Variable temperature soldering station

[Firebottle]

Just thought I'd give a heads up for a forthcoming item at Lidl. Available from Thursday, seems a good price at £8.99.

http://www.lidl.co.uk/catalogmedia/uk/article/102652/102652_01_f.jpg

:cool: Alan

[Jimbo]

Just thought I'd give a heads up for a forthcoming item at Lidl. Available from Thursday, seems a good price at £8.99.

http://www.lidl.co.uk/catalogmedia/uk/article/102652/102652_01_f.jpg

:cool: Alan
Cheers Alan, definitely get one if I get to the store in time.

[walpurgis]

Sigh........... Now I'll have to add that to my collection of soldering irons.

(hope tips are easy to get)

[Puffin]

You get what you pay for with soldering irons. I have had 3 similar to the above from Craplin when they were on offer at £9.99 (sometimes they were £24.99) They are poor quality and last only as long as a prawn sandwich.....or was it an item of jewellery ;)

[Mr Kipling]

You get what you pay for with soldering irons. I have had 3 similar to the above from Craplin when they were on offer at £9.99 (sometimes they were £24.99) They are poor quality and last only as long as a prawn sandwich.....or was it an item of jewellery ;)

I'll go for the toilet brush then.

[struth]

best but at a price

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B004X25LW8/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A27I9PUC3YADPK

[Ali Tait]

Nah, this is what you want if you want to get serious-


http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MPN-WD-1000-UK-Wd-1000-Soldering-Station-230V-Uk-WELLER-Pack-of-1-/261358559662?pt=UK_Home_Garden_PowerTools_SM&hash=item3cda2f21ae

[Ali Tait]

Been using one of these for the past few years, no complaints-

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

[walpurgis]

I have quite a few Lidl tools and find them pretty good quality for the money.

[Mr Kipling]

Can you vouch for their toilet brushes?

[walpurgis]

Can you vouch for their toilet brushes?

Not tried soldering with that yet. :)

[Barry]

I use one of these:

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/31Ouja-2TGL.jpg

I have no need of a variable temperature iron as I only use 60/40 tin lead solder. :D

[struth]

http://www.ericstrains.com/images/tools/soldering_gun1.jpg

These were stock in trade when I was in the business tbh. not so much in the workshop but out in the field...very reliable instant heat. We had thermo bolt versions for bench work that were uber reliable and were on 12 hrs a day.

[Mr Kipling]

Is it loaded?

[walpurgis]

http://www.ericstrains.com/images/tools/soldering_gun1.jpg

These were stock in trade when I was in the business tbh. not so much in the workshop but out in the field...very reliable instant heat. We had thermo bolt versions for bench work that were uber reliable and were on 12 hrs a day.

I've got the LIDL version of that. Very good it is too. I've been using it regularly for over five years.

[Audio Al]

Not tried soldering with that yet. :)

It will be SH-T :)

[walpurgis]

It will be SH-T :)

Probably a crap product Al. ;)

[Mr Kipling]

http://www.ericstrains.com/images/tools/soldering_gun1.jpg

These were stock in trade when I was in the business tbh. not so much in the workshop but out in the field...very reliable instant heat. We had thermo bolt versions for bench work that were uber reliable and were on 12 hrs a day.

Much use for the "STUN" setting?

[Audio Advent]

You guys can solder whilst wearing a Lidl kilt! Last time I was in Lidl (last week?) there were display boards for up-coming kilts for Burns Night - I guess Burns Night is something to do with soldering in a kilt anyway :confused:

[struth]

Much use for the "STUN" setting?

It'll certainly stun you if touched. lol. they do get hot quick..........they were pretty common in the day and weller was the best ones

[Barry]

Soldering guns are fine for when the items to be joined are large, but in general the tips aren't small enough for PCBs or wiring up plugs (especially DIN plugs), or in a confined situation.

[struth]

very true but were good for old tellys and when you wanted to be quick in a house etc. great for anything that had a bit of metal about it.

[walpurgis]

Soldering guns are fine for when the items to be joined are large, but in general the tips aren't small enough for PCBs or wiring up plugs (especially DIN plugs), or in a confined situation.

I find mine perfect for making up speaker cables. There can be quite a bit of metal in a banana plug and thick speaker wire and the plentiful heat allows for the making of good solder joints. I keep a handful of smaller irons of different ratings and sizes for more intricate work.

[Reffc]

I use one of these:

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/31Ouja-2TGL.jpg

I have no need of a variable temperature iron as I only use 60/40 tin lead solder. :D

That's the same one that I use Barry. For those interested, these are actually variable temperature by dint of the Magnastat tips which allow a swap of tip grade for a change of temperature. It's a clever system and doesn't rely on cheap Chinese PCBs, just the magnetic properties of the tip.


See here: http://www.farnell.com/datasheets/44151.pdf

[Mr Kipling]

I find mine perfect for making up speaker cables. There can be quite a bit of metal in a banana plug and thick speaker wire and the plentiful heat allows for the making of good solder joints. I keep a handful of smaller irons of different ratings and sizes for more intricate work.

Always a good idea to have a few irons in the fire… or cupboard… or garage… or wherever.

[Barry]

Always a good idea to have a few irons in the fire… or cupboard… or garage… or wherever.

Agreed - I have three: a 15W Antex, a 25W Henly Solon as well as the Weller mentioned above.

[Sovereign]

best but at a price

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B004X25LW8/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A27I9PUC3YADPK

I have this one as well, does the job with no problems. I changed the tip a couple of months ago which made it a lot better to use.

[Ammonite Audio]

I have this one as well, does the job with no problems. I changed the tip a couple of months ago which made it a lot better to use.

I had one of those and found it incapable of conducting heat effectively to the tip (which is quite probably of poor specification/quality), as is the case with much of this cheap Chinese stuff. This is now what I use:

http://uk.farnell.com/productimages/standard/en_GB/1877455-40.jpg

The Weller uses a very small tip, with a large heating element, so it's very good at conducting heat into quite large wires etc. The temperature control is also very quick and precise.

Ultimately, you get what you pay for and the Weller has transformed my soldering skills and will probably be the only soldering station that I'll ever need.

[Sovereign]

I had one of those and found it incapable of conducting heat effectively to the tip (which is quite probably of poor specification/quality), as is the case with much of this cheap Chinese stuff. This is now what I use:

http://uk.farnell.com/productimages/standard/en_GB/1877455-40.jpg

The Weller uses a very small tip, with a large heating element, so it's very good at conducting heat into quite large wires etc. The temperature control is also very quick and precise.

Ultimately, you get what you pay for and the Weller has transformed my soldering skills and will probably be the only soldering station that I'll ever need.

Your right Hugo, when I. Changed the tip the problem vanished.

[awkwardbydesign]

I have this one as well, does the job with no problems. I changed the tip a couple of months ago which made it a lot better to use.

That's the same one that Maplin sell, which was on offer at £39.99 when I bought it.