The Living Soldering Thread

[mkawa]

another thing you find when you're constantly breaking tools is that THEY COST YOU EXTRA TIME. you have a tool and a job. you need to accomplish the job, so you use the tool, it breaks you swear, YOUR JOB IS STILL NOT DONE. eff! buy another cheap one and the cycle repeats. buy tools to last.

Not only that, but some tools which break while you use them can destroy the object you are working on.

on top of the possibility of damage to yourself.  I don't care what you are doing, no job is worth a finger.

absolutely. one reason why i don't use big machines that one i'm leaving to you melvang

[mkawa]

For my money, the Yihua 936 is the best soldering station you can get for $50 or less. Above that, you might as well spring for the Hakko FX-888D ($90), or a used Hakko 936 ($75).

The Yihua is definitely a "deal" at $15 plus shipping (also $15), so the total shipped to the US has always been $30. I still think it's far better than the Weller WLC-100, which typically runs $50.

I'm very pleased so far with the Aoyue 937+ I bought via Amazon; $61 shipped.  Digital heat settings, heats up fast, hold temperature well, comes with spare element, and takes the same tips as Hakko.

yah, the yihua's are surprisingly good because they clones the hakko 936/937 (a good design) and then spent the next 15 years refining their clone. that said, hakko completely changed the game with the 888d. it's a sea change in affordable hobbyist stations. hell, look at the specs. its temp regulator is more accurate than the one in the 951, 203, 204, etc.

[pixel5]

You know, I did my entire Poker II LED project with a $14 (overpriced) 45W radioshack pencil. I never had a problem with it (my one problem with the project came from my stupid brain). I mean it was a little inconvenient using such a large tip for such a small pad, but that was my only quirk.

It was my first soldering experience. I didn't (still don't) have any flux, wick, or the other fancy things mentioned in this thread. I had an iron, a sucker, and a small bit of solder that came with the iron. I didn't even know the importance of a clean tip or touching it to a sponge for half the project. And this was my result:



I saw someone give up on a project because someone told them not to get an iron from radioshack, but rather to buy some $80 station, because they couldn't afford it. YES, better tools are better and they cost more...but if there is some kid wanting to do a project and its nothing more than doing a few connections on a PCB, you don't need to spend $100-200 to get into soldering. I'll be getting a nice station some day, but right now it's not in the budget... but I'd never be into soldering if it wasn't for that $15 iron I bought from radioshack to get me started.

[Melvang]

another thing you find when you're constantly breaking tools is that THEY COST YOU EXTRA TIME. you have a tool and a job. you need to accomplish the job, so you use the tool, it breaks you swear, YOUR JOB IS STILL NOT DONE. eff! buy another cheap one and the cycle repeats. buy tools to last.

Not only that, but some tools which break while you use them can destroy the object you are working on.

on top of the possibility of damage to yourself.  I don't care what you are doing, no job is worth a finger.

absolutely. one reason why i don't use big machines that one i'm leaving to you melvang

Don't worry mkawa, stay in the truck.  I think the worst tool we have on the job as far as the possibility of losing a finger or that sort of thing is the Hy-torq.  Basically is is a hydraulic powered ratchet that depending on the setup can be capable of exerting over 25,000 lb/ft of torque on a nut.  Runs at up to 10,000 psi on mineral oil.  The biggest danger with these is the 10kpsi.  Even aside from the fact that fluid at that pressure can literally cut you in half or take your hand off at the wrist but with that oil if it gets injected into you for whatever reason it WILL cause gangrene.  Not a "can" or a "possibility" it is a WILL and anywhere that oil has come into contact with internal tissue has to be flayed open and left open until completely healed.

sorry for getting off topic  but the point is still the same.  Cheap tools are not worth the risk of damage to any of the following, the tool itself, the equipment you are working on, or yourself.

[MOZ]

I know people who can use $2 soldering irons and are producing goods for the market on commercial industrial scale, that doesn't mean I can do the same.

