Decent Soldering station

sorbz62 · July 2023

Continuing the motion from my previous 2 posts, Im now looking for a decent soldering iron/ station to use with guitar electronics. I can use a soldering iron well but just teturned from Canada after 10 years and am a little overwhelmed with what is on offer her

Could anyone recommend a decent, cost effective (ie not expensive) soldering iron, preferably with accessories and a station to mount it in?

Cheers,
Jim

Devil#20 · July 2023

Hakko FX-888D but I don't know what you mean by not expensive. It's a brilliant soldering station though. I bet a few people on here use one.

Dave8 · July 2023

https://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/soldering-stations/2024512?gb=b

or for something more basic - https://www.antex.co.uk/products/lite-range-soldering-irons/30-watt/

Funkfingers · July 2023

Probably worth asking the Fretboard's amp and pedal builders what they use. Precise temperature control can be the difference between a fried component and a working project.

RiftAmps · July 2023

Dave8 said:

https://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/soldering-stations/2024512?gb=b

I have two of these at the workshop, alongside two higher-spec ones. They're absolutely brilliant for anything guitar-related if you swap to a chisel tip. Use the fine tip for PCB work.

No need to spend £££ on high-end fancy shit when these workhorses perform just as well.

Funkfingers · July 2023

RiftAmps said:

Dave8 said:

https://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/soldering-stations/2024512?gb=b

I have two of these at the workshop, alongside two higher-spec ones. They're absolutely brilliant for anything guitar-related if you swap to a chisel tip. Use the fine tip for PCB work.

Can that handle the temperatures required for fitting/removing metal pickup covers?

Sporky · July 2023

Pickup covers (and pot back, which you shouldn't solder to but no-one listens) aren't about higher temperatures, they're about transferring more energy without the temperature dropping. High wattage, tip the size of a shovel.

Funkfingers · July 2023

Sporky said:

tip the size of a shovel.

Too much information.

chickenbonejohn · July 2023

Devil#20 said:

Hakko FX-888D but I don't know what you mean by not expensive. It's a brilliant soldering station though. I bet a few people on here use one.

Stop worrying and dithering, get a Hakko FX-888D and you'll forget the cost after the first two or three jobs. Don't buy a cheap knock-off one on eBay, go to a proper supplier.

guitarfishbay · July 2023

I have the Hakko and am happy with it

mudslide73 · July 2023

What do you all use as your 3rd hand? Most of my soldering crapness comes from not being able to hold everything steady.

Danny1969 · July 2023

mudslide73 said:

What do you all use as your 3rd hand? Most of my soldering crapness comes from not being able to hold everything steady.

To make cables drill a 6.5m hole in a lump of 4 x 12 and shove the jack in to solder it. Drill the hole on the side of the wood for straight jacks and on top of the wood for patch cables / right angled jacks

For small objects get a large lump of bluetack and press the component into it, then solder.

My pick for a soldering station is the Weller 24V range. I solder everything from SM TQFP chips to large conductors used for high current TRIAC switching and it never lets me down. Been going over 20 years now with one repair to the cable which I covered in our community repair thread

Devil#20 · July 2023

mudslide73 said:

What do you all use as your 3rd hand? Most of my soldering crapness comes from not being able to hold everything steady.

Blu Tac is your friend. Doesn't wick away the heat so quickly so makes soldering quicker which is what you want.

thermionic · July 2023

Another vote for the Hakko. I understand not wanting to spend that much, but I don't consider £150 to be a lot for a specialised tool that I've used a lot.

I bought a great little stand recently for about £7:

https://i.imgur.com/jIBqJzx.jpeg

Brilliant for holding small pcbs but maybe not what would work well for for more irregular bits of guitar electronics (although I discovered yesterday that it holds a Tele control plate very well.)

bandmaster188 · July 2023

Sorry to hijack, but I’ve just picked up a soldering station and am about to do a pedal kit. What sort of temperature settings are recommended for this sort of work?

Sporky · July 2023

The solder should say.

For lead-free I think I went 300°C but that was a while ago.

OilCityPickups · July 2023

Sporky said:

Pickup covers (and pot back, which you shouldn't solder to but no-one listens) aren't about higher temperatures, they're about transferring more energy without the temperature dropping. High wattage, tip the size of a shovel.

Exactly ... We use a 180w iron with a 1/2 inch tip for covers.

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Decent Soldering station

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