Recommend a soldering iron for value and versatility

[dualflip]

Seriously guys, get a Hakko and forget all about Weller, Goot or any other soldering iron for that matter....

[Torea]

Originally Posted by TRA

This Hakko knock off has served me really well.

Aoyue 937+ Digital Soldering Station - ESD Safe includes Spare Element UPDATED VERSION!!: Amazon.com: Industrial & Scientific

Big plus to this one! Mine has been great, even survived me accidentally trying to solder to a live AC Mains connection

[mijome07]

I just ordered this:



1st soldering station. Need to replace a broken pot on a vintage EQ.

[dualflip]

Originally Posted by mijome07

I just ordered this:



1st soldering station. Need to replace a broken pot on a vintage EQ.

AHHH something's itching!!!! well i guess that if you almost never solder, then that is more than enough.

[asdfdsa]

Wondering if I could get any more input, though focused in the sub $50 department, don't really wanna tie up much money.

[Richard Crowley]

https://www.sparkfun.com/products/10707

[nucelar]

These ones are the most popular around here.
Soldering Irons - JBC Soldering Tools
The 30ST is the one every EE student gets, they last a lifetime, I still have mine

[Adria_BCN]

Originally Posted by nucelar

These ones are the most popular around here.
Soldering Irons - JBC Soldering Tools
The 30ST is the one every EE student gets, they last a lifetime, I still have mine

+1

I have been using my 30S for 14 years daily until it died.

Their soldering stations are the best on the market... Really fast on warming up and temperature is also really stable. Not cheap though.

On all their soldering range the distance from the handle to the tip is the shortest available...

[asdfdsa]

I think I've kinda narrowed down my options, any thoughts on this?:

$55 auyoe 937 45w variable temp station

Aoyue 937+ Digital Soldering Station - ESD Safe includes Spare Element UPDATED VERSION!!: Amazon.com: Industrial & Scientific

$40 40w weller with power control

Weller WLC100 40-Watt Soldering Station - Amazon.com

$20 variable temp cheapo
Soldering Station Features Continuously Variable Power Between 5-40W,a 1.5mm Pointed Tip - Amazon.com

$8 iron that i'll wire a dimmer control to for temp set (how else can I afford to buy cables?!)

J&L 60 Watts Soldering Iron,UL listed - Amazon.com

[Biaseelfsu]

I have been using a Hakko 926 for over 20 years, with great success. I would highly recommend the Hakko 936, its successor the Hakko FX-888, and the Xytronic 136 and 137 series of iron. Just my 2 cents…

[rlg]

Hakko FX-888 here, works great.

[Faderjockey]

Just switched from the Metcal to the Hakko FX-951 and love it.

[hymenoptera]

Hakko FX-888 arrived today, was ~$80 shipped, unpackaged and screwed around with it for a bit, heats up pretty quick compared to my plug-in-the-wall pencil type irons. Haven't used it to solder yet, but so far I'm impressed with it. The pictures made it look cheap, I hesitated based on the appearance, but the holder where the iron and sponges go is actually metal!

I should know more next week after I've actually used it a few times.

[hymenoptera]

Finally got a chance to try out the Hakko on a real repair job, and I'm impressed with how much easier this is to use from the junk pencils I'm used to.

Got a Hosa PHB-350 TRS patchbay for cheap, like-new, arrived yesterday, but the seller packed it in peanuts ONLY and of course it was bent to shit and far right (#24) PCB was cracked and not passing audio.

Rather than return something that was only $30 I undertook to fix it myself, disassembled, straightened all the metal, then soldered 4 little 24awg wires across the cracked part of the board. Hot glued down around the flimsy TRS jacks that ALL of these cheap patchbays seems to have, to keep them from moving, and checked again that it would pass signal.

The Hakko made this job super easy. No fuss, no fighting. Highly recommened by me. I'm telling everyone about this soldering station.

[Boschen]

Originally Posted by hasbeen

Hakko FX-888

NEW Hakko FX-888 FX888-23BY Soldering Station, Factory AUTHORIZED Distributor | eBay

I think I paid $75 shipped.

This Hakko is good, or the Weller for just a bit more... I have the Weller, and it's fabulous; with a bit of care it should last me years...

@dualflip
You know, I've heard that Hakko copied the Weller designs... maybe baloney.

I've used Weller for ages, though, and never had a complaint. All the professional workshops I go into use Weller also. Replacement parts are easily obtained at any electronics shop if you need them, or a new tip...
However, I've used the Hakko too, and I liked working with it; if price is your only consideration, get the Hakko, but do order an extra tip.