need a new soldering iron

[ik9000]

Sooo, fired up my soldering iron to start my guitar rewiring project and it started smoking. Like an acrid plastic melting smoke coming from the innards of the iron. It's been a while since I soldered stuff but I can't recall any of the previous ones I've used doing that. Turned off, and it's probably destined for the bin. Annoying as it was first use. I guess that'll teach me for buying something and not trying it out early enough to send it back.

Any recommendations on brand, type? Just want a decent soldering iron with stand and temperature adjustment. Amazon seems to be full of Chinese imitation shonk-offs. Then there's this weller but it seems crazy money: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07CHZ132F. Anyone know any others?

[blueball]

I bought one of these https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Had it 3 years but not used it a lot; works well.

US manufacturer now in Europe https://www.amazon.co.uk/sp?_encodin...b=&vasStoreID=

Its worth getting the extra tips https://www.amazon.co.uk/standard-si...18Y0TD95DHPFA1

[Saracen999]

Weller aren't cheap but, well put it this way, I was given a well-used (in an electronics factory run by a family friend) Weller solderstation in 1972. It had seen a LOT of use when I got it and it's done a lot more since.

Anything that can do years of all-day factory use, and then be coming up on it's 50th birthday with me, can't be bad.

Gotta make you think?.

Then again, as this has lasted me so long, I can't guarantee they're still made to that quality today.

[g8ina]

Weller are great but all three of mine burned out the element after 3-4 years. Ive had my current iron for four years now :

http://www.circuitspecialists.eu/csi...oldering-iron/

Marvellous, never let me down once. Sleep function is brilliant.

[jimborae]

I have a Circuit Specialist one also, very similar to others linked here. Seems pretty good to me and the temp control works well but I'm no soldering guru.

[peterb]

I use an Antex soldering station, now discontinued, but their current range are definitely out of my price range!

This might meet your needs though https://www.amazon.co.uk/Antex-T482J...s=Antex+TSCW50

[Zak33]

my only advice is to get the hottest one (highest wattage) you can,

If you ever need to solder outdoors, the air temp can dramatically slow the process.

And moreover.. I don't know why this occurs but.. solder seems to only re-melt at the temp it was first melted. So If I use a less powerful one to unsolder something from a previously soldered joint from a hot iron.. it just wont do it.

And I have no idea what that's about!

[ik9000]

Thanks chaps. Ordered the CSI one (with tips). Picked up an airgun at the same time.

This is the piece of junk it is replacing: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Variable-Te...dp/B00TSPYAIQ/. Feels really cheap, and £16 down the drain. I'll hook it back up using an external power cable and see if it bursts into flames. I have a feeling it will.

[peterb]

my only advice is to get the hottest one (highest wattage) you can,

If you ever need to solder outdoors, the air temp can dramatically slow the process.

And moreover.. I don't know why this occurs but.. solder seems to only re-melt at the temp it was first melted. So If I use a less powerful one to unsolder something from a previously soldered joint from a hot iron.. it just wont do it.

And I have no idea what that's about!

Because the solder forms an alloy with the metal you are soldering, and the alloy may have a different melting point than the solder alone.

[Saracen999]

Weller are great but all three of mine burned out the element after 3-4 years. Ive had my current iron for four years now :

http://www.circuitspecialists.eu/csi...oldering-iron/

Marvellous, never let me down once. Sleep function is brilliant.

Although that's far too small a data sample to draw conclusions from, it does tend to validate my concern that manufscturing quality has dropped.


Actually it is sufficient to validate one conclusion - if it happened to me, twice, I wouldn't buy a third unit. Guess you drew the same conclusion.

Shame if it's typical though.