Best soldering iron?

[Interfectorem]

I apologize if this topic is under the wrong sub-forum, I wasn't quite sure which one to choose. Anyways, as a computer and general electronics enthusiast, I realized how pathetic it is to lack the skill of using a soldering iron. Just a few weeks ago, I repaired my brother's mouse that our bunny had chewed through, with Scotch tape (to reattach the cables).... Soldering would've been a much cleaner solution. To my question, anybody know what brand or what type of soldering iron is best? I want to purchase a quality one with the intention of doing fine jobs and keeping it for a while, an investment if you will. My budget is about $50 to $100, and I saw this one and seems to have great reviews. Also, what kind of solder should I use? Any help is highly appreciated, thanks!

[Enderman]

use silver solder

also you should get tinning flux

[W-L]

2 minutes ago, Interfectorem said:

I apologize if this topic is under the wrong sub-forum, I wasn't quite sure which one to choose. Anyways, as a computer and general electronics enthusiast, I realized how pathetic it is to lack the skill of using a soldering iron. Just a few weeks ago, I repaired my brother's mouse that our bunny had chewed through, with Scotch tape (to reattach the cables).... Soldering would've been a much cleaner solution. To my question, anybody know what brand or what type of soldering iron is best? I want to purchase a quality one with the intention of doing fine jobs and keeping it for a while, an investment if you will. My budget is about $50 to $100, and I saw this one and seems to have great reviews. Also, what kind of solder should I use? Any help is highly appreciated, thanks!

-Moved to Hobby Electronics-

 

As for soldering irons some of the best ones I've used before would probably be theses Hakko units:

http://www.amazon.com/Hakko-FX888D29BY-ESD-Safe-Digital-Soldering/dp/B00OSM27T8/ref=sr_1_16?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1454552900&sr=1-16

 

As for solder that depends what you use usually but good old leaded stuff works really well, the new lead free stuff just doesn't tin or flow as well. Look for Rosin core solder since it has the flux needed built into the solder. 

[Boink]

I happen to own the soldering iron mentioned. It works great, even after 6 years of owning it, has interchangeable tips (though only one is included) and it's small enough to packed in a small-ish electronics repair kit. I highly recommend it to any soldering beginner looking to take their skills far before needing an upgrade to a more advanced control station.

As for solder I personally use lead free tin/silver solder though you can use lead based solder if you accept the inherent health risks. Any brand will do just fine as they are all pretty much identical. 

[Interfectorem]

1 hour ago, Enderman said:

use silver solder

also you should get tinning flux

So if I were to go with a unit like you mentioned or similar, I would have the cleaning sponge and the main soldering iron. I would also need solder, which I would probably use Rosin Core solder like you recommended, although if I were doing small jobs on thin wire, would the seemingly thick solder (judging by amazon pictures) complicate the process or is it a matter of practice? If I may also ask, what is tinning flux that @Enderman mentioned used for? Thanks.

[Boink]

6 minutes ago, Interfectorem said:

So if I were to go with a unit like you mentioned or similar, I would have the cleaning sponge and the main soldering iron. I would also need solder, which I would probably use Rosin Core solder like you recommended, although if I were doing small jobs on thin wire, would the seemingly thick solder (judging by amazon pictures) complicate the process or is it a matter of practice? If I may also ask, what is tinning flux that @Enderman mentioned used for? Thanks.

Tinning flux helps solder flow properly in a joint and helps the solder adhere to the metal. It makes joints a lot more secure but with the proper technique (especially on smaller joints) you don't need it. Rosin core solder has the tinning flux in the core which eliminates the need to buy it separately but tends to be thicker than other solder. 

I recommend the following: For large joints use tinning flux or rosin core solder, especially if the joint will be under a lot of strain. For smaller joints like on PCBs use very thin solder to increase your level of control and don't bother with the flux.

[W-L]

16 minutes ago, Interfectorem said:

So if I were to go with a unit like you mentioned or similar, I would have the cleaning sponge and the main soldering iron. I would also need solder, which I would probably use Rosin Core solder like you recommended, although if I were doing small jobs on thin wire, would the seemingly thick solder (judging by amazon pictures) complicate the process or is it a matter of practice? If I may also ask, what is tinning flux that @Enderman mentioned used for? Thanks.

