I am a new and would like some help with this.
The helping hands look good but I would steer clear of the iron as it is only 15 watts.
I would recommend one of these. solder station
I have one and am happy with it. Buy the tips off ebay or amazon, look for the Hakko ones for 10 bucks.
I started out with this one years ago and for $20 it is hard to beat - 40 watts isnt quite what Solar recommended but if you have any doubts about staying with the hobby its a very cheap way to try it out. Mine has lasted for years, still works and I keep it as a backup.
http://www.parts-express.com/stahl-tools-ssvt-variable-temperature-soldering-station—374-100
I’m cheap… Have a old 40 watt soldering iron, don’t even know from where on a speed controller to adjust. Forget digital anything!
I have had this station for less than a year and I can’t recommend it.
I am not a heavy modder/solderer, and it has already worn out to the point of uselessness. The collar/threads that hold tip in are WAY too soft, and have worn out after only a minimal number of tip replacements. The threaded section is also only press-fit into the heater body, and now spins freely instead of letting the collar tighten or loosen. Therefore the collar no longer securely fastens down on the tip, leaving the tip loose when ‘tightened’ down. This results in a dramatic reduction of heat transfer from body to tip. It also requires two wrenches to open, which further tears up the collar. It’s almost as if the iron heats up to the point of melting the threads, disfiguring and ruining them.
Operation also has some shortcomings. There is no detailed temp gauge. It only has general temp. ranges with broad color codes (hope that makes sense…maybe you can zoom in on control knob area to see what I am saying), so you don’t really know what temp. you are soldering at.
The cord from base to iron is also not very flexible, which tends to ‘pull’ on the iron when soldering. VERY frustrating, especially when soldering delicate, hard to reach areas.
I think I got a little less than I paid for. For $20, it should have lasted longer considering minimal use.
Just my two cents…YMMV.
I have that very same station. I buy one every year to two years. Someone gave be a very well known brand name and very expensive station, VERY expensive, and it blew up, (transformer melt down), within a year, so I just use the cheapy stations, since even the good ones cannot be trusted any more. You can buy that Stahl unit in amazon and other places too, with free shipping.
OL…have you had any of the problems that I had with the collar? Any way if fixing it?
I agree! For someone who is starting, there isn’t anything more discouraging than trying to solder w a too junk or too weak iron! Get a reasonable one and you will have a much more pleasant and less frustrating experience.
ZD 99 Solder Station-Electronic Components and Accessories | MPJA.COM I’m still learning so it may not be the ideal starter
That sure looks to be the same model Old Lumens and I had mentioned.
I have not had any problems with the collar in mine and have gone through more than a few tips in it over the years. I wonder if maybe he got a lemon or I just got one of the few good ones they produced. Be interesting to hear from more owners/users of the Stahl cheapie.
How much do I owe you?
ZD 99 Solder Station-Electronic Components and Accessories | MPJA.COM for the price point it has do e everything I ha ve asked it’s not the soldering guns fault I can’t solder worth a pile of beans
I agree with Solar. 15 watts is useless a 60 watt station is best and the one in his link is a very good starter. It is available under different brand names and the tips are easy to find. I don’t know what your budget is but its worth paying the extra for this and getting the helping hands at a later date if you really want one. I would also recommend buying thin gauge solder and a flux pen.
If you look at the reviews on their site, there are some others that had the same problems…maybe a bad batch of them came out?
I contacted Parts Express and they are sending me a replacement Stahl unit. Nice customer service!
I asked them if the collar problem has been addressed, but haven’t heard back on that yet.
The collar that holds the tip in? Mine would get loose a lot. What I did was to look at just behind the collar, where the insert is and is covered by the thin outer sleeve. There are three “indents” there, where the outer sleeve is supposed to hold the insert. I took a fine prick punch & hammer and made them deeper and made three more. Now I can tighten the collar down really well and it stays tight. I also used some paste around the tip, where it goes into the insert, to make it touch the walls better. It’s high temp paste, used for keeping parts from freezing together in high heat situations. Loctite Anti Seize Compound (Silver) 7G Pouch. Model: 38181 I don’t have a link to it, but in a small tube, it’s not expensive and it lasts a long time. You can also use just a little of it on the collar threads. I do not change tips very often at all. Hardly ever. I clean them with the Radio Shack tip tinner and cleaner in a small 0.5 oz metal can. I clean the tip when I heat it up, then I clean it again when I shut the iron off. I have the same tip for a year now and have never had to remove it or change it out. I wipe it off every few minutes too, when it’s hot, to keep it clean and remove the black gunk, (rosin) from the tip. I use 60/40 rosin core solder and usually run the heat at 3/4 of a full turn on. The marker on the knob faces straight to the right when it’s turned up, if that makes sense. Once the iron has been hot for about 10 minutes, I back it off just a little.
Im not very experienced but I purchased this one and have been very happy with it. http://www.mcmelectronics.com/product/21-11405
I'm surprised it took so long for someone to recommend a Hakko 936 clone (which this MCM one is). MCM frequently has this one on sale (hint-check the online catalog flyers and then key in the flyers "code" to get the discount price). Every once in awhile they also run a $6 weekend shipping sale (one just ended this Sunday). I bought my 936 clone from HobbyKing (US warehouse) and it's a nice unit though I still do most of my soldering with an old 40watt Ungar hand-held iron (18years old and I'm just now wearing out the original tip). The 936 will have tons of tips/parts available cheap.
-Garry