Soldering Iron/ Station - what are you using?

[Lace'd Taste]

Hi all,

So Santa have kindly offered to get me a soldering iron this year which means i can stop sneaking into me mates room to borrow his every couple of days. I was wondering what are people here are using and if they have any recommendations? I like the Weller irons and it's a shame they don't do the WES51 in the UK cos it looks fairly decent. Variable temp isn't really an issue but something temperature controlled would be nice. Here's a few I'm looking at on eBay (don't mind them being used):

Weller PS-3D 45W http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Weller-PS-3D-Soldering-Station-with-TCPZ-Temp-Controlled-Iron-Fume-Extraction-/291013906131?pt=UK_Home_Garden_PowerTools_SM&hash=item43c1c7ced3
Weller WS81 95W http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/WELLER-53131399-WS81-ANALOGUE-CONTROLLED-SOLDERING-STATION-/291027745767?pt=UK_Home_Garden_PowerTools_SM&hash=item43c29afbe7
Weller WTCP50 45W http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Weller-soldering-station-/221328792724?pt=UK_Home_Garden_PowerTools_SM&hash=item3388395c94
Weller WTCP51 50W http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/WELLER-WTCP-51-UK-SOLDERING-STATION-UK-PLUG-/200996418899?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item2ecc51f553
Weller 60W http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Weller-60W-230V-professional-quality-soldering-iron-Brand-new-tip-/291020079321?pt=UK_Home_Garden_PowerTools_SM&hash=item43c22600d9

Also this on Amazon although in has mixed reviews in some threads: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Weller-Whs40-Temp-Controlled-Solder/dp/B0001P17EW/ref=sr_1_1?s=diy&ie=UTF8&qid=1385986824&sr=1-1&keywords=weller+soldering+station

I've read 30W - 40W is already high for electronics so are these too much for working on PCBs or would they be ok but have to work faster?

Cheers

Jayson

[Ali Tait]

I've used one of these for the past couple of years, very happy with it -

http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/48w-professional-2-line-lcd-display-solder-station-n34fb

[Lace'd Taste]

I've used one of these for the past couple of years, very happy with it -

http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/48w-professional-2-line-lcd-display-solder-station-n34fb

How much are spare tips for that one? Do they sell the tips in store?

[Reffc]

Buy the Weller WTCP51 and forget ever having to buy another for 20 years. I've been using one now for ages and it's the best soldering station I've ever used. You get temperature control from the purchase of various tips which according to their individual composition/magnetic properties, determine soldering temperature. Weller have a chart for these and there's loads of tips available, all reasonably priced and which will last years.

Avoid soldering stations with complex digitally controlled temperature control. I've been through a few of them and none were much cop, plus they all failed within the first few years of use.

[Frankyc2003]

+ 1

the Weller WTCP51 50W is perfect for pretty much all you need to solder…

[istari_knight]

:exactly: Weller, accept no imitations :thumbsup:

I've used one of these nearly every day for 8 years... It was being used long before I bought it & will probably still be soldering away when I'm dead :D

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7304/11174070744_778f2f7228_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/87920837@N06/11174070744/)

[Arkless Electronics]

The Weller is good but personally I prefer Antex and have used them for decades...

[Ali Tait]

How much are spare tips for that one? Do they sell the tips in store?

Yep, here-

http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/spare-48w-solder-station-soldering-iron-tips-n72cw

[awkwardbydesign]

I bought this one recently. I had a cheaper Maplin one for several years, but this is better. Good enough for me, at least. http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/60w-professional-lcd-solder-station-with-esd-protection-a55kj
http://images-cdn.maplin.co.uk/300/A55KJ.jpg
But I also have a 200w iron for speaker cables!

[vinylspinner]

Plus one for the Weller. may even have a spare base unit if anyone interested, will just need the iron.

regards
Nigel

[Barry]

Weller WTCP 51 for me, though I do have a 15W Antex and an ancient 25W Henley-Solon iron.

Go for the Weller.

[simon e]

We use the weller at work and they are bomb proof. Just be careful with tips as the new lead free irons use different 2 part tips compared to the older irons which use a single piece tip, which aren't interchangeable from memory.

[Arkless Electronics]

Weller WTCP 51 for me, though I do have a 15W Antex and an ancient 25W Henley-Solon iron.

Go for the Weller.

That was my first ever iron when I was about 8!

The Weller is the industry standard and is what I've used almost exclusively when working for other people, but I've always preferred the Antex irons and used them exclusively at home and in self employment.... not sure why.... I guess they just feel better in the hand to me.... they're lots cheaper as well!

[TheMooN]

I have settled on Metcal for the last couple of Irons ~

http://http://www.okinternational.com/metcal/english/globalnavigation/products/hand-soldering-systems

[Lace'd Taste]

Appreciate all the opinions, got a lot more than i thought - looks like it'll be the Weller WTCP51 for me! :)