Soldering Iron Reccommendations


 
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John Pie

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Hi All,

This will be my first time soldering. I have tinkered with stuff in the past (modding video game systems), but have always done solderless options. I'm confident I can follow instructions for the HM, but I don't currently have a soldering iron. Does anyone have any soldering iron recommendations? What type of soldering material will I need for the connections?

Thanks!
John
 
I've got this one and quite like it.

Search amazon.com for B00TAHY0R8

I usually set it to about 300C for doing regular solder work.

As for solder, I'd go with a spool of 0.5mm

You might also want to grab some braided solder wick in the event you need to mop up some extra solder.
 
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I've got this one and quite like it.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00TAHY0R8/tvwb-20

I usually set it to about 300C for doing regular solder work.

As for solder, I'd go with a spool of 0.5mm

You might also want to grab some braided solder wick in the event you need to mop up some extra solder.

That looks like a nice unit, although maybe a bit out of my price range. Not sure how much soldering I'll actually end up doing after the HM project. I was thinking around $20 range. I did just find this one on Amazon which has decent reviews.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B015UC2IVG/tvwb-20

Looks like it already comes with some solder that's "60/ 40 tin lead 2.0%Flux; 1mm diameter; 0.71 ounce". Would this be enough solder to complete HM project or should I order more? Also does it matter what type of solder? This says 60/40 tin/lead. Should I be using something else for electronics.
 
Reviewers seem to suggest otherwise.

2/5 "I purchased one of this and it ran for about one hour and died. No LED display no heat nothing. I returned and purchased a second unit. It did the exact same thing. Could be bad luck but that's really not encouraging."

1/5 "Waste of money. Fuse popped during second usage."

2/5 "Burned up quickly"



Be prepare for it to break quickly.
 
Reviewers seem to suggest otherwise.

2/5 "I purchased one of this and it ran for about one hour and died. No LED display no heat nothing. I returned and purchased a second unit. It did the exact same thing. Could be bad luck but that's really not encouraging."

1/5 "Waste of money. Fuse popped during second usage."

2/5 "Burned up quickly"



Be prepare for it to break quickly.

I take reviews on Amazon with a grain of salt typically, but those do look like bad reviews. Always like to know from another source how a product is. That unit is out of my price range though anyway.
 
On a side note, the forum Admin, Chris Allingham, keeps editing all Amazon links so that they include his Amazon referral link, but doesn't even have the decency to post an "Edited" message with the reason.
 
Reviewers seem to suggest otherwise.

2/5 "I purchased one of this and it ran for about one hour and died. No LED display no heat nothing. I returned and purchased a second unit. It did the exact same thing. Could be bad luck but that's really not encouraging."

1/5 "Waste of money. Fuse popped during second usage."

2/5 "Burned up quickly"



Be prepare for it to break quickly.

I've had mine for 2.5 years and have used it dozens of times without any issues. There will always be lemons, but that's what the Amazon return policy is for!
 
On a side note, the forum Admin, Chris Allingham, keeps editing all Amazon links so that they include his Amazon referral link, but doesn't even have the decency to post an "Edited" message with the reason.

Steve, please see my private message.
 
On a side note, the forum Admin, Chris Allingham, keeps editing all Amazon links so that they include his Amazon referral link, but doesn't even have the decency to post an "Edited" message with the reason.

 
My comment on Steve_M's comment...Amazon affiliate links, along with Google Ads, PayPal donations, and Cafepress t-shirt sales, are what allow me to bring this forum to everyone free of charge, without annual membership fees or premium memberships of any kind. TVWBB reserves the right to update or redirect links in user posts manually or programatically through the use of automated scripts, vBulletin plugins, third-party link skimming services or other technical means so that links credit TVWBB at any current or future affiliate programs the site participates in. Currently this is happening for Amazon links and soon it will start happening for ThermoWorks links.

I want to be clear that the words you write in a post are never changed unless there's a violation of forum rules, in which case the reason for the change is noted at the bottom of the post.
 
