I am gonna need a new Soldering iron for the high idle project.  

 

What should I get?  I would love to spend less than $70 but I keep seeing the nearly $100 Hakko fx-888d. 

 

what does everyone use? 

Picked up this sweet unit at a garage sale for $10. Older than me but it works great and gets incredibly hot. Not real helpful I know but you asked.

http://www.hakko.com/english/products/hakko_fx888d_feature.html#productNav

 

That is very impressive for a soldering station. Wow!

Nice! 

I had a (company) bench station years ago but usually just used a 1500W soldering gun in the field.  I have a couple of little irons & a big honking iron with a 1/2" tip...   Using the little irons...  I stick a hunk of cannon barrel on the bench (1/2" bore, 1/2" wall) to hold my iron from falling over.   

Edited October 1, 201510 yr by flagmanruss

I am really thinking of getting that hakko fx-888 

The HAKKO is a nice unit. If I was going to shell out over $50, I'd jump straight to it.  I normally just solder wires and Through hole stuff.  So I make due with my cheapy.  But if I ever do any serious soldering, especially SMD, I'll just buy it.

that's what I am figuring.  The High idle stuff is SMB 0603 resistors hahha.... might have gone too compact.

Don't forget the heat disipators or heat sinks then if soldering that small of stuff. Basically like an alligator clip, may save yourself some headaches going forward if doing that many with small resistors.

Don't forget the heat disipators or heat sinks then if soldering that small of stuff. Basically like an alligator clip, may save yourself some headaches going forward if doing that many with small resistors.

 

Almost like a small set of locking forceps would work too but that small it might crush them. I like Bill's idea the aligator clip would be a good tool if small enough.

ugh,

 

Well we set aside 2 $50 gift cards to home depot so I could buy this soldering station.   Went to home depot and spent the rest of the gift cards on a new sink, bathroom light, drywall, bedroom fan, and some other random stuff.

 

 

Get back to the house, whip out the 2 gift cards we saved and BAM one of them is empty ( guessing they never actually bought it / charged it)  So now I am waiting on home depot to get back to me in regards to if it was every loaded, and if it was, when it was used.

I have an assortment of locking forcepts collected over a lifetime.  Incredibly handy for holding insulated wires & small parts for soldering (especially with nerve damage).  I had the first ones when I worked at Seaport Communications ~1990. 

I do have a pair of those.

Well the order is in for the fx 888d 

 

I can't wait to get started on this thing.  

All I can say is wow.....

 

 

Hands down does a better job than my old $10 special.  This will really help make all the solder joints pretty with the new high idle switches.

I believe that beats a blow torch and a pound of lead. That is my method for soldering battery cables. your work seems to be a little finer than that.

Are you gonna try it out on those rings?

Haha nope need to sell those for gold