[mkawa]

ok now let's say you're a 15 year old kid instead of not, as you're clearly not a 15 year old kid. you're trying to solder something and all you have is your overpriced 15$ radio shack pencil and some 0.1" solder the cellphone salesman sold you. the entire board quickly becomes filled with solder bridges and you can't even get a keyboard working. you're frustrated and give up. it goes both ways broski. just because you had the patience and dexterity to use an old school pencil doesn't mean anyone else is going to. we are here to detail the significant differences between tiers of tools. we can say HERE'S THE DEAL: if you buy an underpowered oversized radio shack pencil you will have the following problems you will have to work through. here's a video of a very experienced solderer using such a setup. IF you shell out for a state of the art hobbyist station, here are the pitfalls you avoid. here's a video of a very experienced solderer using such a setup. if you read the entire thread, we don't force anyone to do anything, including giving up on their projects. it's not geekhack's fault if some kid can't decide on a station or doesn't have enough confidence in his or her ability to experiment.

[mkawa]

another thing you find when you're constantly breaking tools is that THEY COST YOU EXTRA TIME. you have a tool and a job. you need to accomplish the job, so you use the tool, it breaks you swear, YOUR JOB IS STILL NOT DONE. eff! buy another cheap one and the cycle repeats. buy tools to last.

Not only that, but some tools which break while you use them can destroy the object you are working on.

on top of the possibility of damage to yourself.  I don't care what you are doing, no job is worth a finger.

absolutely. one reason why i don't use big machines that one i'm leaving to you melvang

Don't worry mkawa, stay in the truck.  I think the worst tool we have on the job as far as the possibility of losing a finger or that sort of thing is the Hy-torq.  Basically is is a hydraulic powered ratchet that depending on the setup can be capable of exerting over 25,000 lb/ft of torque on a nut.  Runs at up to 10,000 psi on mineral oil.  The biggest danger with these is the 10kpsi.  Even aside from the fact that fluid at that pressure can literally cut you in half or take your hand off at the wrist but with that oil if it gets injected into you for whatever reason it WILL cause gangrene.  Not a "can" or a "possibility" it is a WILL and anywhere that oil has come into contact with internal tissue has to be flayed open and left open until completely healed.

sorry for getting off topic  but the point is still the same.  Cheap tools are not worth the risk of damage to any of the following, the tool itself, the equipment you are working on, or yourself.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

[Melvang]

 

[pixel5]

Woah, I didn't mean to rustle any jimmies.

I just saw a kid give up on trying soldering somewhere yesterday because someone told him you can't do it with cheap stuff. That made me sad. 

[mkawa]

that makes me equally sad. i hope he comes back and reads the whole thread.

if not, we have the keepers to summarize this kind of information now. the keepers is something i've been trying to get going for 6 months now, and i'm overjoyed that we now have a team that can collect and curate this kind fo information.

[dragonxx21]

Right now, my main concern with shelling out a reasonable amount of money on the FX-888D, is that I am unsure how much soldering I'll be doing in the future. From what I can see, I MAY do an ErgoDox, and I MAY do a Phantom, but neither are for sure. I might just do one and then never solder another thing in my life. That's really the only reason I'm considering buying a Yihua.

[CPTBadAss]

that makes me equally sad. i hope he comes back and reads the whole thread.

if not, we have the keepers to summarize this kind of information now. the keepers is something i've been trying to get going for 6 months now, and i'm overjoyed that we now have a team that can collect and curate this kind fo information.

Damnit kawa, what if I don't live up to your expectations! o.O

[Photekq]

that makes me equally sad. i hope he comes back and reads the whole thread.

if not, we have the keepers to summarize this kind of information now. the keepers is something i've been trying to get going for 6 months now, and i'm overjoyed that we now have a team that can collect and curate this kind fo information.

I'll make it my personal mission to make sure every 15 year old in the world knows that they can solder with the cheapest iron on the market. After all, that's what i did last year (coincidentally when i was 15)

Right now, my main concern with shelling out a reasonable amount of money on the FX-888D, is that I am unsure how much soldering I'll be doing in the future. From what I can see, I MAY do an ErgoDox, and I MAY do a Phantom, but neither are for sure. I might just do one and then never solder another thing in my life. That's really the only reason I'm considering buying a Yihua.

Just get the yihua if you're having to think this hard about it. The hakko is amazing, it's a gamechanger. But for this kind of stuff you don't need a gamechanger. You just need a good, solid soldering station - the yihua is that, and at a very good price too.