5 minutes ago, Boink said:

Tinning flux helps solder flow properly in a joint and helps the solder adhere to the metal. It makes joints a lot more secure but with the proper technique (especially on smaller joints) you don't need it. Rosin core solder has the tinning flux in the core which eliminates the need to buy it separately but tends to be thicker than other solder. 

I recommend the following: For large joints use tinning flux or rosin core solder, especially if the joint will be under a lot of strain. For smaller joints like on PCBs use very thin solder to increase your level of control and don't bother with the flux.

 

There are pretty thin rosin core solders out there I personally use this stuff from MG Chemicals works like a charm compared to silver solder I've used before. This is only 0.032" (0.81mm) in diameter:

http://www.amazon.com/MG-Chemicals-Series-Leaded-Diameter/dp/B005T8N4RY/ref=pd_sim_sbs_328_2?ie=UTF8&dpID=41ci3seskjL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR160%2C160_&refRID=1Q7ZFJBAYEZX2HH6NARH

http://www.amazon.com/MG-Chemicals-Leaded-Solder-Diameter/dp/B008UH40YW/ref=sr_1_1?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1454557900&sr=1-1&keywords=mg+chemicals+solder

 

[Interfectorem]

9 minutes ago, Boink said:

Tinning flux helps solder flow properly in a joint and helps the solder adhere to the metal. It makes joints a lot more secure but with the proper technique (especially on smaller joints) you don't need it. Rosin core solder has the tinning flux in the core which eliminates the need to buy it separately but tends to be thicker than other solder. 

I recommend the following: For large joints use tinning flux or rosin core solder, especially if the joint will be under a lot of strain. For smaller joints like on PCBs use very thin solder to increase your level of control and don't bother with the flux.

 

2 minutes ago, W-L said:

 

There are pretty thin rosin core solders out there I personally use this stuff from MG Chemicals works like a charm compared to silver solder I've used before. This is only 0.032" (0.81mm) in diameter:

http://www.amazon.com/MG-Chemicals-Series-Leaded-Diameter/dp/B005T8N4RY/ref=pd_sim_sbs_328_2?ie=UTF8&dpID=41ci3seskjL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR160%2C160_&refRID=1Q7ZFJBAYEZX2HH6NARH

http://www.amazon.com/MG-Chemicals-Leaded-Solder-Diameter/dp/B008UH40YW/ref=sr_1_1?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1454557900&sr=1-1&keywords=mg+chemicals+solder

 

Thanks a ton guys!

[iamdarkyoshi]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Yihua-853D-3in1-DC-Power-Supply-SMD-Soldering-Rework-Station-Hot-Air-Gun-110V-/131664114819?hash=item1ea7caf483:g:hn4AAOSwu4BVjkct

 

I have one of these. Seriously, best damn value for the price. You can find them cheaper too

[.spider.]

 

 

I am very happy with this solder

Rosin core with quite toxic halogen activated flux but you do not have to remove the flux after soldering. 

 

They are also having not that toxic flux, but I never tried it.

http://www.stannol.de/en/products/solder-wires/?tx_produktselektor_filter%5Baa_prod%5D=HF34&tx_produktselektor_filter%5Baction%5D=show&tx_produktselektor_filter%5Bcontroller%5D=Product&cHash=d5c767dc945f02f34b4f63a1d626fc91

On 4.2.2016 at 3:38 AM, Boink said:

As for solder I personally use lead free tin/silver solder though you can use lead based solder if you accept the inherent health risks

Recycling it is important but during soldering the fumes of the flux are a bigger health risk.  

[Interfectorem]

1 hour ago, .spider. said:

 

 

I am very happy with this solder

Rosin core with quite toxic halogen activated flux but you do not have to remove the flux after soldering. 

 

They are also having not that toxic flux, but I never tried it.

http://www.stannol.de/en/products/solder-wires/?tx_produktselektor_filter%5Baa_prod%5D=HF34&tx_produktselektor_filter%5Baction%5D=show&tx_produktselektor_filter%5Bcontroller%5D=Product&cHash=d5c767dc945f02f34b4f63a1d626fc91

Recycling it is important but during soldering the fumes of the flux are a bigger health risk.  

