# What soldering Iron?



## Cycleops (Dec 6, 2014)

I've decided to get a new iron as the one I have is too hot and doesn't have a fine enough tip for soldering PCBs. Does anyone have a recommendation on wattage for this job?


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## brownwolf66 (Jul 9, 2013)

Hi Cycleops,I did a bit of research recently as I required a soldering iron with a fine tip and with a variable heat control.I found this particular brand pretty good.They have a large selection of soldering stations to suit every need and pocket.You may find something that suits you......AOYUE INTERNATIONAL LIMITED.I have nothing to do with this company,just found their product range pretty good.


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## wvgca (Jan 21, 2013)

for straight pcb soldering i use a hakko 9 hundred something, worked well for decades now, tips are cheap, adjustable temperature, at a guess maybe 50 watt, not sure .. i also have a vacumn station and a grid handle station, don't use those much at all, use an old soldapult mostly


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## Bkubiak (Oct 20, 2013)

wvgca said:


> for straight pcb soldering i use a hakko 9 hundred something, worked well for decades now, tips are cheap, adjustable temperature, at a guess maybe 50 watt, not sure .. i also have a vacumn station and a grid handle station, don't use those much at all, use an old soldapult mostly


GOT a cheapo 30 watt iron from Northern, very fine point, it's replaceable, so far works great, only downside, takes a few minutes to heat up, 4.99.


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## Lee Willis (Jan 1, 2014)

Interesting you bring this up, because I recently bought a new soldering iron, only to put it aside after just an hour's use to go back to the old.

What you are going to solder makes a big difference in what you need, so . . . I do not work on really _tiny _circuit boards, etc. - say those smaller than a postage stamp, but I do a lot of work modying and bashing WBB, PS2/ and 3, and Legacy locos and resoldering wiring in them, etc. I solder a lot of #24 and smaller copper and stranded steel wire, to circuit boards and places where there is nearby soft plastic that could melt. I solder thin brass sheet, rods, and metal wire, as for small attachments to scratch-built locos (railings, platforms, etc.), and occasionally repairs circuit boards or modify the wiring inside WBB and PS2-3 and Legacy locos. The most common thing I solder is #24 copper wire leads to the stamped metal rail tabs on the underside of EZ-Street track: I've literall done close to 200 of those in the last two weeks . . . 

OLD: for the past 10 years, I have used exclusively a Weller 260/200W soldering gun, even when I do delicate work. It has a two-stage trigger to select the normal (200W) or "turbo" (260 watt) heat levels. It is a superb gun that heats quickly, and, equally important to me, cools down quickly. It is heavy though anda bit hard ti manuveur, but power has its advantages. I have several tips and have ground one down so the point is slightly smaller and sharper, for PCB work.
The tips, weather ground down or stock, wear out after two to five years of use, - an absolute key when replacing them is to buy only Weller replacement tips. Cheaper imitations look the same and fit as well but have the wrong heat conductivity or something because the gun loses about half its heating power with them. 

NEW: I thought I'd try a soldering iron, so I got a Weller 40W iron. I thought the 25W model would be too small and a 60W continuous iron might be too big. It does work but the 260/200 gun is faster when doing wiring and such, and I found I was actually making sloppier solder joints, potentially melting more plastic nearby, etc., with the iron than the gun.


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

For the typical small soldering chores around a model railroad
a 25 or 30 watt iron is sufficient. It's light and easy
to maneuver in tight spaces. I bought one of the
cheapos from Harbor Freight. It came with several different
points so I can match the point to the job.

My guess is that HF hasn't yet reached the streets
of Accra.

Don


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

If you are doing PCB work, it's very hard to beat something like the Hakko FX-888D, you can dial up any temperature you need, and the 70 watt maximum power gives you plenty of heat if the situation calls for it. Hakko is a brand that is used by many commercial shops, and after using one I can see why they choose them. I also have the Hakko FG-100 Tip Calibrator so I can insure that the tip temperature is exactly what I'm setting, important for fine PCB work. I bought the eBay one for peanuts, the only difference is it's the metric unit that displays in Celsius. For an extra $200, you can have Fahrenheit, but I'd rather pay around $15 than $200.  

I use a Weller gun for heavy duty soldering, but I can't even imagine soldering surface mount components on boards with a soldering gun, so Lee must be a magician to accomplish that!


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## Cycleops (Dec 6, 2014)

DonR said:


> My guess is that HF hasn't yet reached the streets
> of Accra.
> 
> Don


Well in fact they have, by that I mean cheap Chinese stuff. I do get a bit fed up buying stainless steel knives that go rusty, scissors that don't cut etc. I recently bought one those guns for the kids that is supposed to fire suction darts. The only trouble was there was no mechanism in the gun for this to happen! Oh well, if they can poison a few hundred babies with poisoned powdered formula milk they're not too worried about conning westerners!