[pixel5]

that makes me equally sad. i hope he comes back and reads the whole thread.

if not, we have the keepers to summarize this kind of information now. the keepers is something i've been trying to get going for 6 months now, and i'm overjoyed that we now have a team that can collect and curate this kind fo information.

Can we just go ahead and change that GH slogan to "We're all insane."?  )

[domoaligato]

Woah, I didn't mean to rustle any jimmies.

I just saw a kid give up on trying soldering somewhere yesterday because someone told him you can't do it with cheap stuff. That made me sad. 

I am using a Weller WLC100 and it works great for basic assembly.

[pixel5]

Woah, I didn't mean to rustle any jimmies.

I just saw a kid give up on trying soldering somewhere yesterday because someone told him you can't do it with cheap stuff. That made me sad. 

I am using a Weller WLC100 and it works great for basic assembly.

That's probably the one I'll be getting eventually. A friend of mine does soldering for many hours a week as a home-business and he uses one. If he can use it, it's good enough for me!

[CPTBadAss]

I'll make it my personal mission to make sure every 15 year old in the world knows that they can solder with the cheapest iron on the market. After all, that's what i did last year (coincidentally when i was 15)

Just get the yihua if you're having to think this hard about it. The hakko is amazing, it's a gamechanger. But for this kind of stuff you don't need a gamechanger. You just need a good, solid soldering station - the yihua is that, and at a very good price too.

another thing you find when you're constantly breaking tools is that THEY COST YOU EXTRA TIME. you have a tool and a job. you need to accomplish the job, so you use the tool, it breaks you swear, YOUR JOB IS STILL NOT DONE. eff! buy another cheap one and the cycle repeats. buy tools to last.

The issue I'm having here with presenting this information is how do you strike a balance between the two of these? I've worked in enough shop environments to believe in mkawa's statement but the Yihua obviously works.

Woah, I didn't mean to rustle any jimmies.

I just saw a kid give up on trying soldering somewhere yesterday because someone told him you can't do it with cheap stuff. That made me sad. 

I am using a Weller WLC100 and it works great for basic assembly.

Alaric used that for a while too.

[mkawa]

that makes me equally sad. i hope he comes back and reads the whole thread.

if not, we have the keepers to summarize this kind of information now. the keepers is something i've been trying to get going for 6 months now, and i'm overjoyed that we now have a team that can collect and curate this kind fo information.

Can we just go ahead and change that GH slogan to "We're all insane."?  )

everyone i point to this forum figures it out pretty quickly. i think it's best left unsaid )

[MOZ]

that makes me equally sad. i hope he comes back and reads the whole thread.

if not, we have the keepers to summarize this kind of information now. the keepers is something i've been trying to get going for 6 months now, and i'm overjoyed that we now have a team that can collect and curate this kind fo information.

Can we just go ahead and change that GH slogan to "We're all insane."?  )

everyone i point to this forum figures it out pretty quickly. i think it's best left unsaid )

Yes, let those joining the forum and find out themselves

[jdcarpe]

I really hope this thread is not what discouraged someone from attempting their project, even if all they could afford was a $15 RadioShack soldering pencil. This thread was meant to be a source of information for people who wanted to upgrade from that type of equipment to something better, within certain budgetary limits.

One certainly does not need a $100 soldering station to be successful in soldering their projects. In fact, I only recently upgraded to a real soldering station from that same RadioShack 30W pencil iron. For many years, that was what I used, simply because I didn't know alternatives existed. I can't even tell you how many projects I soldered with a 30W pencil iron and 60/40 0.032" rosin core solder. I didn't know what flux was, or how to use it. The bulb desoldering iron was my first real attempt at any desoldering, simply because I never could get the wick I had to work very well. FYI, your hand starts to fatigue after only a couple keyboards worth of desoldering, if you are using the bulb type desoldering iron. For a few dollars more, the $25 Soldapullt DS017 can save you lots of trouble.

The thing is, for $30 shipped, the Yihua is far and away better than trying to learn to solder with only a pencil iron. That is why I keep pushing the Yihua as a budget station. But by no means do I want people to stay away if they can only afford a pencil iron. You can learn to solder (well!) with a pencil iron, but you really have to develop your technique. Practice, practice, practice. What can I say? I did it for years, so I am living proof that it can be done.

