What soldering iron do you use for soldering ?

rumme

100 kW
Joined
Jan 28, 2011
Messages
1,110
I have a pen style soldering iron that has a adjustbale knob to take it up to 500 degrees . I'm looking for a heavier duty soldering iron, that works good but is inexpensive { for using on XT90 - XT150 CONNECTORS / BULLET CONNECTTORS, 8 GAUGE WIRE , ETC}

Can anyone recommend something ?
 
I currently use a 100W generic iron with a fat chisel tip. It was $20 about 6 years ago, and I found it at a hobby lobby (warehouse size store for hobby and decorating supplies) I found it in the stained glass window building section.
 
Don't need Watts/heat as much as Mass/amount of heat.

Hammerhead tips are much harder to find nowadays but check these images to get an idea of large tips (some DIY) which allow soldering heavy gauge wire, connectors and battery tabs:

https://www.google.com/search?q=soldering+iron+hammer+head+tip%5B&sa=X&tbm=isch&imgil=czN6HxDcyj_SzM%253A%253BkA9JyaI5OxVB6M%253Bhttp%25253A%25252F%25252Fwww.rctech.net%25252Fforum%25252Felectric-road%25252F87273-anyone-know-hammerhead-soldering-tip-hakko-936-a.html&source=iu&pf=m&fir=czN6HxDcyj_SzM%253A%252CkA9JyaI5OxVB6M%252C_&usg=__X8CKAfPthoDYX9Hq3gcx0wK5giA%3D&biw=1263&bih=633&ved=0ahUKEwjtqdmWkcjWAhUD72MKHd4-CtYQyjcIbg&ei=8gzNWe3oOoPejwPe_aiwDQ#imgrc=_

I use 60W cheapo iron with Hammerhead tip and it flows solder on large parts in merely seconds.

The temp control, regulated irons are great for sitting ON all day but for sporadic hobby use a few minutes per session I've never had the need for regulated soldering stations. Keep tips clean - don't let em turn to charcoal since the heat won't be able to transfer into the workpiece.
 
I have two, for XT 90/XT60 and other small items I mostly use the 40 watt one.

http://www.acehardware.com/product/index.jsp?productId=25118616

http://www.acehardware.com/product/index.jsp?productId=25118626

I like the little LED lights they have on them to see the project a little better.
 
how about the butane flame soldering gadgets...do they work well for XT90-XT150- BULLET CONNECTORS- 8 GAUGE WIRE ?

or is it best to stick with a electric soldering iron ?
 
rumme said:
how about the butane flame soldering gadgets...do they work well for XT90-XT150- BULLET CONNECTORS- 8 GAUGE WIRE ?

or is it best to stick with a electric soldering iron ?

I have this one: https://www.amazon.ca/Power-Probe-PPSK-Butane-Soldering/dp/B001DIE9BO

It has plenty of power for soldering XT90. I don't have any XT150 but I have used this iron to solder 8 gauge wire and it handles that just fine. I've also used it to solder directly to copper rods.
 
I have a Weller TempMatic from the 1970s. They no longer make them, but sometimes you can find them on eBay. There are two tips, a conical and a larger chisel tip. I am still using the same tip it came with. I have gone through many, many rolls of solder and thousands of joints and the tip still looks like new. It is thermostatically controlled so it heats very quickly but doesn't fry the work.

Weller Tempmatic.jpg
 
I use a 60W from Princess Auto which is like Harbor Freight. I ordered a 30W from same place.
I have a 100/150W Weller.

Hobbyking has an iron "936" https://hobbyking.com/en_us/soldering-station-with-adjustable-heat-range-us-warehouse.html which I thought about buying.

Weller and Hakko is a decent brand.

There was one brand of iron that I was also going to buy, it had a button where you'd press it to get extra wattage from the iron. I found it on here from a similiar type of question. The name escapes me at the moment and my quick searches did not find anything. I'd really like to know what it was again.

edit 1 - I am on the tail of finding the boost iron. LFP
https://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=14782&p=220158&hilit=soldering+iron#p220158

edit 2 - Found it, the name I remember "TENMA"
20/130 watt TENMA
 
I have a 60 watt ECG iron with wedge tip that I got for about $15 at Fry's electronics. It works great for soldering 12-10 gauge wire and related connectors.

I was careless and originally purchased a soldering iron that I thought was a 60 watt Weller soldering iron. My confusion was created by the bold labeling that said. "60 Watt" and the small type that followed that said, "performance." It is actually a nice, fast starting 18 watt soldering iron ... but it does not perform like a 60 watt. I am/was rather upset with Weller for labeling this soldering iron with such nonsense. It just doesn't have the heat output of a 60 watt iron (how could it?) - which, BTW is the important factor when soldering thick wires. It isn't high temperature you need, it is enough heat.

I also have a 100 watt iron, but frankly it is overkill ... so far.
 
Mine is old and has no name on it. It is big with a red and white wood handle. I believe it was made for lead soldering copper roofing. I purchased a new, smaller one about 8 years ago but it doesn't work half as good.
 
I just bought another cheapo 48W soldering station. They work alright for quite a few years.
 
20 years ago I had to solder at my job often. I discovered gas soldering irons gave much higher temps, better temp control, and better tip control. They were essential to hand soldering surface mount components where the short hand to tip distance gave me the precision i needed, and great for soldering lugs on power cables where the high heat/wattage equivalent really shined.

I still use my old iron. here's the modern version:
https://www.amazon.com/Portasol-0...id=1506643958&sr=8-2&keywords=weller+portasol
 
I'm using a butane iron similar to drunkskunks except it's cheaper at $20 found at my local Home Depot. It lacks many of the tips, such as the flat tip, but it converts easily into a small heat blower for shrink wrap which I like. It seems to do the job for me, but may be too limited for other users. I have horrible soldering technique which usually ends up looking like pidgeon turds, but somehow my end results seem to survive the intended purpose. :lol:

What I have real problems isn't the large wires but smaller "micro" wires, like hall sensor wires, throttle wires, and such. I'm assuming people go to smaller wattage irons for these endeavors :?:
 
Depends on what I'm soldering. I've got a couple of different irons including variable temp controlled and battery powered. Mostly use 63/37 Sn Pb.
 
Lots of other info on the subject here:

https://endless-sphere.com/forums/search.php?keywords=solder*+iron*&terms=all&author=&sc=1&sf=titleonly&sk=t&sd=d&sr=topics&st=0&ch=300&t=0&submit=Search
 
Iron from the stained glass section of a craft store. Big fat chisel tip great for stuff like soldering bullets.
 
dogman dan said:
Iron from the stained glass section of a craft store. Big fat chisel tip great for stuff like soldering bullets.

I have one of those and was using it for something recently instead of the 65 watt. I got distracted and forgot I had left it on. I finally noticed it because of a strange odor that I couldn't quite place. I think it was the odor of multiple solder irons on back from my days working as a frame attendant at the phone company where we soldered connections all day and there were about a dozen soldering irons constantly on. Anyway, when I looked at the soldering iron, the entire thing was glowing red. I've never seen a soldering iron do that. Boy was I glad I had that thing in a good holder.
 
purchased this and used it for about 1 hour on 8-12 gauge wires, XT90 connectors. Worked great and its cordless butane. only $17.50 shipped.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Gas-Soldering-Iron-Kit-High-Capacity-Flame-Butane-12ml-Pen-Torch-Tool-Outdoor/142517328649?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

damn...here they are for $10 shipped....I paid 75% to much !

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Professional-HT-1937-Flame-Butane-Gas-Soldering-Iron-Pen-Torch-12ml-R3I6-/162417442317
 
Back
Top