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

If I had any idea where Accra was, that comment would make sense.  Are you talking West Africa? I'm sure HF hasn't made it there yet.


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## Lee Willis (Jan 1, 2014)

gunrunnerjohn said:


> If I had any idea where Accra was, that comment would make sense.  Are you talking West Africa? I'm sure HF hasn't made it there yet.


Accra is a city in Ghana and not in the news much. Not surprising, perhaps. 

_Akre _is a city in Iran and is pronounced about the same. It is in the news all the time, and, in case any one has not paid attention, is not a nice place to go right now, to run trains or just about anything else. 

I don't think poor product quality is necessarily a Chinese or Indonesian or any culture/country issue. Poor, cheap tools and products are made, offered for sale, and bought everywhere: people are always looking for bargains and someone is always selling that dart gun without a mechanism, the non-hardened steel chisel set that loots good in the case, or the 120 vol,t soldering iron that is insulated to only 140 volts safety.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Hence my recommendation for a quality soldering station.


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## Lemonhawk (Sep 24, 2013)

A 2nd vote for the Hakko FX-888D, I've used soldering guns and all sorts of pencil type irons, but this one is the easiest to use (heats up in 30 seconds) and has improved my soldering technique by leaps and bounds. Its detraction is its expense, but once you have it you'll wonder why you ever put up with anything else.


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## rkenney (Aug 10, 2013)

If you can not hit a nail, the quality of hammer you buy will make no difference!

Knowing how to 'tin' your soldering iron, using a wet sponge to wipe your iron during soldering, allowing the solder to carry the heat into the connection, and cleaning your tip occasionally with a non-abrasive tip cleaner made for that purpose will greatly enhance your results.

As with most things it gets easier with practice. Technique is everything.


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## Cycleops (Dec 6, 2014)

I don't mind cheap goods and of course they can come from anywhere, but the Chinese seem to be masters at it, at least you know what to expect but when someone deliberately sets out to deceive you that's something else.. You can just imagine their sniggers when they're packaging the goods knowing the person opening and trying to use it is going to feel like a fool.


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## Cycleops (Dec 6, 2014)

By the way thanks for the recommendations guys. I checked out that Hakko and it is very impressive and not too exorbitant at around a hundred dollars. I'm sure it would do a great job.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

rkenney said:


> If you can not hit a nail, the quality of hammer you buy will make no difference!
> 
> Knowing how to 'tin' your soldering iron, using a wet sponge to wipe your iron during soldering, allowing the solder to carry the heat into the connection, and cleaning your tip occasionally with a non-abrasive tip cleaner made for that purpose will greatly enhance your results.
> 
> As with most things it gets easier with practice. Technique is everything.


Sorry, in the case of soldering irons, I have to disagree with your beliefs here. The choice of a quality soldering station will make a huge difference, especially for finer work. A soldering station is not a hammer, there are move variables at play. I've used dozens of types of soldering irons and guns over the course of my entire life, and I've soldered more connections than most will ever contemplate. The difference between a crappy soldering iron and a good one is vast.

I agree that technique and practice are certainly major factors, but so is the choice of a quality iron. I could never do some of the fine PCB work with the cheesy Radio Shack or HF irons that have been mentioned, and I know better than to try. Come back after soldering a handful of SMT 0402 resistors to a tiny PCB and let me know how that $10 iron served you.


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

It's not the cheap goods I object to so much as directions that make absolutely no sense, or when you have to squint at a really tiny line drawing to see whether you have part A or part D in your hand.

It is kind of a pet peeve of mine when people buy a cheapo product and then complain about the quality! (Read reviews of the $20 soccer cleats on Amazon).


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## Lee Willis (Jan 1, 2014)

Actually, I think more than a few will. But have more friends who need "circuit board friendly" soldering irons than need the big ones. A surprising number of friends who never took any electronics or EE are into the electronics in a big way and use the small precise ones. I do agree its best to spend on quality tools, that that if true in general. 

I do so little of that work myself that I get by without a "fine-brush iron" but then, I'm the Luddite here, a guy who, when it comes to control, avoids PCBs* like the plaque: I'm currently designing a "1950s-technology Arduino control circuit" (cams and levers and relays) rather than have any boards and PLCs, etc., in the new section of my layout. 

-------------
* I avoid the chemical PCB like the plaque, too, since is not much less dangerous, but I was talking about printed circuit boards, of course.


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## sjm9911 (Dec 20, 2012)

As i suck at soldering, and have not yet to do any circuit board work, I bought a portable butane soldering iron. Heats up fast, and made my life easier! Downside is it uses lots of fuel but for me and my o gauge stuff works quite well!


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## MtRR75 (Nov 27, 2013)

... uh ... excuse me. But can I interrupt to ask a question that is on topic?

