Recs on a good soldering iron?

[KK]

Originally posted by: Gibson486

Originally posted by: KK
I had an issue with a mainboard for the wifes laptop. I bought a 15/30W iron from radio shack, also bought a desolder iron, but haven't used that yet.

here is a tip on that....make sure its worth yoru while to do that. It can be a bitch to take out a board in a laptop. I did it with my old gateway and there must have have been 50 screws involved! AFter all was said and done...the board powered up, but nothing shows up on the lamp no longer turns on for the LCD. I ended up just selling parts for cash.

The disassembly was easy, of course I had dell's website up while doing it so that made it easier. I thought my issue was the DC power jack, I ordered a new jack and put it in. That was a bitch, taking the old one out, I had to basically tear the old one in pieces and then desolder it one solder joint at a time. there were seven points. But the wasn't the issue unfortunately.

Sounds like your issue could have been the power inverter for your lcd, my friend has a laptop that the screen went out on. I told him to buy a new inverter and I'd help put it in. It's cheaper than buying a whole new LCD

 

[randay]

Originally posted by: IcebergSlim
What are you guys soldering? Is it wierd I've made it this far in life without ever soldering?

its not wierd, but if you deal with a lot of electronics, its useful, almost required to have some soldering skills.

 

[Slickone]

Is a .031" (.79mm) tip small enough for small items on a PCB, like LED's? That's the smallest I see offered for the Weller, but I noticed Hakko has a .020" (.5mm) tip.

I looked at the Tenma stations at MCM (like the 21-7950 for $47), but their optional tips didn't state a size or price, and the other items (pump, wick, etc) were expensive.

 

[shortylickens]

In the Navy we used a PRC 2000. It did well enough for me. I highly recommend.

 

[Slickone]

Originally posted by: duragezic
I've not ever used lead free but heard firsthand from people that they don't like it. What you linked there is basically what I'd use. I don't use additional flux except a few rare times.

Just any old decent pair of tweezers. Either for placing components or holding wires together, etc.

No, the flux remover isn't a tip cleaner. See the two pictures at the top of this page. The cleaner just gets rid of the flux residue left from soldering. I'm not sure how harmful it is... I think over time it can weaken a solder joint, but I'm not sure on that. We were always told to use it at work. So at home I haven't bought any and have just used isopropyl alcohol instead to clean up the board or solder joint.

There's other useful tools to get... it just matters what kind of soldering you are doing. But outside of a iron station, solder, braid, I used the above all of the time.

Also, if you are soldering a lot of wires together, like doing splices, those little Pan-A-Vise things were very helpful for me.

I read flux is supposed to make the solder flow better instead of beading up, but mine beads up pretty badly. Do I just have some bad quality solder with flux that's no good, or would the 63/37 be better? Or is the '44' flux in this any better?

BTW, what's wrong with having flux residue?

I've been looking for a good small vice with rubber & nylon grips, but haven't seen a good deal on one. Do you know of one? Something like this? I have one of those cheap helping hands that has alligator clips and a magnifying glass, but I don't like the clips. I still have problems holding 2 different wires and the iron at the same time, especially if those 2 wires have to both be soldered to something else.


Also, which do I want, Tech Spray Pro Desoldering Wick .06" x 5 ft. Yellow or Tech Spray No-Clean Desoldering Wick .06" x 5 ft. Yellow?

 

[Modelworks]

Originally posted by: Slickone
I read flux is supposed to make the solder flow better instead of beading up, but mine beads up pretty badly. Do I just have some bad quality solder with flux that's no good, or would the 63/37 be better? Or is the '44' flux in this any better?

I've used everything from 60/40 to plasticized solder.
They all work pretty much the same.
Meet the melting point requirement and provide flux and they will flow.

BTW, what's wrong with having flux residue?

Its a cosmetic issue.
flux doesn't conduct, but it can leave the area sticky which will attract dust.
Make sure to never use plumbing flux. Its can be the acidic version that can corrode your work.

Also, which do I want, Tech Spray Pro Desoldering Wick .06" x 5 ft. Yellow or Tech Spray No-Clean Desoldering Wick .06" x 5 ft. Yellow?

[/quote]

I've found the no-clean wick to be a tiny bit less effective, but nothing major.
Go with either one.

 

[Gibson486]

Originally posted by: KK

Originally posted by: Gibson486

Originally posted by: KK
I had an issue with a mainboard for the wifes laptop. I bought a 15/30W iron from radio shack, also bought a desolder iron, but haven't used that yet.

here is a tip on that....make sure its worth yoru while to do that. It can be a bitch to take out a board in a laptop. I did it with my old gateway and there must have have been 50 screws involved! AFter all was said and done...the board powered up, but nothing shows up on the lamp no longer turns on for the LCD. I ended up just selling parts for cash.

The disassembly was easy, of course I had dell's website up while doing it so that made it easier. I thought my issue was the DC power jack, I ordered a new jack and put it in. That was a bitch, taking the old one out, I had to basically tear the old one in pieces and then desolder it one solder joint at a time. there were seven points. But the wasn't the issue unfortunately.

Sounds like your issue could have been the power inverter for your lcd, my friend has a laptop that the screen went out on. I told him to buy a new inverter and I'd help put it in. It's cheaper than buying a whole new LCD

nope...not the inverter. I think something just burned on the mainboard itself.