Iron selection

[Peter Florance]

One of the few items here I might be qualified to comment on....

In my real life (repairing electronics) I employ medium sized tips (1/16")
at 700 degrees. Some shops use really fine tips for everything and their
soldering doesn't look that good IMO (tip cools off too fast due to small
mass)
I like temperature controlled irons. They sit there and idle until you
solder, then they turn up the heat fast and keep the tip temp constant and
are much easier to use (especially for the novice) The old Weller WTCP irons
are still great and with all the TV shops closing down (~50% in the last 10
years) they should be floating around used (eBay?). You select the temp by
the tip (number stamped on the end) and there's still good support for parts
and supplies. I use them even to do large square flat pack IC and they work
well. Get one that works as repair parts can get pricey if you need a lot of
them.
Whatever you get make sure you have more than one source for tips.
Also many of use eschew sponges and now use the brass tip cleaners that look
like pot scrubbers. And 63/37 solder will work much better that 60/40.
Bottle of rosin flux (GC works well) is good for stubborn components and
flat pack IC's/

HTH

Peter Florance
Audio Services
544 Central Drive
Suite 101
Virginia Beach, VA 23454
757.498.8277
757.498.9554 Fax
Email: mailto:audserv at exis.net
http://www.audio-services.com


> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-diy_efi at diy-efi.org [mailto:owner-diy_efi at diy-efi.org]On
> Behalf Of Alvaro Gil
> Sent: Thursday, December 06, 2001 6:59 AM
> To: diy_efi at diy-efi.org
> Subject: Iron selection
>
>
> I have located a Weller 12W iron with an 800 deg fine tip.  Would
> this be a good choice for the o2 board?
> Does anyone have anything bad to say about it?  At 40 bucks, I would
> like to buy the correct iron the first time....
>
> Thanks...
> --
> ____________________________________________
> Alvaro Gil
> http://www.AlvaroGil.com
> '84 Volvo 242 Turbo (Silver) 13 psi
> '97 Leopard Gecko (White, Yellow, Black)
> NJIT Mechanical Engineering Student
> ____________________________________________
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