I also need some soldering iron advice. I do not solder circuit boards -- and never will -- can't see that well, and have no need.

I solder: (1) wires to wires (down to 22 gauge), (2) wires to mini switches, (3) wires to HO track, and (4) HO track sections together. My first soldering iron was too weak to do the track soldering. My second one has enough adjustable power, but the tip is rather large, and I can not find replacement tips for it.

What do you recommend in my situation. I want one that is adjustable and that I can get replacement tips for.

Thanks


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## feldon30 (Dec 30, 2012)

Very happy with my Tenma 60W digital soldering station. I bought a variety of tips for it and feel comfortable soldering printed circuit boards with the narrowest one.

Not to inflame tensions, but I'll say if I had to choose between an expensive, poorly maintained soldering iron, or a cheap well-maintained soldering iron, I'd go for the second because at least it will melt solder. That said, I do think you get what you pay for and a high quality iron that's well-maintained should theoretically last forever.

It's worth learning good technique with flux, a sponge (I actually use damp paper towels folded 4 times), keeping the tip tinned, and how to properly apply solder to not create a cold joint or melt components. I'm certainly not an expert, but I am fastidious with the flux, the sponge, and keeping the tip tinned.


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## Patrick1544 (Apr 27, 2013)

I use the Hakko FX888D and the FG100 tip calibrator. This is the first professional soldering station I have owned. I find it a really wonderful solder station. Recommended!


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## traction fan (Oct 5, 2014)

*Soldering iron*

Cycleops:

Most of my soldering, including soldering to PC boards, is done with a 30 watt,simple, inexpensive, iron. I have used several brands, and slightly higher or lower wattage irons. All of them work well. I think that any of the prior recommended tools will do the job, though I would not recommend using a soldering gun for model or PCB soldering. They simply have more wattage than needed for those particular jobs. The higher the wattage rating, the more heat the tool will generate. Too much heat can sometimes cause damage to nearby parts. An experienced operator can work around the high heat problem, but when you are relatively new at soldering I would stick to a milder wattage. 
My personal favorite is a 30 watt pencil iron from Weller. It has a triangular handle section where the barrel enters the handle. This acts as a built in stand and keeps the iron from rolling off the work bench. The triangular section also houses three bright LEDs which do a good job of lighting the joint being soldered. Unfortunately I can't provide you with a model# as there is none stamped on the tool and it was a hand-me-down gift from my niece. Weller is a well known, high quality brand and with it's unique shape this tool should be easy to find.

Good Luck and happy soldering;

Traction Fan


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## dasB&M2-6-0 (Dec 13, 2014)

Patrick1544 said:


> I use the Hakko FX888D and the FG100 tip calibrator. This is the first professional soldering station I have owned. I find it a really wonderful solder station. Recommended!


Second this!! ^ ^ ^:thumbsup:
Perhaps a tad expensive as irons go.....but it's a quality product, built to LAST!!

May your freight ALWAYS roll smoothly...and ON TIME!!


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## MrMoose (Dec 22, 2014)

I have a cheap unbranded soldering station that is temp control and has a digital read out.
Model number is 937D+. It works well, comes with a iron base to put your iron in and has 3 different tips one is pointed the other are chisel tiped. All are replaceable. Holds temp very good. wattage goes up to 60 watts. the read out is in celsius.


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

MtRR75 said:


> ... uh ... excuse me. But can I interrupt to ask a question that is on topic?
> 
> I also need some soldering iron advice. I do not solder circuit boards -- and never will -- can't see that well, and have no need.
> 
> ...


What you are doing are the typical soldering chores around
a layout. And as some of us have said, a 25 or 30 watt pencil
iron with narrow points is sufficient and easy to manipulate.

To make your soldering easier and more solid, tin each wire and
each tab or rail you will solder. Use resin flux. Carry a dab of
solder on the tip of your iron to what is to be soldered and
you'll get an instant 'weld' without damage to plastic. Even so,
it is a good idea to use a 'heat sink' of some sort when soldering
rails.

Don


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## traction fan (Oct 5, 2014)

*Soldering iron model#*

Cycleops;

I found the Weller brand,25watt soldering iron I recommended in my previous post, at my local Home Depot. (homedepot.com if you live in Ghana!) The model number is SP25N. Weller also offers similar irons in other wattages but 25 is good for normal layout soldering. This iron also comes with two extra tips of different sizes.

Hope that helps;

Traction Fan


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## Cycleops (Dec 6, 2014)

Thanks for that Traction Fan. I think 25w is about optimum for my needs.


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## Water Stop (Apr 18, 2015)

Twenty-Five Watts is right for our work.

My Metal Shop teacher showed me how to solder in 1948, but this was with a big copper iron heated in a furnace, probably equivalent to a 300-watt iron today.

The iron was an "American Beauty", of which none of you have probably heard. 

water stop


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