Heat up those irons and build something!

[pixel5]

I really hope this thread is not what discouraged someone from attempting their project, even if all they could afford was a $15 RadioShack soldering pencil.
...
The thing is, for $30 shipped, the Yihua is far and away better than trying to learn to solder with only a pencil iron.

It wasn't this thread, but it was people sounding like people in this thread.

Also its $45 shipped for me...which sucks.

[MOZ]

Workers in India use 60/40 solder and can smell the temperature (Actually feel it from heat of iron near their nose), they have have ice cold hands which are static and solder at crazy speeds. Why? Years and years of practice.

[jdcarpe]

I really hope this thread is not what discouraged someone from attempting their project, even if all they could afford was a $15 RadioShack soldering pencil.
...
The thing is, for $30 shipped, the Yihua is far and away better than trying to learn to solder with only a pencil iron.

It wasn't this thread, but it was people sounding like people in this thread.

Also its $45 shipped for me...which sucks.

Hmm, I wonder if you didn't choose the USA Warehouse location at HobbyKing.com. It only showed $27.33 shipped via UPS for me.

But don't buy one, pixel5. You should have a gift from me arriving to your address in a couple weeks. It usually takes that long for them to get it packed and shipped, then via ground to your door. Anyway, it's the least I can do for a fellow TTU alum.

[CPTBadAss]

But don't buy one, pixel5. You should have a gift from me arriving to your address in a couple weeks. It usually takes that long for them to get it packed and shipped, then via ground to your door. Anyway, it's the least I can do for a fellow TTU alum.

* CPTBadAss grumbles that he had to pay jdcarpe for his 936 and all he got was a messed up KMAC

[jdcarpe]

But don't buy one, pixel5. You should have a gift from me arriving to your address in a couple weeks. It usually takes that long for them to get it packed and shipped, then via ground to your door. Anyway, it's the least I can do for a fellow TTU alum.

* CPTBadAss grumbles that he had to pay jdcarpe for his 936 and all he got was a messed up KMAC

Are you blaming the botched KMAC on your soldering station now? )

[CPTBadAss]

Well either I blame that or I have to blame the thing between the soldering station and the chair. And I like that thing.

[MOZ]

Wow JD, what an excellent act of generosity, hats off.

[jdcarpe]

Well, a PEBKAC error is a little better than an ID-10/T error.

Also, pixel5 get yourself some Hakko 900M-T-1.6D tips from eBay. Much better than the stock tip that comes on the Yihua.

[CPTBadAss]

Well, a PEBKAC error is a little better than an ID-10/T error.

Lol <3

And for those who are worried for the keyboard, the KMAC is fixed and usable. Don't worry.

[dragonxx21]

Man, international shipping for that Yihua is brutal.

[mkawa]

A+ JD

get the yihua locally. since it's very much made in china to be exported everywhere hakko tries to market anything, they're pretty much everywhere.

[JPG]

Anyone know of a good place to buy electronic stuff in Canada (more specifically near Montreal)?

[argyakrivos]

Just received my Aoyue 937+

Initial thoughts - seems pretty solid, comes with a fine tip.

Haven't tested it yet, but it seems to be a decent soldering station.

[dragonxx21]

A+ JD

get the yihua locally. since it's very much made in china to be exported everywhere hakko tries to market anything, they're pretty much everywhere.

I am actually having a hard time finding it anywhere except for HK and Ebay actually, let alone Canada.

[Melvang]

For anyone debating on spending the $10 or so for getting a slightly smaller tip.  I went from a stock 3.2mm tip on my weller to a 1.6mm tip and it feels like a fine scalpel through butter compared to the 3.2 felt like doing brain surgery with a pipewrench.

[Thimplum]

For anyone debating on spending the $10 or so for getting a slightly smaller tip.  I went from a stock 3.2mm tip on my weller to a 1.6mm tip and it feels like a fine scalpel through butter compared to the 3.2 felt like doing brain surgery with a pipewrench.

Haha! That's sooo true.

[Melvang]

 

[Noko]

A+ JD

get the yihua locally. since it's very much made in china to be exported everywhere hakko tries to market anything, they're pretty much everywhere.

