Soldering station?

[awemawson]

Me - but tend to be old school as was playing / working in electronics from the late 60's. Happy with anything with discrete components and logic in the 7400 / 4000 series and microprocessors up to the Zilog Z80. More modern surface mount stuff gets a bit fuzzy (though I've worked with it at home)

[arvidj]

Willie,

Ok, I see where the confusion is. Weller no longer offers the exact model that I have. I suggested I had the http://www.weller-toolsus.com/soldering/...v-eta.html based on the look of the power unit and did not look at the iron itself. I'm at work and the stuff is at home so I am going by my sometimes failing memory.

Anyway, my power unit is similar to http://www.weller-toolsus.com/soldering/...v-eta.html except the temperature control is a rocker switch and not a rotating knob.

And the iron ... which is where the confusion lies ... is the one that now comes with this unit ... http://www.weller-toolsus.com/soldering/...encil.html. The tips are very long and not magnetic, which could explain why I never have any problems with them like I did with the older system that I had that DID have the magnetic tip and the same issues you are having.

It is actually this iron ... http://www.amazon.com/Weller-WMP-Solderi...B0000WTT9G ... that takes these types of tips ... http://www.testequipmentdepot.com/weller...nttips.htm

Sorry for the confusion. Now that I have given you the correct information I stand by my recommendation.

Arvid

[EdK]

(11-25-2015, 12:30 PM)RobWilson. Wrote: Ps , not to hijack the thread ,,,,,,,,,,,,,just a quick hands up ,who is into electronics ? 

Rob

I make my living in electronics, always have. I don't do a ton of it at home since I have other hobbies that keep me busy when I'm not at work but I do like to dabble in it at home once in a while.

Ed

[flosi]

(11-25-2015, 12:30 PM)RobWilson. Wrote: Ps , not to hijack the thread ,,,,,,,,,,,,,just a quick hands up ,who is into electronics ? 



Rob

Me. Metalworking was initially just meant to make that missing mechanical part that is always missing from any electronics project.


I have a Weller EC soldering station and have had something similar on all my workplaces. No problems whatsoever. Tips last for years even though I tend to forget to turn off the station for a long time. The soldering station I have at home is quite old, 20 plus but have worked with newer stuff with fancier heating elements designed to survive the higher heat needed for leadless tin, but found no difference in use

[Highpower]

(11-25-2015, 01:25 PM)arvidj Wrote: Willie,

----<snip>----
And the iron ... which is where the confusion lies ... is the one that now comes with this unit ... http://www.weller-toolsus.com/soldering/...encil.html. The tips are very long and not magnetic, which could explain why I never have any problems with them like I did with the older system that I had that DID have the magnetic tip and the same issues you are having.
----<snip>----

Sorry for the confusion. Now that I have given you the correct information I stand by my recommendation.

Arvid

No problem Arvid. I never doubted you. That is why I said I'll have to have a closer look at the newest models. I assumed what you have now had gotten away from the magnetic control because you said it works now!

Thanks again for the additional info. I just haven't had the time to dig into it anymore as of yet. Just got home from a cardiac rehab session and I'm too pooped to search now.

[Vinny]

(11-25-2015, 12:30 PM)RobWilson. Wrote: Ps , not to hijack the thread ,,,,,,,,,,,,,just a quick hands up ,who is into electronics ? 



Rob

Me. I bought an XYTronic over 30 years ago and [knock on wood] it's still going strong today. Control temp (knob adjustable, analog meter to show the temp) and zero crossing. Back then I paid about $60 for it, as I recall. It was funny, one day my weller bit the dust, a few minutes later the UPS guy came in the door with the XYTronic. Timing couldn't have been better.

As to my electronics background, my dad started teaching me back in the 60s. Over the years I've worked in small shops, at a Radio Shack repair center, for myself and then 25 years ago at Chrysler. When Chrysler found out I was also a programmer I was quickly repurposed. During the transition I had the opportunity to make some equipment GPIB controllable by making a single board (I designed the board) that used a 6805 micro to talk to the GPIB bus and control the equipment. I was also tasked to populate an engine controller PCB that was 99% surface mount crap that I could almost see - and that was when my eyes were good! Now at home I'm set up with a couple of Tek scopes (2236 and 2430A) and a Simpson bench meter for doing any repair stuff I need to do. That's in the back corner of the shop, I also have a computer set up that I'm using now. The 2430A is also connected to the computer via GPIB.

[Sunset Machine]

(11-25-2015, 12:30 PM)RobWilson. Wrote: Ps , not to hijack the thread ,,,,,,,,,,,,,just a quick hands up ,who is into electronics ? 



Rob

Was. I made the transition from vacuum tubes to transistors, but those little black things with all the legs threw me out of the game.

[ScrapMetal]

I've been using a Weller WD1 for the last couple of years and couldn't be happier with it.  It is a little on the pricier side though.  I've got one of the finer tips on it for soldering to small circuit boards.



Weller on Amazon.com




-Ron

[Hawkeye]

I used to have a Hakko (937, I think). Worked well. I lost it in the fire. I picked up a Sigma 60D off of eBay. It seems to work well enough, at least the amount I've used it in the last year. Quite inexpensive.

And yes, Rob. Another electronics dude.

[Highpower]

Looking at Hakko's site it says the 937 is discontinued and is replaced by the 888D. I don't know about that one. It just looks too "PlaySchool" or "Fisher-Price" to me.