What Pencil Solder Iron or Solder Iron Stations are good these days????

H

harddriver

Well-known member
I've been running my old Radio Shack Pencil 30 Watt Solder Iron for years and it is a great solder iron but I finally used my last tip on this last amp project and I can't find tips any longer.

I bought some new 30 watt Weller irons thinking they will be at least equivalent decent like my old one....NOPE!!!!!! the damn tips get so hot and burn they won't tin they just burn the flux and the solder, what a hunk of shit......... I'm pretty pissed about it but I can't return them as I bought two. I don't want to waste any more money on anything from Weller......... I had heard how their quality just sucks lately and I agree.....(n):thumbsdown::thumbsdown::thumbsdown:

Pretty bad when old Radio Shack stuff if better than a solder company................WTF!

So I need a good solder iron or solder iron station, I don't really need anything more than 50 watts for my main solder iron, I have been running 30 watt solder iron for years with ample heat without being too hot for all my amp electronic projects and I have an 80 watt and 100 and 200 watt if I need bigger..

What do you guys recommend????? Please include model numbers if you can. Hakko always seems to come up........

Thanks!
 
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I have an Atten ST-2090D station. Got it recently. Adjustable temp control, auto sleep. Holds a spool of solder. Been uisng it about 6-8 months. Happy with it.

Previously had an elenco forever. Still works just can’t find any tips for it. So it get used for pulling frets.
 
Greazygeo said:
I have an Atten ST-2090D station. Got it recently. Adjustable temp control, auto sleep. Holds a spool of solder. Been uisng it about 6-8 months. Happy with it.

Previously had an elenco forever. Still works just can’t find any tips for it. So it get used for pulling frets.
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Winnnning...................:pI found one more new tip off another new unopened old solder iron.................YEA...... I can finish with a new tip until I buy something and retire my old trust 30 watter as I only have a few more solder joints to go for this amp to be done!:2thumbsup:

Thanks for your input!
 
I mostly use a Weller WE1010NA, but I bought a pinecil to use for work in really narrow spots and holy cow that thing is shockingly effective. God knows how much it will cost with tariffs but was totally blown away by the quality and effectiveness compared to cheaper irons in the past.
 
I have one of these. I love it. It works flawless and I love that it has a variable temperature control!
https://amzn.to/3RgbwHO
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I've been using an OKi/Metcal PS1100 with the MFR-H1-SC2 pencil handpiece (the one that uses cartridges instead of tips) and I really like it. Before that I was using an Atten SS-50 pencil with a Hakko chisel tip that got the job done for the most part but took longer to heat up (~30s) and had a harder time maintaining temperature.
 
I am thinking the Hakko FX-888DX is the one for me after reading some great reviews of it from 4T6and2 and others. I like the short conical tips so I'm not sure which replacement one would suit me best, I'd like to buy some extra Hakko tips for it when I make the purchase.

It seems like a great unit and has some support from the company.........
 
I primarily use a KSGER T12 I got off Amazon a while back for when I was modding a bunch of old video game consoles. It heats up WAY faster than my Weller station, has tips that are easy to pick up off Amazon, and I like the digital readout and dial to get really quick and accurate heat level changes.
 
I use a WES50 50W unit and a better pencil. I’ve dropped the unit on the floor and it still works. 50W is just barely enough for steel ground soldering, but I’ve never had an issue with reliability. It’s not complicated and the knob is great for on the fly temperature changes.

I’m not sure I’d go hakko for an upgrade. I despise the cartoonish design. Oki requires tip changes for different temperatures. I use what I use because more expensive just means more complicated and easier to break under normal use.
 
glpg80 said:
I use a WES50 50W unit and a better pencil. I’ve dropped the unit on the floor and it still works. 50W is just barely enough for steel ground soldering, but I’ve never had an issue with reliability. It’s not complicated and the knob is great for on the fly temperature changes.

I’m not sure I’d go hakko for an upgrade. I despise the cartoonish design. Oki requires tip changes for different temperatures. I use what I use because more expensive just means more complicated and easier to break under normal use.
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I want to give Weller my business and I did but I have two brand new solder irons that won't hold proper temperature are not even usable as the tips are so hot they just burn, I can't tin them and they won't even hold solder, it just falls off.

I just can't justify buying anything more expensive from them.
 
harddriver said:
I want to give Weller my business and I did but I have two brand new solder irons that won't hold proper temperature are not even usable as the tips are so hot they just burn, I can't tin them and they won't even hold solder, it just falls off.

I just can't justify buying anything more expensive from them.
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Yeah notice I use a really old 50W 😂

I’m not happy with what’s available for soldering stations so I can only recommend what I use and prefer. Mine holds temps great and I’ve not had a single operation problem. I love the auto off feature. I wish it had an auto cool down standby mode to save tips.
 
glpg80 said:
I wish it had an auto cool down standby mode to save tips.
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Leaf-spring switch in a iron holder + a little rejiggering inside the unit?
glpg80 said:
Oki requires tip changes for different temperatures.
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That is the one thing I'm not a fan of, though it hasn't turned out to be a problem so far. One tip and temp does just about everything I've encountered well. Except for steel chassis level stuff, and then I'm switching to my high-mass tip anyway. Or SMD, but then I'm switching to a hoof tip.
 
Hakko for sure. I use the FX-888D as well. I have many many hours on mine and it works flawlesssly. Heats up FAST too.
 
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