Guess what I'm thinking of starting next ...

[Deleted]

www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Soldering-Iron-Kit-Stand-Sponge-Desolder-Pump-Lead-Free-Solder-Wire-Magnifier-/300722728621?pt=UK_Home_Garden_PowerTools_SM&hash=item460478aead

[vereybowring]

I would recommend the extra for a temperature controlled iron.
Really does make things so much easier, but then I use mine a fair bit.

This is the one I got hold of and it is streets ahead of the cheaper ones.

Not an essential depending on what you're planning to be doing though.

[Deleted]

It all depends on your soldering skills. Whatever you get the important bit is that you can get hold of replacement tips in the future.

But I always use temperature controlled. It gives more consistent scars on your fingers.

[vereybowring]

Too true. . .

[Deleted]

thanks guys - haven't soldered in a while ... used to rewire serial cables regularly in my first job

[violetblade]

Ok Ash just checked where you live your far enough from me that I'll be safe #icon_rofl#
Just kidding good luck and remember we like pictures

[Deleted]

now where did I leave that stuffed cat?

[meeee]

Just out of interest why would you buy a soldering iron with a temperature control on?

[lazydog]

exactly what it says control, for example when soldering connections on a vv board you have to be quick otherwise you can get heat transferred to the transistors or in some cases just burn out the tracks on the pcb

[FirinBlanks]

Jan 8, 2013 16:46:16 GMT @ashmal said:

now where did I leave that stuffed cat?

You'd be better with a dedicated soldering iron holder though

[Deleted]

I tend to use my gas iron these days more flexible for me when out on the job

[Deleted]

Jan 8, 2013 20:33:09 GMT FirinBlanks said:

Jan 8, 2013 16:46:16 GMT @ashmal said:

now where did I leave that stuffed cat?

You'd be better with a dedicated soldering iron holder though

You ever see the book 101 uses for a dead cat? Now it's 102

I sometimes feel like stuffing the iron up my cats A$%£ though

[meeee]

Jan 8, 2013 20:29:33 GMT lazydog said:

exactly what it says control, for example when soldering connections on a vv board you have to be quick otherwise you can get heat transferred to the transistors or in some cases just burn out the tracks on the pcb

I am not so sure it is required! for example if you were using a wave soldering machine or a reflow oven to solder components to a PCB, the components and PCB would be exposed to fairly high temperatures for a longer period of time than a solder iron would provide. If it were me I would save my money and not buy one with a temperature control unless you are planning to use solder which has a higher tin Ratio than the norm.

[Deleted]

For occasional use a standard iron is probably enough.

meee. don't forget when wave soldering the temperature is tightly controlled and within the specifications of the components installed ( the components will have a specification that they can withstand a certain temperature for a certain amount of time)

Temperature controlled irons can safely have a higher wattage and therefore don't cool down as much as a small standard iron, when applied to whatever your soldering. You set the temperature slightly above the melting point of the solder your using and a nice high wattage iron will be able to maintain that temperature when applied to the item your soldering.

The other issue is poorly soldered joints, too high a temperature and the solder does not make a good joint, look at the solder spikes you get with too high a temperature, and of course too low a temperature means a poor joint as well.

ADDITIONAL:
A cheap temperature controlled iron may not maintain it's temperature very well. the same with most things, cheap stuff doesn't always perform that well.

[meeee]

Still strange I worked in electronics for 10+ years in a large electronics factory and only ever saw 1 soldering iron with a seperate temperature control. So am still not convinced, I cannot see the use for a seperate temp control if you were using standard solder.

I suffered many wave solder and hand soldering courses while working in electronics and nearly all poor solder joints are caused by the flux being burnt off causing the solder not to flow, of course they can also be caused by dirty or oxidised surfaces.