What are you using for a soldering station?

[xixiviii]

Aoyue-936.

I have been using the Aoyue 937+ (the digital version of the one Merlin uses).  I got it for Christmas and have no complaints so far.  It only reads out in Celsius though, I scratched my head on that one for a few minutes before figuring it out.   Before that I had a little Velleman VTSS5U that did the job pretty well, I still have it out on the garage bench.

[Jdansti]

I use a Weller WLC100 with a small screwdriver tip. It's about $50US and works great.

[JRB]

Aoyue-936.

I have been using the Aoyue 937+ (the digital version of the one Merlin uses).  I got it for Christmas and have no complaints so far.  It only reads out in Celsius though, I scratched my head on that one for a few minutes before figuring it out.   Before that I had a little Velleman VTSS5U that did the job pretty well, I still have it out on the garage bench.

Got the same one about 3 years ago, I am still on my first tip.
And about the Celsius, its about time you yanks switched over

[pappasmurfsharem]

Hot air, soldering iron, AND... Power supply all-in-one! BRILLIANT! 

How is the power supply. Is it regulated well?

I never put a LOAD on it but it goes up to 15v and reads 14.93-5 on my DMM rolling it down to minimum was almost right on as well.

[xixiviii]

And about the Celsius, its about time you yanks switched over

I know two measurements in Celsius.

1.  That 0 degrees C is freezing
2.  That 354 degrees C is what I solder up effects with using 60/40

Other than that, I know nothing about Celsius. 

QUESTION for JRB or Merlin...
What temp are you generally set at on the Aoyue's for work using 60/40?  I arrived at 354 C through trial and error and seems to work well for me, but I have no reference for what anyone else really uses for these machines.

[stallik]

Good enough for smd?

Or should I upgrade to gas powered?

[merlinb]

I know two measurements in Celsius.
1.  That 0 degrees C is freezing
2.  That 354 degrees C is what I solder up effects with using 60/40
Other than that, I know nothing about Celsius.  

You should also know that 100C is boiling temp. Gosh, what nice round numbers we enjoy in the world of metric!

QUESTION for JRB or Merlin...
What temp are you generally set at on the Aoyue's for work using 60/40?

Maximum. (Supposedly 480 C). I don't even think about it; I always turn the temp to maximum, whatever the solder happens to be. I suppose I could get more life out of the tip by using a lower temp, but they're cheap and last plenty long enough anyway.

[JRB]

I usually use around 330 degrees. I do crank it up if its something big that won't be heated up properly by the lower temp.

[xixiviii]

You should also know that 100C is boiling temp. Gosh, what nice round numbers we enjoy in the world of metric!

Yes.  I forgot this one.  That makes 3!!!

[Kipper4]

This is what I use

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SMD-IRON-Hot-Air-Gun-2-IN-1-Hot-Rework-Soldering-Desoldering-Station-SAIKE-898D-/281264420142?pt=UK_Home_Garden_PowerTools_SM&hash=item417caa752e

[Magnus]

Hello,

@Jdansti:
Nice soldering-station...
...and its pedalboard-friendly  


@Stallik:
Seems to be the best choice for smd, but for populating perfboard with normal sized components you need another soldering-iron  



I am using a Weller WHS 40, I bought it 10 years ago and a few weeks ago I had to change the tip for the first (!) time,
this tip was a "long life-type" and so it really deserved this name, I bought it seperately since the standard tip got damaged after only some hours...

Its a nice medium-priced soldering-station from a well known manufacturer - no problems so far


Greetings
Magnus

[stallik]

 

[pulsewidthmod]

I use a Weller WES51 soldering station; I'm fairly happy with it. My pencil gets hot though. I wish it was a little more comfortable to hold otherwise I'm happy with it.

[merlinb]

I found a Weller PS-3D in the skip at work (no iron). It costs £85 without the iron, so I opened it up to see what was inside...
A fuse, a power switch, and a 24V 50W transformer. That's it. About £15 worth, if you're weren't buying in bulk. For what is essentially a high volume item, I kinda feel like £85 is a bit of a rip off...

[amptramp]

Good enough for smd?

Or should I upgrade to gas powered?

Go modern! Go electric!  American Beauty 3178 300 watt iron:



It sells now for $238.  It was listed as $15.60 in the 1954 Alpha Aracon catalog.  That's right - it has been in production for over 60 years.

[Govmnt_Lacky]

I use a Weller WES51 soldering station; I'm fairly happy with it. My pencil gets hot though. I wish it was a little more comfortable to hold otherwise I'm happy with it.

Fellow Weller user here! Although, I have the WESD51. Using it for the last 4 or 5 years! BEST... IRON...EVER! 

[stallik]

@amptramp Nice. joking aside, I do have a really big iron which gets pressed into service for soldering big wires to the back of big pots

[armdnrdy]

I used to use a Weller....but as of late I've switched over to a customized death ray gun soldering system.




The negative ion mode control has to be adjusted appropriately so that the energy discharged from the tools tip doesn't destroy the component and blow a hole clean through the circuit board. (As depicted in the image below)
It's a bit trial and error in the beginning.

[wavley]

I use a Weller WES51 soldering station; I'm fairly happy with it. My pencil gets hot though. I wish it was a little more comfortable to hold otherwise I'm happy with it.

Fellow Weller user here! Although, I have the WESD51. Using it for the last 4 or 5 years! BEST... IRON...EVER! 

I use a Weller WD2 at work, it's a really fantastic dual iron station, little iron for waveguide probes and smd, big iron for normal people stuff.

At home I use a Xtronic 136esd, but I stepped on the iron and need to replace it because it's gone a bit wiggly.

[Jdansti]

>At home I use a Xtronic 136esd, but I stepped on the iron and need to replace it because it's gone a bit wiggly.

Hopefully it was off!