I've since then moved my soldering activities outside after discovering the unpleasant fumes flux emits and have a 120mm fan constantly blowing away from me so that fumes get sucked up and blown in another direction. Do you think this solution is adequate? Thanks for the response by the way.

[.spider.]

On 8.2.2016 at 0:31 AM, Interfectorem said:

I've since then moved my soldering activities outside after discovering the unpleasant fumes flux emits and have a 120mm fan constantly blowing away from me so that fumes get sucked up and blown in another direction. Do you think this solution is adequate? Thanks for the response by the way.

Depends on how strong the fan is but it is definitely better than indoors without a fan.   

[Interfectorem]

2 hours ago, .spider. said:

Depends on how strong the fan is but it is definitely better than indoors without a fan.   

It's a ~1200 RPM fan running at full 12v, it's strong enough to where it immediately sucks up the fumes and expels them away from me in another direction.

[klh2000]

Hakko fx888d and 60/40 leaded solder

[jswan]

Building on this topic, I am also in the market for a soldering iron. I have a laptop that needs a new power supply socket. I have soldered in the past, but never on PCB. I've picked up a few things from the thread so far but still have questions.

 

1 -  I figure I'll have to be extra cautious of heat and direct contact with the PCB. To address this should I be looking for an iron that has variable heat control? Is it necessary I have this feature?

 

2 - To tackle small contact points are there certain units that offer different tips? Is there a recommended or standard size of tip when soldering on PCB?

 

3 - Any brands I should consider or stay away from? What about brands of solder?

 

I will also be using this for some automotive projects I have, and am looking to start working with more electronics. So I definitely want something that can grow with my skill level for a while. Budget really isn't an issue, as I don't expect what I need being very expensive.

 

Thanks in advance!

[W-L]

4 minutes ago, jswan said:

-SNIP-

In general for PCB soldering it has to do with the way your solder but having the correct tip sizes makes it much easier to prevent applying too much heat at once. Having a variable temp on an iron for SMD work is almost a must and can make life easier but if your only doing a little here and there it wouldn't warrant the cost for an expensive variable temp iron. For whihc unit as I recommended the Hakko unit is probbaly one of the best I've used, and lead based solder with rosin core. 

 

For automotive stuff I would suggest a portable iron or battery powered one like the ISO Tip brand.

[jswan]

Just now, W-L said:

In general for PCB soldering it has to do with the way your solder but having the correct tip sizes makes it much easier to prevent applying too much heat at once. Having a variable temp on an iron for SMD work is almost a must and can make life easier but if your only doing a little here and there it wouldn't warrant the cost for an expensive variable temp iron. For whihc unit as I recommended the Hakko unit is probbaly one of the best I've used, and lead based solder with rosin core. 

 

For automotive stuff I would suggest a portable iron or battery powered one like the ISO Tip brand.

 Thanks for the quick reply. What's considered expensive?

[W-L]

1 minute ago, jswan said:

 Thanks for the quick reply. What's considered expensive?

Well the Hakko unit will run you around $100 where you can get away with say a $20 iron at times doing generic work or where the fine temp control isn't needed.

http://www.amazon.com/Hakko-FX888D29BY-ESD-Safe-Digital-Soldering/dp/B00OSM27T8/ref=sr_1_16?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1454552900&sr=1-16

[jswan]

Thanks for the help @W-L!

[iamdarkyoshi]

27 minutes ago, W-L said:

Well the Hakko unit will run you around $100 where you can get away with say a $20 iron at times doing generic work or where the fine temp control isn't needed.

http://www.amazon.com/Hakko-FX888D29BY-ESD-Safe-Digital-Soldering/dp/B00OSM27T8/ref=sr_1_16?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1454552900&sr=1-16

but for less than 20 bucks you can get a hakko clone http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__19240__Soldering_Station_with_Adjustable_Heat_Range_US_Warehouse_.html

[W-L]

2 minutes ago, iamdarkyoshi said:

but for less than 20 bucks you can get a hakko clone http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__19240__Soldering_Station_with_Adjustable_Heat_Range_US_Warehouse_.html

Ah good point those are nice cheap units if your starting out and just do a little soldering here and there. I personally should price myself up one of those if I can find one where I am, my cheapy generic one I have is starting to have it's limitations. 

