a bit OT: choosing a soldering iron?

[Michael]

I have several Irons, from a $35 Weller WLC 100 to a $650 Pace Surface
mount work station.
But I found a couple of others that work well for most light duty work
and these are "Circuit Specialist" SCI-STATION 1 & 2 The 'one' is
$35, the 'two' is $50 and has a digital display. Both may be used
with a SMD hot tweezer (CSITWZ-STATION) for $30
I have three of these on rework stations and everyone likes them. The
tips are $5.00 so service is not expensive.

WWW.circuitspecialists.com

Roger Gt

Has anyone else used these? How do they compare to some of the more
expensive Hakkos and Wellers? I'd probably get the digital one
(http://www.circuitspecialists.com/prod.itml/icOid/7307) just because there
is such a minor price difference between the two.

Michael

 

[Jan Panteltje]

Has anyone else used these? How do they compare to some of the more
expensive Hakkos and Wellers? I'd probably get the digital one
(http://www.circuitspecialists.com/prod.itml/icOid/7307) just because there
is such a minor price difference between the two.

Michael

Not sure I should mention this, but one advantage the electronically controlled
has (versus the Weller magnestat) is that if you do a lot of small signal
tinkering (milivolts or microvolts), the switch in the magnetic thing causes
spikes every few seconds (when the element switches on / off).
The electronic Voltcraft one I have is silent, but a radio next to the thing will
pick up some ticking from the control, and some microprocessor noise..

 

[Richard]

Anyways - I need a new soldering iron station.

I made the same transition recently when I started working with
surface-mount devices (SMD). I've been very pleased with this
termperature controlled unit from Weller (you need the temp control for
chip / SMD work):
http://shop1.outpost.com/product/3598004

Consider that you'll need new tips from time to time, and having a local
source for tips (i.e., a more common manufacturer) will be very handy.

Personally, I prefer the ETA and ETH tips (these are "screwdriver" tips
- conical with a flat spot on the tip, 1/16" and 1/32", respectively).
I also like the 1/16" ETR tip, but it's so thin I had problems with it
transferring heat to larger masses.

With the finer tips, read up on proper solder tip care, or you'll burn
through $5 tips pretty fast when they oxidize and stop transferring heat
properly.


Other nice-to-have's: "yellow" ProWick for solder removal, a flux pen
(e.g., MG Chemicals RA type, #835-P), rat shack .015 diameter silver
solder for SMD work, and a nice pair of self-closing tweezers.

 

[Michael]

I made the same transition recently when I started working with
surface-mount devices (SMD). I've been very pleased with this
termperature controlled unit from Weller (you need the temp control for
chip / SMD work):
http://shop1.outpost.com/product/3598004

Consider that you'll need new tips from time to time, and having a local
source for tips (i.e., a more common manufacturer) will be very handy.

Personally, I prefer the ETA and ETH tips (these are "screwdriver" tips
- conical with a flat spot on the tip, 1/16" and 1/32", respectively).
I also like the 1/16" ETR tip, but it's so thin I had problems with it
transferring heat to larger masses.

With the finer tips, read up on proper solder tip care, or you'll burn
through $5 tips pretty fast when they oxidize and stop transferring heat
properly.


Other nice-to-have's: "yellow" ProWick for solder removal, a flux pen
(e.g., MG Chemicals RA type, #835-P), rat shack .015 diameter silver
solder for SMD work, and a nice pair of self-closing tweezers.

That definitely looks like a nice iron - but the Hakko 936 looks pretty
nice too at about 60% of that price...


So silver solder is better for SMD work, or just thinner solder is better
for smd work? I'm not worried about having a source for tips - the only
local place is a ratshack and they of course only carry tips for their
irons.

Michael

 

[Richard]

That definitely looks like a nice iron - but the
Hakko 936 looks pretty nice too at about 60% of
that price...

It seems to be a good unit for that price range, and it does the job,
which is what matters. No special endorsement otherwise. Of course, my
general-purpose pencil iron was doing the job too, but without temp
control I would've been cooking SMD parts. And then there's a "serious"
grade of irons, but those were way out of my budget (e.g., Metcal).

So silver solder is better for SMD work, or just
thinner solder is better for smd work?

Silver is supposed to make a stronger joint, but my reason was mostly
because of its width - it's thinner than I find elsewhere locally.
IIRC, it's a little more expensive, but I don't buy a lot doing SMD
work.

Amongst the pointers I've seen, solder should be about as wide as the
tip your using (and joint) for proper rosin content and coverage of the
tip. I'm mostly working with a fine tip and fine-pitch parts (e.g., RAM
chips are particularly fine). Larger tips can work fine with SMD, but I
opt for smaller.

I ran into some early problems with fine tips oxidizing unrecoverably,
so perhaps I'm oversensitive on the topic now. (Tip tinner didn't
work.) FWIW, a rule of thumb I found to work well is to clean the tip
before making a joint, and always place a ball of solder on the tip when
it's in the holder. So far, no more tip failures. (From my online
reading, heat speeds oxidation, as does flux; keeping the tip covered
when idle protects it.)

I'm not worried about having a source for tips

If you're moving to small work, get a couple spares. They seem to go
bad faster, probably because there's less surface at the tip to work
with.


So, I'm assuming you're getting a temp control iron for SMD type work,
though you didn't say so. What kind of work has you looking for a new
iron?

