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geekhack Community => Other Geeky Stuff => Topic started by: chuckading on Thu, 16 December 2010, 21:14:33

Title: Soldering Equipment
Post by: chuckading on Thu, 16 December 2010, 21:14:33: Over the years, I've been interested in various projects, mods, or repairs that require soldering, but didn't have the equipment or skills. Tonight, I purchased the Hakko 936 Soldering Station so that way when something comes up, I won't have the "no soldering iron" excuse. I'm sure I'll screw something up, but this thing looked cool and I need one if I'm going to call myself a geek.

What equipment do others use?

What are valuable resources for learning to solder?

Sorry if this is covered elsewhere, I just wanted to show off my new toy.
Title: Soldering Equipment
Post by: chuckading on Thu, 16 December 2010, 21:16:40: I feel like an ass, I found the soldering info in the wiki, but my question on what others use still stands.
Title: Soldering Equipment
Post by: ironman31 on Thu, 16 December 2010, 21:17:38: I have a Hakko 936 and love it so far. I'm not used to this kind of quality when it comes to soldering. Plus the damn thing gets up to temp in about 10 seconds.

edit: mine came with a flat headed iron. I think one with a pointed tip would be better for small electronics work.
Title: Soldering Equipment
Post by: chuckading on Thu, 16 December 2010, 21:24:20: Quote from: ironman31;264344
mine came with a flat headed iron. I think one with a pointed tip would be better for small electronics work.

Yeah, I read that from other reviewers online, so I purchased a small pointed tip along with it. Any specific tips you recommend?
Title: Soldering Equipment
Post by: Lanx on Thu, 16 December 2010, 21:34:41: i have the hakko too, i've actually read that some ppl prefer the regular tip cuz it holds the heat better, which sounds like sense to me, so i haven't bothered with the a thin tip yet, done all my soldering on v2 mod with the regular tip check sig.
Title: Soldering Equipment
Post by: RoboKrikit on Thu, 16 December 2010, 21:45:26: I got a Weller WES51 earlier this year. It's pretty amazing to use, having had various cheap irons for years. I use a thin conical tip for tiny stuff in difficult to reach areas, and a normal-sized screwdriver tip for most other things.
Title: Soldering Equipment
Post by: theferenc on Thu, 16 December 2010, 23:15:55: I ordered a Weller WESD51 a few days ago. It's the newer version of what I used in my old electronics classes, and I loved those old Wellers.
Title: Soldering Equipment
Post by: RickyJ on Thu, 16 December 2010, 23:20:50: Been using my Weller WES51 for almost 6 years now. Fell in love with it during an engineering co-op/internship doing SMD work, and bought myself one right away.
Title: Soldering Equipment
Post by: Lanx on Fri, 17 December 2010, 11:52:11: it was difficult for me deciding between the weller 51 and hakko 936 since the weller did have the auto shut off, in the end i just reasoned japanese electronics > american workmanship. Made in America is so embarressing right now.
Title: Soldering Equipment
Post by: itlnstln on Fri, 17 December 2010, 12:14:08: Is Santa needing to sell stuff now? Damn, the economy is tough.
Title: Soldering Equipment
Post by: itlnstln on Fri, 17 December 2010, 12:17:10: Quote from: ripster;264552

Show Image
(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5047/5268271053_d55c9034aa_z.jpg)

They did a nice job. Bro, either you were standing on something, or you're, like, 10 feet tall.

Oh yeah, polished concrete is win.
Title: Soldering Equipment
Post by: Lanx on Fri, 17 December 2010, 12:19:54: living room tv so small =/
Title: Soldering Equipment
Post by: J888www on Fri, 17 December 2010, 12:25:01: I have a CSI 2901, as it's suppose to be "nearly" a Hakko, I'm curious as to whether the connectors are inter-changeable with the OP model.
Title: Soldering Equipment
Post by: itlnstln on Fri, 17 December 2010, 12:25:17: Quote from: Lanx;264690
living room tv so small =/

Yeah, that is kinda fail. 60"+ or GTFO.

My GF told me that, too, when I met her. We've been together for almost 2 years now.
Title: Soldering Equipment
Post by: Lanx on Fri, 17 December 2010, 12:39:01: that's even sadderer that it's a basement tv with a miniature tv. Every wife/girlfriend that comes over our apartment to play GH/kinect/wii or whatever hates me cuz of our projector. Their boyfriends/husbands want one cuz, once you've seen 110" screen, you really can't go back. I purposely do not put cable on it (i could easily) this way i don't have to host any "sport" parties.

But man a few times ppl invited us over to their house to play GH, and i'm like, wtf is my next key! i can't see! so i'm like that's it, we're going to my place instead.
Title: Soldering Equipment
Post by: chuckading on Fri, 17 December 2010, 14:00:27: Speaking of Guitar Hero, I think I'm gonna get me one of those 3rd party GH controllers that have buckling springs under each fret button.
Title: Soldering Equipment
Post by: NamelessPFG on Fri, 17 December 2010, 14:42:29: Anyone got recommendations for a soldering station that also has a heat gun portion? That would be quite useful for BGA reflow. (I could repair some failed electronics that way and save quite a bit of cash otherwise...or even profit by offering a repair service if all turns out well.)

Last time I checked, they tend to waver between $80 and $130 depending on model. Obviously, the less spent, the better, but not if there's some blatant downsides...

All I know is that the cheap-ass 15W Radio Shack iron doesn't seem to be cutting it for some types of solder, like whatever HP used on one of their motherboards to hold the caps in place.
Title: Soldering Equipment
Post by: ironman31 on Fri, 17 December 2010, 21:02:20: Quote from: chuckading;264347
Yeah, I read that from other reviewers online, so I purchased a small pointed tip along with it. Any specific tips you recommend?

I haven't purchased any other tips other than the standard one. I might order some in the next month or so.
Title: Soldering Equipment
Post by: nanu on Sun, 19 December 2010, 12:03:25: old pic
(http://geekhack.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=14163&stc=1&d=1292781428)

my kit is much improved now after trashing the liquid flux and "old and cold" solder that only produces semigloss solderwork that is gray 0x80 on a 0x00 to 0xFF scale.

i currently use 63/37.
Title: Soldering Equipment
Post by: lowpoly on Sun, 19 December 2010, 16:28:59: ^^^ What kind of vise is that?
Title: Soldering Equipment
Post by: nanu on Sun, 19 December 2010, 16:40:48: Something like this one
http://www.amazon.com/X-Acto-X73700-Mini-Vacu-Vise/dp/B00004Z2U6/ref=sr_1_18?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1292798486&sr=1-18
from over a decade ago.

I sawed off the suction cup portion of it for who knows what, I can't remember :D
Title: Soldering Equipment
Post by: Lanx on Sun, 19 December 2010, 17:23:42: oh i wouldn't mind a good vise recommendation, currently i'm using the helping hands (2 aligator clips on rods).
Title: Soldering Equipment
Post by: nanu on Sun, 19 December 2010, 17:25:47: I actually use an equally ubiquitous and cheap "aluminum ball vise" (that's what I google image searched for)
(http://cn1.kaboodle.com/hi/img/c/0/0/4/1/AAAADKB47PkAAAAAAAQfog.jpg?v=1226376447000)
Must've been no more than $16 way back when.
Title: Soldering Equipment
Post by: lowpoly on Mon, 20 December 2010, 10:03:58: Quote from: Lanx;265883
oh i wouldn't mind a good vise recommendation, currently i'm using the helping hands (2 aligator clips on rods).

That's what I have too and don't like. Thanks for the recommendations!