[iamdarkyoshi]

1 minute ago, W-L said:

Ah good point those are nice cheap units if your starting out and just do a little soldering here and there. I personally should price myself up one of those if I can find one where I am, my cheapy generic one I have is starting to have it's limitations. 

I bought an 80$ three in one yihua soldering station, hot air reflow gun, and bench PSU, all digitally controlled. So far it has soldered countless things and has fixed five videocards. It uses the same handpiece as the 11$ station. Mine came with a crapload of various tips though. Bigclivedotcom on youtube has the same station, I believe.

[JohanP]

I have buy cheap Chinese Soldering iron kit Sywon about 30$ and im very satisfied with it. They have a temperature regulator and everything what you need for good soldering also, Before buying you can follow this Soldering iron tips. How to choose Soldering Iron for you for what project you will use this etc etc. 

[mariushm]

@JohanP  That soldering iron DOES NOT have temperature control.

 

The knob on the iron simply controls how much power is sent to the iron tip, it's like turning the knob on your gas stove.. it's like it controls the amount of gas being burnt.   The values on the knob are just estimations - they estimate at that position the tip will have a temperature around that value.

 

A soldering iron that has temperature control can monitor the temperature in the iron  tip and if it goes below the desired value (for example when you touch the leads or big copper pads on a circuit board with the iron tip,absorbing the heat from the tip and cooling it down), then the circuit actually pumps up more power in the iron tip in order to bring it back to desired temperature. With the gas stove analogy, it's like detecting the water boiling on the stove was cooled because you dropped some ice cubes in it, and turning the knob way up for a few seconds to get the water boiling again as fast as possible and when it starts boiling, return the knob to original position to keep temperature constant... that's temperature control.

 

And I wish you would be smarter than that... while the page you linked to may have some good suggestions, you can't really trust it as all the suggestions are from Amazon and all the links are referral links - the guy suggesting them makes money every time someone orders a product using the links from his page. So he's incentivized to mention products that give him a better commission, not necessarily good products.

 

--

 

For everyone that wants to learn about solder, fluxes, soldering  I made a long post a while ago on this forum. It's linked below. I'd long post, not just about the title of the post.. click on it and see.

 

The post also has some videos which teach how to solder (there's a series of videos from Pace in the post which may seem outdated but the information in the videos is still very much valid) and some videos explaining what to look for in a soldering iron.

 

 

 

[JohanP]

19 hours ago, mariushm said:

@JohanP  That soldering iron DOES NOT have temperature control.

 

The knob on the iron simply controls how much power is sent to the iron tip, it's like turning the knob on your gas stove.. it's like it controls the amount of gas being burnt.   The values on the knob are just estimations - they estimate at that position the tip will have a temperature around that value.

 

A soldering iron that has temperature control can monitor the temperature in the iron  tip and if it goes below the desired value (for example when you touch the leads or big copper pads on a circuit board with the iron tip,absorbing the heat from the tip and cooling it down), then the circuit actually pumps up more power in the iron tip in order to bring it back to desired temperature. With the gas stove analogy, it's like detecting the water boiling on the stove was cooled because you dropped some ice cubes in it, and turning the knob way up for a few seconds to get the water boiling again as fast as possible and when it starts boiling, return the knob to original position to keep temperature constant... that's temperature control.

 

And I wish you would be smarter than that... while the page you linked to may have some good suggestions, you can't really trust it as all the suggestions are from Amazon and all the links are referral links - the guy suggesting them makes money every time someone orders a product using the links from his page. So he's incentivized to mention products that give him a better commission, not necessarily good products.

 

--

 

For everyone that wants to learn about solder, fluxes, soldering  I made a long post a while ago on this forum. It's linked below. I'd long post, not just about the title of the post.. click on it and see.

 

The post also has some videos which teach how to solder (there's a series of videos from Pace in the post which may seem outdated but the information in the videos is still very much valid) and some videos explaining what to look for in a soldering iron.

 

:@mariushm Yes i see that his links refer to affiliate site but have some good explanation, but however can you send me a link where you have post about soldering iron ? Thank you