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/diy/ - Do It Yourself

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147188 No.147188 [Reply] [Original]

So /diy/ I am the poorest of faggots, and as such I use cheap tools and as such they're typically cheap tools. Recently I've discovered/decided my shit soldering skills are partially to blame on my shit soldering irons. I'll buy these 6-9 dollar deals use them until the tips they come with go to hell/re-sharpen them until they're nothing and dispose of them. No i don't buy new tips because I've discovered you can't buy tips for these! seriously I can't find tips anywhere not even on line. The only soldering irons I see that have widely available replacement tips are expensive soldering stations. So I've resolved myself to buy one, after all income taxes, or as it's better known Mexican Christmas, is here, but I'd like some advice on price to quality ratio, and in case I talk myself out of it I'd like to see a cheap soldering iron option with widely available replacement tips.

Pic related it's the station I'm currently considering.

>> No.147194

Its worth it.

>> No.147199
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147199

You can get replacement tips for those shitty pencil irons on ebay. The irons that that hold the tip in with a screw on the side of the shroud are especially easy to find replacements for.

But it isn't worth it.

It looks like you've already found what you're looking for.

I have a 736-12, which is the immediate predecessor of that FX-888, and it's awesome. Aside from the cosmetic changes, the new one has a bit more power & faster heatup, and comes standard with tip cleaning wool, which I prefer to wet sponge since it doesn't thermally shock the iron's tip.

>> No.147201

Doesn't grinding down tips fuck them up?

Anyway, I still remember getting my first 'proper' temp. controller iron. It was crazy - suddenly I was actually able to solder without everything melting in to one giant metallic blob! Definitely worth it.

>> No.147202

>>147199
>736

Fuck. That should read 936.

>> No.147211

OP really has only 2 choices, Hakko or Weller. With Weller, you get the added advantage of paying 2 or 3 times as much for the same quality.

>> No.147252

>>147188
I've got a Aoyue iron which is basically a Hakko clone and to be honest it does the job well. I got mine from here:
http://www.pcb-soldering.co.uk/aoyue-936-soldering-station.html
Since you're in US I'm sure you can find them cheaper than that. However if you can afford a Hakko I'd go for that

>> No.147295
File: 175 KB, 3008x2256, nail.jpg [View same] [iqdb] [saucenao] [google]
147295

>>147188
Replace them with nails. The closer they are to the diameter of the original tip the better. The shorter they are when fully seated in the iron the better. It takes longer for them to heat up obviously.

One with temp control will help a great deal. Also, make sure you are sponging correctly to remove excess solder. Solder that stays on a full copper tip will eat right into it when it's hot. Steel jacketed, copper core tips last much longer.