Soldering Gun Choices

[TheDonski]

I have worn out my low watt cheapo soldering iron and I was looking for a good one (more than $2). I like the idea of going to a high watt iron/gun in the 100+ watt range so that I can use it only when I need it and not have to leave it on, but I was worried that got to hot for the electronics that use. I tend to take sometime putting things together. I also liked the battery operated cold solder pen solder guns that warm up and coll down fast. I could take that anywhere.
I fly electric planes in the 3-25 amp range so nothing too heavy duty is needed. I will only use it for electronics for these planes.
Here are some of the ones that I found on Harbor Freight:
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=4328
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=91298
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=94903

And Lowes:
http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=102784-273-BP645MP&lpage=none
http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=97541-000000273-8200PK&lpage=none
http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=104842-273-TB100PK&lpage=none


What do you think, or what do you use???

-Ryan

[Rodney]

Of the second three you mentioned, only the second one will do most of your jobs. You really need two irons, one a gun and another 40 to 60 watt iron with selectable tips and temperature control. The last Weller one might be okay but I have not shopped for one for many years but always found the Weller irons to be quite good. A good temperature controlled iron will not be inexpensive however.

[TheDonski]

I listed some more weller soldering irons from lowes above.

Thanks,
Ryan

[john whitehead]

And Lowes:
http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=102784-273-BP645MP&lpage=none
http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=97541-000000273-8200PK&lpage=none
http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=104842-273-TB100PK&lpage=none


What do you think, or what do you use???

-Ryan[/QUOTE]

Hi "TheDonski"......I've sent you a PM.

[rick.benjamin]

Ryan;

You need a "detail, small work" tool
http://www.hmcelectronics.com/cgi-bin/scripts/product/1980-0373

Regards
Rick

[TheDonski]

I am not able to follow the link on the second small tool. It just sends me back to the home page. I was assuming that this was the one that you were talking about:
http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=102784-273-BP645MP&lpage=none

Thanks,
Ryan

[mmprestine]

These are very nice for the money.

Good 70 watt iron (http://www.circuitspecialists.com/prod.itml/icOid/8395)

Matt

[Rodney]

As an electrical engineer and having put together many spacecraft electronics, instrumention etc. soldering gun will NOT destroy electronics. True, you can magnetise such things as screw drivers etc. if you know how with these guns but they do not, repeat, DO NOT , destroy nearby electroic parts and are perfectly acceptable for most soldering jobs. I'd not use them on a PC board unless that were the only tool I had but; for most jobs the gun is an excellent choice.

[rick.benjamin]

I defer to Rodney and adjusted my post #5
Also corrected the link to small work tool

[Eric_N57105]

I have worn out my low watt cheapo soldering iron and I was looking for a good one (more than $2). I like the idea of going to a high watt iron/gun in the 100+ watt range so that I can use it only when I need it and not have to leave it on, but I was worried that got to hot for the electronics that use. I tend to take sometime putting things together. I also liked the battery operated cold solder pen solder guns that warm up and coll down fast. I could take that anywhere.
I fly electric planes in the 3-25 amp range so nothing too heavy duty is needed. I will only use it for electronics for these planes.
Here are some of the ones that I found on Harbor Freight:
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=4328
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=91298
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=94903

And Lowes:
http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=102784-273-BP645MP&lpage=none
http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=97541-000000273-8200PK&lpage=none
http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=104842-273-TB100PK&lpage=none


What do you think, or what do you use???

-Ryan

Don't get a soldering gun. For ANYTHING. Get a simple, decent quality 80-100 watt soldering iron for heavy stuff like Dean's connectors, and landing gear wire. It will heat in a couple of minutes, and stay hot throughout your work session. The problem with guns is they start to heat comparatively fast, but they take a while to reach full temp.

There are two major problems with soldering guns.
1. The small tip doesn't retain heat. The part you are soldering can sink (suck) the heat right out of it. Then it takes a few seconds to heat backup again.

2. Most guys will hold the gun on the work while it is heating. The part gets hotter and hotter until it eventually melts the solder. But in the mean time the part has been sucking up a whole lot of damaging heat. This is called heat soak.

Most electronic parts are designed to stand soldering temperatures, but they weren't designed to tolerate them for very long. You need a HOT iron, that will retain it's heat during the brief soldering operation and allow you to get off the solder joint as soon as possible. In most cases you don't want to expose the joint to heat for more than a 2-3 seconds. the soldering gun fails miserably here.