 

[Michael]

It seems to be a good unit for that price range, and it does the job,
which is what matters. No special endorsement otherwise. Of course, my
general-purpose pencil iron was doing the job too, but without temp
control I would've been cooking SMD parts. And then there's a "serious"
grade of irons, but those were way out of my budget (e.g., Metcal).


Silver is supposed to make a stronger joint, but my reason was mostly
because of its width - it's thinner than I find elsewhere locally.
IIRC, it's a little more expensive, but I don't buy a lot doing SMD
work.

Amongst the pointers I've seen, solder should be about as wide as the
tip your using (and joint) for proper rosin content and coverage of the
tip. I'm mostly working with a fine tip and fine-pitch parts (e.g., RAM
chips are particularly fine). Larger tips can work fine with SMD, but I
opt for smaller.

I ran into some early problems with fine tips oxidizing unrecoverably,
so perhaps I'm oversensitive on the topic now. (Tip tinner didn't
work.) FWIW, a rule of thumb I found to work well is to clean the tip
before making a joint, and always place a ball of solder on the tip when
it's in the holder. So far, no more tip failures. (From my online
reading, heat speeds oxidation, as does flux; keeping the tip covered
when idle protects it.)



If you're moving to small work, get a couple spares. They seem to go
bad faster, probably because there's less surface at the tip to work
with.


So, I'm assuming you're getting a temp control iron for SMD type work,
though you didn't say so. What kind of work has you looking for a new
iron?

Oh - well I'm slowly making the transition to surface mount components -
and I'm finding that soldering surface mount components with a blunt
radioshack 15/30W iron is not the easiest thing in the world.

Michael

 

[Richard]

Oh - well I'm slowly making the transition to
surface mount components - and I'm finding that
soldering surface mount components with a blunt
radioshack 15/30W iron is not the easiest thing
in the world.

With SMD I've found that your best friends are solder mask and flux.
With them, you can use a very blunt tip with good results. (Even your
old iron would probably solder fine, though it might fry SMD parts.)
Without mask and flux, even a fine tip is a real bear. It's worth the
extra money to buy PCBs with mask on them.

If you'll be working with expensive SMD parts, here's a good source for
practice parts to get your technique down -
http://www.practicalcomponents.com/dummy-components.htm
They're mechanically accurate dummy packages, starting at ~$1 ea.

FWIW, I've found a conical tip with a 1/16" "screwdriver" (flattened)
end is the best general-purpose tip for SMD work. It's fine enough at
the tip for precise work, and the conical shape gives good heat transfer
to larger masses (e.g., ground planes, larger packages).

If you've got extra $$$, folks swear by stereo microscopes. I use a
visor magnifier and an add-on loupe from http://www.micromark.com.

There have been several threads in the last couple years on
surface-mount soldering techniques. I recommend a Google Groups
search. It'll make the road easier.

Cheers!

 

[John Woodgate]

FWIW, a rule of thumb I found to work well is to clean the tip
before making a joint, and always place a ball of solder on the tip when
it's in the holder. So far, no more tip failures. (From my online
reading, heat speeds oxidation, as does flux; keeping the tip covered
when idle protects it.)

This is a GOLDEN rule, not a rule of thumb.

 

[maxfoo]

This is a GOLDEN rule, not a rule of thumb.

Rule of thumb comes from when beating your wife was allowed, the stick could
not be thicker than your thumb.




Remove "HeadFromButt", before replying by email.

 

[Michael A. Terrell]

If you'll be working with expensive SMD parts, here's a good source for
practice parts to get your technique down -
http://www.practicalcomponents.com/dummy-components.htm
They're mechanically accurate dummy packages, starting at ~$1 ea.

Why buy dummy parts and practice boards? There are tons of scrap
computer motherboards and other cards available for free that are great
practice materials.

--
We now return you to our normally scheduled programming.

Take a look at this little cutie! ;-)
http://home.earthlink.net/~mike.terrell/photos.html

Michael A. Terrell
Central Florida

 

[Barry Lennox]

first off - sorry for the OT post - but I tried posting in SEE and didn't
get any responses

Anyways - I need a new soldering iron station. I've been using a ratshack
15/30W pencil iron for the last couple years - and though it's worked great
for how much I paid for it. But it's time to grow up and move on to a
better iron. I only do really low power stuff, along with some surface
mount stuff. So I don't need a really high power iron. My budget is about
$100. I've looked at some Hakkos - like the Hakko 936
(http://www.kiesub.com/hakko936.htm) - and they look pretty nice. But I
really don't know what to look for. Any suggestions? Thanks!

Don't overlook used, I found an excellent Pace SX-20 and "Sensa-Temp"
station for $45 at the Timonium (sp?) Hamfest.

 

[Tim]

Rule of thumb comes from when beating your wife was allowed, the stick could
not be thicker than your thumb.

Rule of thumb clearly comes from the practice of gauged and practiced
estimation and improvisational measurement, not from wife-beating.
The first reference to the phrase "rule of thumb" is in 1691, in a
book called Fencing-Master by Sir W Hope (only 197 pages). The quote
cited in there is : "What he doth, he doth by Rule of Thumb, and not
by Art."

Clearly that has nothing to do with wife-beating. The next citation
is usually the Scottish proverb "No Rule so good as Rule of Thumb, if
it hit. But It Seldom Hits." which has nothing to do with Wife Beating
(but it's not contextual).

But in 1785 there was a dictionary that defined "Thumb, by rule of" as
"to do a thing by dint of practice."

So, from it's first use in print until 1785 it was clearly not related
to wife-beating.

Therefore I say, Rule Of Thumb does not come from wife-beating.