For transparency, any posts that are edited, either manually or automatically should have an "Edited" entry with the reason. Silently editing a post and any posts that quoted the original post is, in my opinion, a shady way to do things.
 
For transparency, any posts that are edited, either manually or automatically should have an "Edited" entry with the reason. Silently editing a post and any posts that quoted the original post is, in my opinion, a shady way to do things.

My comment on Steve_M's comment...Amazon affiliate links, along with Google Ads, PayPal donations, and Cafepress t-shirt sales, are what allow me to bring this forum to everyone free of charge, without annual membership fees or premium memberships of any kind. TVWBB reserves the right to update or redirect links in user posts manually or programatically through the use of automated scripts, vBulletin plugins, third-party link skimming services or other technical means so that links credit TVWBB at any current or future affiliate programs the site participates in. Currently this is happening for Amazon links and soon it will start happening for ThermoWorks links.

I want to be clear that the words you write in a post are never changed unless there's a violation of forum rules, in which case the reason for the change is noted at the bottom of the post.

I don't see a problem with that as long as we know our links will get edited. As long as it links people to the same product, why does it really matter? If it can help with site maintenance costs and provide a free forum for us I'm cool with it. I like how the forum doesn't bombard the user with ads too.
 
I don't understand the world today, you make music and people think it is theirs for the taking, why pay the artist for his work? You design something or create something like this forum and provide a free service to so many, some feel it is their place to tell you how to manage it, basically telling you to your face you have no right to do what you want with what you have created.... "get over yourself" they say as they stick their nose into your business right and left, self righteously telling you how you have no right to do what you wish with what you created, even as they use what you have created as the building block for their own ventures. I think people these days need a freaking reality check, the world is not yours to dictate, steal and pass around as if it is your own. When you have put in the hard work and dedication to create something of your own THEN you are in a position to dictate how it's managed, until then have the respect and courtesy to allow others to do as they wish with what they have created...
 
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I don't even know how to respond to this. All I can think of is "This looks like a block of text from someone who forgot to take their meds".

Anything I've invented, created, produced has been placed into the creative commons for anyone to do with what they like. It's amazing to see what happens when you put it out there. Either it will be embraced as something good, or it will be abandoned because it's been deemed useless worthless. Information wants to be free.

I don't think I'm alone with with the assumption that when posting something on a forum, there's a reasonable expectation: that if an admin / moderator comes along and makes an edit, for whatever reason, that there would be an "Edited" note. Anything less and you can no longer assume that anything being posted is not silently being altered at any time, for any reason by those with the ability to do so.
 
Also, this is how petty things are here.

DFdQRzxl.png


All this because I had a link to my GitHub repo that contained my HeaterMeter configs and scripts.
 
I don't even know how to respond to this. All I can think of is "This looks like a block of text from someone who forgot to take their meds".

Anything I've invented, created, produced has been placed into the creative commons for anyone to do with what they like. It's amazing to see what happens when you put it out there. Either it will be embraced as something good, or it will be abandoned because it's been deemed useless worthless. Information wants to be free.

I don't think I'm alone with with the assumption that when posting something on a forum, there's a reasonable expectation: that if an admin / moderator comes along and makes an edit, for whatever reason, that there would be an "Edited" note. Anything less and you can no longer assume that anything being posted is not silently being altered at any time, for any reason by those with the ability to do so.

So do what the hell you want with what YOU have created, IDK what kind of meds you need to be on to get the idea you have the right to impose your policy on everyone else? And for the record, my comments were not directed at you alone, but I think you already know that.
 
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Yep. So did I. That was before I said something about forum content being silently manipulated. Turns out that it's "policy" here and just expect it. Ok. Cool...
 
I thought this post was about Soldering Irons?

It's not really your place to dictate where other peoples conversations lead? Or do you own my free speech now too? This wouldn't be the first thread that has been derailed and it wont be the last. John got his answers about soldering irons here as well in reply to the emails he has sent me, I don't think he will mind me speaking my peace here one bit.
 
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