For a soldering station, the absolute best value you are going to find anywhere is here:

http://www.howardelectronics.com/xytronic/379.html

This is a professional temperature-controlled soldering station for 50 bucks. You can, and I often do, leave it on all day long with the temperature turned down. When you are ready to use it, turn the temp up and it will heat to the correct temperature before you can pull the iron out of the holder.

I use mine for soldering extremely small surface mount components (look at all those tiny rice grain size parts on your receiver or ESC. I have also run the temperature all the way up and soldered Dean's connectors, but I don't recommend it because of the heat soak problem I mentioned above.

Get decent equipment. It will last a very long time. A soldering gun is basically just a Christmas or Father's Day present, not a good tool.

Eric

[TheDonski]

Thanks for the reply and emails! :D Now I just need to get enough money together to buy one. What solder do you use for these electronic parts
? I have something like-can't remember for sure since I threw it away- Electric Solder lead free 60-40% from Ace Hardware that I have been using.

-Ryan

[jeffs555]

If it is labeled 60-40 it is most likely Not lead free(60-40 would be 60% tin and 40% lead). Lead free would be more like 96% tin and 4% silver. Here is what I use, just because it is easy to get at Radio Shack. http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2062722&cp

I agree 100% with Eric about getting a good temperature controlled soldering station. I have have had an older version of the Xytronic for many years, and have been very happy with it. I got mine from Web-tronics. Their prices are usually a little lower than Howard. They have the 379 that Eric mentioned for only $40. http://www.web-tronics.com/aueltecosost.html

One advantage to the Xytronic is that they use the same tips as Hakko 936 and tips are available from very many sources. Getting replacement tips for off brand irons can be a problem.

Jeff

[ImaBiggles]

one last and MAJOR problem of a gun is that it makes a fine degaussing tool for magnets, the flux in the loop is able to degauss lots of things. I used them a million years ago to degauss tape deck heads. No you dont heat the head, just wave the energized iron over it a couple of times.

[TheDonski]

I wanted to see if anyone has some good resources on how to solder. I checked online and their are a lot. The internet is not always a reputable source for info. I was looking for mostly how to keep the iron functioning like new after a lot of use. My last iron probably could have been better taken care of to last longer. So matenance type stuff.

-Ryan

[jeffs555]

If you get a temperature controlled iron, about the only thing necessary is to keep the tip clean. I have always used just the damp sponge, which does have the disadvantage of cooling the tip a little when you use it. A lot of irons come with the the coiled steel wool cleaners, or you can buy the same coiled steel wool at a grocery store.

Don't know what happened to your old cheap iron, but the uncontrolled irons run the heater full blast all the time, so the element burns out more quickly. Also, the cheap irons have poor or no plating on the tips, so they don't last long.

[rocky79]

I had the same question and I was sick of cheap irons until i bought the Weller WES51 with 2 xtra tips. I couldn't be happier. For about $80 more or less. You get what you pay for.

[Eric_N57105]

I wanted to see if anyone has some good resources on how to solder. I checked online and their are a lot. The internet is not always a reputable source for info. I was looking for mostly how to keep the iron functioning like new after a lot of use. My last iron probably could have been better taken care of to last longer. So matenance type stuff.

-Ryan

Here is an outstanding soldering tutorial put out by Elecraft, makers of high end amateur radio kits. The author, Tom Hammond (N0SS), is one of their consultants.

http://www.elecraft.com/TechNotes/N0SS_SolderNotes/N0SS_SolderNotesV6.pdf

Jeffs555 is right. The temp-controlled units like the Xytronic I recommended, is nearly maintenance free. It comes with one of those little brass pot scrubbers in the holder. You quickly get into the habit of dipping the tip into the scrubber to clean it, tinning the end, soldering your connection and putting the iron back in the holder. If you get another brand, you can get stainless steel and brass pot scrubbers at the supermarket as he says. I would use the brass. The SS might be hard on the tip.

If you want one for the tiny surface mount devices (SMD), let me know. I can't remember if a copy is readily available, but it appeared in QST, an amateur radio magazine a number of years ago.

Eric
KE6US

[dusty IV]

I have a very expensive Weller bought years ago when I did PC work. I still use it for soldering small cells and tabs on 123's. To make up a heat storage tip I got a piece of copper rod about 1" long and 3/8" dia. Bored a hole in it to slip over the Weller tip. You can buy these" hammers" I think. Then you can use a low wattage iron if you work fast.

I also have a very old copper iron that I bought at an antique /garage sale for $2.00. I think you can get them on ebay also. You heat this beasty with a propane type torch. Has enough heat stored for really, really big cells. Not for small work however.

I just plain hate guns. I'm an EE also and have a very strong opinion about them. I have no idea why they were ever invented.