Soldering iron recomendation wanted

[joebloggs]

Have a draper soldiering gun, friggin useless, just about managed to tin the wires but no way will it ever get hot enough to join two wires together. Piece of junk

Not going to spend a fortune as only need an iron for a couple of jobs but I do need one that will give me constant heat at the tip and heat the wire quickly so as not to melt the insulation

Any recomendations?

[Frosties]

I gave up using the cheap mains powered irons years ago and have been using gas  (butane) soldering irons for the last 15 - 20 yrs. As well as a soldering iron, you can do small brazing work, use it as a heat gun for heat shrink around cables etc and change tip type. If you have a Maplins near you then I'd get one of these below. Can't recommend a gas iron brand to be honest but would probably stay well clear of Ebay - thing would probably explode.


http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/maplin-30w-3-i...-kit-n25de

[joebloggs]

I gave up using the cheap mains powered irons years ago and have been using gas  (butane) soldering irons for the last 15 - 20 yrs. As well as a soldering iron, you can do small brazing work, use it as a heat gun for heat shrink around cables etc and change tip type. If you have a Maplins near you then I'd get one of these below. Can't recommend a gas iron brand to be honest but would probably stay well clear of Ebay - thing would probably explode.


http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/maplin-30w-3-i...-kit-n25de

Does it not strip the insulation off wires when heating the area?

[Frosties]

No it works the same as a normal iron Joe. The only time it would do that is if you changed the soldering tip for the heat gun tip. It's essentially a contained flame that heats up the tip - take the tip off and you have a heat gun.


As it says in the advert, it's a 3 in 1 tool.

[joebloggs]

Got you, only demo I could find online they were using an open flame, still looked a dam sight better than my rubbish gun. Will have a butchers around town and see what I can find
Thanks for the reply

[esetest]

+1 for the gas soldering iron , try RS as well .

[joebloggs]

+1 for the gas soldering iron , try RS as well .

RS?

[Robbie8666]

RS Componants

http://uk.rs-online.com/web/c/tools/sold...=f&sra=oss

[Frosties]

Got you, only demo I could find online they were using an open flame, still looked a dam sight better than my rubbish gun. Will have a butchers around town and see what I can find
Thanks for the reply

Good live demo here Joe  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_B-v0DKSd0g

[joebloggs]

Thanks for all the replies, think the maplin item will be the one to go for, seen a draper one for less dollars but not such good reviews :thumbup

[schlumpf]

Just one point to add, maybe you already considered. Use a good soldering tin with a few per cent flux inside. Only this makes the solder to float around the wires the way it should, breakes the oxidated surfaces. And be very quick as the flux vaporizes within seconds. If you wait too long it might appear as if there is too less heat. Fried tin doesn't float at all.
(Hope I got the wording right ..)

[joebloggs]

Just one point to add, maybe you already considered. Use a good soldering tin with a few per cent flux inside. Only this makes the solder to float around the wires the way it should, breakes the oxidated surfaces. And be very quick as the flux vaporizes within seconds. If you wait too long it might appear as if there is too less heat. Fried tin doesn't float at all.
(Hope I got the wording right ..)

I was using a separate flux but the problem was one of heat. At no point did the wire become hot enough to melt the soldier, it would melt if it touched the iron but thats it.

TBh I was begining to worry about my technique but after making sure everything was clean, the joint had plenty of flux to help the soldier flow etc, I came to the conclusion that Draper soldiering irons are only fit for the bin.

May come in handy for plastic welding I suppose.....

[fazersharp]

My dad used to have one like a copper poker that he would stick in the coal fire ----------------------- it would melt half the fecking radio before it got near a wire

[Rob R]

Machine Mart do a nifty butane soldering kit ( Clarke CBT5K) - well worth a look if you've a local branch.
Rob

[VNA]

I think it's one of these I've got at work and at home - http://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/soldering-irons/0600234/    Brilliant things.

Only bother with plug in ones if it's work sitting at a bench, everything else I just use the gas one.

Just remember to back the gas off a bit once it's hot.  The one at work keeps coming back with burnt out tips cos folks keep it on flat out.  Pet hate of mine.

The tips come in a variety of tip sizes which is handy.

[joebloggs]

Thanks for the links although after reading the reviews I still think the Maplin item has my vote (cheaper too)

[joebloggs]

Just started using the gas soldering iron, what a difference, like night and day, would recommend this to anyone.
Only one thing you really should remember is that object around the area also get extremely hot.....say no more lol

[Frosties]

Just started using the gas soldering iron, what a difference, like night and day, would recommend this to anyone.
Only one thing you really should remember is that object around the area also get extremely hot.....say no more lol

Ahhh bless him, he sounds so pleased  :lol

[joebloggs]

[quote author=joebloggs link=topic=18266.msg210998#msg210998 date=1443012063]
Just started using the gas soldering iron, what a difference, like night and day, would recommend this to anyone.
Only one thing you really should remember is that object around the area also get extremely hot.....say no more lol

Ahhh bless him, he sounds so pleased  :lol
[/quote]

Fuck you very much.....

[joebloggs]

TBH I always thought my soldering was rubbish, seems this is one time you really can blame your tools