Does this look like a decent starting iron to you guys?
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0006NGZK0/ref=pe_175190_21431760_M3T1_SC_dp_1
Don’t know why the link won’t work. It is a 60 wt iron.
It’s definitely budget. However, if you’re going to start modding, a soldering iron alone isn’t going to cut it.
Amazon has a very reasonably priced reflow station with high ratings. Here.
However, I use this because it’s fast and get’s REALLY hot when I need to. The hot air tip that comes with it makes reflowing quick and painless. It’s a really nice tool to use. Also, there are several types of soldering tip which makes getting into hard to reach areas on a light really nice. I use a wedge tip with medium heat to desolder the leads off of a LED MCPCB for easy removal then the hot air tip to remove and then reflow LED’s onto MCPCBs.
Will it work? Yes. Will it be a long-lasting and enjoyable tool to use? No.
It’s bottom of the barrel budget. Fine if you want to start out on the (very) cheap, but it’s not a good iron.
PPtk
at the local Fry’s and so far it works well enough for my purposes. Handle doesn’t get hot, just barely warm on medium setting. It’s basic but built sturdy and at least has temp adjustment. Plenty of iron cord to work with too. The pot dial is nice and smooth - not gritty at all - which indicates at least some inherent quality’s built in. It’s a simple no-frills budget deal.
I used a temp sensor probe on my DMM to calibrate what temps are hit at the tip and then put marks on the pot dial to indicate what’s what. You could get away without that by experimenting with your optimal melt-points, etc., and then doing the same marks.
For $22.95 (not on sale) it’s IMO at least a half-way decent back-up iron and definitely better than one of those uber-cheap pencil irons that burn your hand as an added bonus feature. 
http://www.frys.com/product/4825190?site=sr:SEARCH:MAIN_RSLT_PG
I've seen this company's products recommended here on BLF in the past. I've kept them bookmarked for an inexpensive soldering station. Seems tips are a little pricey (perhaps you pay for quality). That Velleman linked above has caught my attention now. Found it on Amazon for $19.48 with free shipping.
-Garry
I bought one of these about a year ago and it performs very well compared to the HF cheapos I had been using.
http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?partnumber=374-100
they had a ‘$19.99’ sign posted on the display model. By law they had to give me that price even though in their computers it was $22.95. 8)
See these recommendations from PilotPTK. I have jumped on the Hobby King Hakko 936 clone which has excellent reviews, is available from US Warehouse, is very cheap, and has tips easily available (cheap on Ebay). As I was on the page reading reviews I got a pop-up that offered it to me for only $15.62!
Wait a minute. Now I see it's on Back-order.
-Garry
’cause if anything’s wrong with it I’ll just drive 8 miles, get a new one or a refund, and call it a day. Plus I wanted something like right now instead of another wait for the shipment to come in and let’s hope it’s intact deal. There’s something to be said for that ya know.
I’ll prolly get one of those fancy-dancy units someday with all the extree bells and whistles I’ll never use. 8)
This is just a decent enough basic-beater in the meantime.
I use the Hakko 936. I used to think I sucked at soldering, turns out it was the $10 crappy iron I used. I got for $75 from a member on the Garage Journal. I highly recommend spending a small chunk of cash on a good soldering station. I can solder batteries like nobodies business with this thing.
I use the one shown below…. Good tools never go to waste or let you down. I try to buy tools just one time.
I have a nice Radio Shack digital that was given to me if you are interested. Like new… I tried it to make sure it worked and put it back in the original box. Dan.
Unfortunately, I have to disagree with pretty much that entire statement. Just because an iron can solder surface mount most certainly does not mean that it can’t also solder thru-hole and even battery packs. We use either 80 Watt Ersa i-Con stations or 80 Watt Metcal stations for 99% of the things we solder by hand. This includes LARGE thru-hole parts (Connectors, Antennas, etc), Wire terminations (up to as large as 2 Guage Wire), Battery Tabs and even soldering Ground wires to MIL Style (38999/26482/etc) Circular connector back-shells. It also includes rework of SMT components down to fine pitch QFPs, DFNs and 0402s.
That is the beauty of a temperature controlled iron with multiple tip options. There is no reason to have a different iron for each job - you just set the temperature accordingly, put the right size tip on, and solder. The idea that a variable-temperature station is only good for thru-hole components and wires is just rubbish.
PPtk
60 watts is probably too hot for driver boards. I would say don’t spend a ton of money at first. Just get something that will work. There are some Weller soldering irons that are pretty cheap and okay (25 watts, that’s what I have). No more than $20 and widely available. Then if you end doing a lot of soldering, upgrade to something better later on. If you never solder again in your life or ruin your soldering iron, then you haven’t thrown away much money. I’ve been getting by with this one for a few years and am ready for something better.
http://www.amazon.com/Weller-SP23LK-25-Watt-Soldering-Iron/dp/B0009ZD2AG
Wow! I knew it was cheap but did not expect it to be THAT bad! Lol. My main purpose will be changing drivers and emitters out. No battery packs or anything like that. So I am understanding that this iron gets too hot for intricate work like soldering wires on a driver board? Sorry if these are dumb questions but I have never soldered anything before.
60 Watts and an 860 degree tip temp is a bit on the hot side for wires… But that doesn’t mean you can’t solder them with it… You just have to get on and get off a bit quicker to avoid melting the insulation… Alternatively, You can keep a damp sponge close by, and just before using the iron, bury the tip in the sponge for a moment to lower the tip temp…
If you are stuck on a desert island can just do one temp, 700F solves all evils…
I’m a 750 guy, but yep, right in that range covers most bases just fine… Really the only time I ever turn it up above 750 is when I’m working with higher melting point solders (92.2PB 5SN 2.5AG, for instance).
PPtk
Any opinion on Xytronic stuff PPtk? That’s what we used in the labs and everything up at MTU, I liked it quite a bit and was thinking of replacing my POS Radio Shack digital with one.
No experience with them. A quick pricing search suggests to me that they’re too expensive for a name I’ve never heard used by anyone who solders a lot…
If you’re going to spend real money, at least stick with a name that is used by the pros. Weller, Hakko, Oki, Pace, Metcal, Ersa…
JMHO…
PPtk
I was in a store checking those Ersa models yesterday. They are nicely build but the starting price (localy) starts at 600 euros :~