@#$%&! Soldering Guns

[MEXICOWANDERER]

I leave a pencil type soldering gun sit for a minute and the tip turns black the barrel turns blue, the tip screw chars black and the pencil solderer chars.

I bought a solder station and turned the tip temperature down a reasonable amount and ooohboy it no longer takes application of five seconds to bring the work to heat, it now takes twenty five seconds.

Gripe Gripe Gripe

Using a Weller pistol is like using a pitchfork to eat salad.

Groan Moan B****

None of this is relevant unless you sit at a bench for hours, soldering

Wouldn't it be nice if someone made a rather lightweight and dexterous remote power supply like PWM powered, that could have a momentary switch in the handle.

Or is this like searching for landing lights for a pig?

[LScamper]

I use an X-TRONIC model 6040 rework station for most things. If I need more heat for large areas I use an old Weller with a 800 degree tip.

Here is a video about soldering iron power delivery.
Soldering iron power delivery

Here is a video about old and new soldering irons.
Old vs New soldering irons

[YC_1]

Used Weller soldering staions for almost 50 years. Turned our service lab on each morning with a circuit breaker and a dozen stations came to life each day. Wet sponges and good solder to keep the tips clean. The pencils have built in controls. They go bad and need overhauling and not cheap but doing professional Nasa Grade soldering was important.

[stage]

Another vote for the X-Tronic. I've had one of their stations now for several months and used it quite a bit and am really impressed with it.

[RedRollingRoadb]

Wish I could contribute...

But I really liked the "...landing lights on a pig,"

[lawrosa]

I have a 2 yr electrical degree and when I worked for Lucent technologies many moons ago we used the adjustable wellers... We set at 650F. We were soldering laser diodes, VSB's and surface mount repairs. Even when I worked for apple computer in the 80's doing componant level repair with chips and through hole we did the same..

Flux is you friend and makes the solder flow. Flux and tin the tip before turning off gun. ( Load tip with glob of solder)

My two personal guns are 20 years old or more. Never replaced tips yet.

I use these with digital readout..

I say your running too hot.

And soldering outside in a wind cools the tip too much... I often have issues and need to turn up temp some...

Of course I have older models...



https://www.amazon.com/Weller-WESD51-Digital-Soldering-Station/dp/B000ARU9PO

[77rollalong]

for electrical work on 14 guage or larger wires i use a 250 watt weller gun, soldering irons 25 - 35w i use for electronics work ...

[donn0128]

Have you considerend one of the little gas powered ones? I have aboit given up on electric ones in favor of the cheal Harbor Freight propant one.

[wa8yxm]

If you are using a Soldering iron (Pencil type, not a gun) that happens

Soldering GUns be it a Wen model 45 or something bigger only heat when you pull the trigger

[landyacht318]

I use a router speed controller on my iron when using it as a wood burner. Very useful item

[Ed_Gee]

mike-s wrote:
Get a Weller WTCPT with a PTP7 tip, keep the tip tinned, the sponge damp and use it. Or a WES51 if you want cheaper and adjustable. I've heard good things about the Hakko FX-888, too.

I've got a WTCPN which has been going strong for 40 years.

Fully agree with Mike, above. Weller controlled temp solder stations simply do not have the issues Mex cited earlier. I have heard nothing but good about Hakko, also. I do want to mention that not wanting to spend the $$$ for e new Weller or Hakko, I took a chance and bought from Amazon a X-Tronic Model 3020 controlled temp solder station. For the $49 it cost I find it excellent, too.

[mike-s]

Get a Weller WTCPT with a PTP7 tip, keep the tip tinned, the sponge damp and use it. Or a WES51 if you want cheaper and adjustable. I've heard good things about the Hakko FX-888, too.

I've got a WTCPN which has been going strong for 40 years.

[DrewE]

Have you ever used a Metcal Smartheat system? I had the chance to use one a little some years ago, and it was by far the nicest hand soldering equipment I've ever used.

The technology is pretty clever. The heater is a little block of metal energized inductively via a coil, like an inductive cooktop, with an alloy chosen such that the Curie point is the desired temperature. When it reaches that temperature, it is no longer magnetically active, and so the heating cuts out. It all makes for very quick heat up, and very tight temperature control, and calibration that physically can't get out of whack. Unfortunately, that does come at a (not insignificant) price.

(Because of this design, they can keep the handpiece fairly cool as well.)