[pheasant_plucker]

Get yourself a Gas iron and just as important make sure it has a nice big heavy tip to retain the heat or you will be wasting your time.
Aldi have just got some in for about £17. I';ve had one of these for several years and it';s been perfect for soldering everything from thin wires to 8 gauge piano wire undercarriages. The heat exhausts out of a hole just under the tip and this is perfect for shrinking heat-shrink.

This is the one I have but under an Aldi brand name
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Ferm-Butane-Gas-Soldering-Iron-Cordless-Torch-Kit-Self-Ignition-/371085938521?pt=UK_Home_Garden_PowerTools_SM&hash=item5666720f59

Gerry

[brokenpete]

Yeah, that looks irresistible for £25!  Wow.  As I say, mine is different to that, but probably has the same innards?

This is mine:
http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/60-w-lcd-display-solder-station-n89cz

Twice the price of yours Jim.  But it is good tho.   

P.S I have mine on the floor under the desk, so the LCD is handy to see the current temp (with my dodgy eyesight)

I have that one too flybywire....awesome

[ashutchy]

I have a cheap ebay model for standard soldering jobs and a gas iron for the bigger gauge wire connectors. I was initially tempted by the Maplin model you suggested at £59.99 but wrote it off on price. The refurbs at £25 seem an absolute bargain and difficult to refuse. 

[guest325]

I use a Weller 15W for pcb stuff,  Draper 40W for general use and a gas iron for bigger stuff (Aldi sourced); all do a good job, I find solder stations are jack of all trades but master of none.
I also have a big chunk of copper on an old screwdriver if all else fails ::)

[arnonel]

HAKKO FX-888D

[John A]

Professionally, Weller every time. Unfortunately, my 25 year old Weller recently died. not wanting to fork out for another, I have an A55KJ (Precision Gold) from Maplin as suggested by flybywire. It is good for anything up to Lipo pack leads provided you fit the larger bit. I use it for PCB work and have managed to solder QFP chips with it (through a jeweller';s loupe, as time goes by the eyes get worse and the components get smaller... ). Make sure whichever Iron you buy you can get a selection of bits, fine through to heavy as the choice of bit can make life much easier. I would also suggest having an extractor with carbon filter or at least a small fan running so you don';t inhale the flux vapours directly while you work.

[Theflyingfreak]

I';m tempted by the a gas one, as much as anything the portability appeals as well, just as a genera question do the chisel tips produce much more heat compared to the fine point tips??

[kilby]

The chisel tips let';s you heat the whole width of (for example) an xt60 connector

[Jimbodiddly]

Well I ordered mine & it arrived yesterday, unused & works perfectly fine, great value for money. you can also get spare tips really easily.

£25 great value for money

Precision Gold -

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/60W-ESD-PROTECTION-PROFFESSIONAL-LCD-SOLDERING-IRON-STATION-/251585160575?pt=UK_Home_Garden_PowerTools_SM&hash=item3a93a4e57f

[Hands0n]

Does anyone have a PDF or picture of the instruction manual for this soldering station please?  I ordered one up which arrived without a manual and I don';t know how to set it up, calibrate etc...  At its lowest setting, 200C it doesn';t get hot enough to melt 60/40 but from all I read it should.  So I guess its not really at that heat at all .. or faulty!

[Jimbodiddly]

Danny I have a manual for mine let me drop you a pm.

Jim

[Hands0n]

Cor, thanks Jim. That';d be much appreciated mate.

[Jimbodiddly]

No problem Danny I"ve got your email addy so just about to send a couple of pictures let me know if it sorts your concerns out with the solder station.

Jim

[Hands0n]

Thanks Jim. That was absolutely spot on.  Really appreciate the quick sending of.

Those instructions are not available anywhere on the Internet! Well, nowhere that Google could find

[kilby]

Perhaps we need a manuals section that manuals etc could be uploaded to.

Missing manuals are not an uncommon irritation, also its sometimes useful to have access to previous versions of documents (for those days when something useful has been removed from later versions)

[Hands0n]

A nice idea @kilby - why not pop the suggestion up on here: http://www.multi-rotor.co.uk/index.php?board=26.0 

[barneyg]

Dannny ... I';ve found the same thing ... using the temp sensor on my multimeter my tip temp is about 100 degrees lower than the indicated temp.

I';ve also found that after prolonged running at temp the plastic screw collar that holds the metal tube that goes over the heating element to the handle becomes just a little bit more flexible which allows the threads to pop and everything comes loose.

I';m going to start looking for a new solder station soon.  Perhaps one with a hot air blower for reflows and the like :)

[pheasant_plucker]

Perhaps we need a manuals section that manuals etc could be uploaded to.

Missing manuals are not an uncommon irritation, also its sometimes useful to have access to previous versions of documents (for those days when something useful has been removed from later versions)

Something like this would be a good manager for uploading files.
SMF Download Manager

It would use the membership information from the forum database to control who could use it.

Gerry

[cgcrute]

Teeny weenie hijack here, apologies.

I';ve still got some new and used Hot Air rework stations and bench extractors that I';ll let go cheap just to get rid of the final few.

New Tenma hot air rework stations £30
Used hot air rework stations (not tenma) £20

New bench extractors (complete) £15
Used bench extractors (no clamp) £12
Used bench extractors (no clamp or skirt) £10
(The skirt isn';t big so these should work fine)

Plus shipping at cost (last time this was between £3-5 IIRC).