I am actually having a hard time finding it anywhere except for HK and Ebay actually, let alone Canada.

This was the best Ebay deal I found for Canada, it beats the terrible HobbyKing shipping:
http://www.ebay.ca/itm/231006695127?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

There are plenty on Taobao too, if you want to use an agent.  Don't know if they are US plug though.
http://item.taobao.com/item.htm?id=10329568946&ali_trackid=2:mm_29163901_0_0:1378901372_6k3_1596254088&spm=2014.21073621.1.0

[Thimplum]

what are you thumbsupping?

[dragonxx21]

A+ JD

get the yihua locally. since it's very much made in china to be exported everywhere hakko tries to market anything, they're pretty much everywhere.

I am actually having a hard time finding it anywhere except for HK and Ebay actually, let alone Canada.

This was the best Ebay deal I found for Canada, it beats the terrible HobbyKing shipping:
http://www.ebay.ca/itm/231006695127?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

There are plenty on Taobao too, if you want to use an agent.  Don't know if they are US plug though.
http://item.taobao.com/item.htm?id=10329568946&ali_trackid=2:mm_29163901_0_0:1378901372_6k3_1596254088&spm=2014.21073621.1.0

Hmm, the Ebay listing is pretty similar to the pricing of the one on HK. At this point I'll probably just go for the yihua.

[Photekq]

Desoldering my Nixdorf PCB with a Soldapullt right now.

All I can say is.. The Soldapullt is AMAZING at this. Far, far better than the ****ty knock-off I had before.

 

[pixel5]

Desoldering my Nixdorf PCB with a Soldapullt right now.

All I can say is.. The Soldapullt is AMAZING at this. Far, far better than the ****ty knock-off I had before.

 

I have a piston-based solder vacuum. Is it significantly better than those?

[Dubsgalore]

the OG soldapullt is awesome
i only hope i can afford my nixdorf soon 

[Photekq]

I have a piston-based solder vacuum. Is it significantly better than those?

http://www.edsyn.com/index.php?Mode=piw&pn=DS017
This is a piston one too, it's just really good.
I had a cheap piston-based one and it was ****, kept jamming etc.

[mkawa]

Desoldering my Nixdorf PCB with a Soldapullt right now.

All I can say is.. The Soldapullt is AMAZING at this. Far, far better than the ****ty knock-off I had before.

 

you're going to freak when you use my massively upgraded soldapullts then )

ps, i should be talking to edsyn today. we _will_ be getting a GH edition soldapullt. the question is what form it will take

[Photekq]

you're going to freak when you use my massively upgraded soldapullts then )

ps, i should be talking to edsyn today. we _will_ be getting a GH edition soldapullt. the question is what form it will take

Lubed with krytox and using a korean spring? )

[mkawa]

stock spring, but yes, there is a fair amount of fluorine involved.

let's just say that i can hold a vacuum on my ds017 for as long as i have the patience to block the nozzle

also, all that crap on the barrel about no solvents no heat? yah, that's all meaningless with my changes

[SpAmRaY]

Desoldering my Nixdorf PCB with a Soldapullt right now.

All I can say is.. The Soldapullt is AMAZING at this. Far, far better than the ****ty knock-off I had before.

 

you're going to freak when you use my massively upgraded soldapullts then )

ps, i should be talking to edsyn today. we _will_ be getting a GH edition soldapullt. the question is what form it will take

Too much WIN!!

I'm waiting until you get the soldapullt's, solder wire, panavise's, lube, adapters etc then I'll make a massive order from the geekhackers store!!

[Photekq]

stock spring, but yes, there is a fair amount of fluorine involved.

let's just say that i can hold a vacuum on my ds017 for as long as i have the patience to block the nozzle

also, all that crap on the barrel about no solvents no heat? yah, that's all meaningless with my changes

Sounds great man! It's mega awesome that geekhack(geekhack ITSELF, not the community like with GBs) is starting to work with companies.

[mkawa]

the lube and adapters cost 2$ to ship domestically. no need to wait on those. the rest of it will cost more to ship and you may want to batch that, but if you want lube and switches please just order them now

i'm less busy right now ordering-wise, and i may have to change prices AGAIN (ugh) once the storefront goes up