Changes: How to select a soldering iron

Revision as of 01:16, 23 February 2006

Tips on selecting a soldering iron thats right for you

Steps

Soldering irons can vary from 10$US to several thousand dollars, but there are basically four groups:
1. Basic soldering irons, sometimes called solder pencils
2. Solder guns
3. Soldering Station
4. Rework station
Cost varies on how well it can regulate the temperature, and ability to set the temperature, and interchange tips.
Choice in soldering irons depends on you application

If you plan on soldering soldering wires together, repairing disconnected speaker wire, broken plugs or similar than a basic soldering iron is perfect. Soldering guns also work, the heat up much faster, but they are very cumbersome, and often you need three hands as it is. If you are soldering joints that are the close to the size of a marble then a solder gun is recommended. It would take a solder pencil a very long time to do that job
If you are a beginner electronics hobbist and work with through hole components such as resistors and capacitors with leads, then a basic solder iron is fine. If you find you are spend a lot of time waiting for the iron to melt joints, you can get a higher wattage iron, but if you solder allot it is recomended you get a soldering station.
If you are professional electrition, engineer, or avid electronics hobbiest it better to get a soldering station. The solder stations iron can heat up most joins instantly and maintain the heat. With variable heat soldering stations you can solder sensitive components easier. A good soldering station can be purchased for 100-200$US
Rework stations cost thousands of dollars and are not for personal use. They often contain a soldering iron, hot air pencil, vacuum suction for placing and removing chips, and heated tweezers. These are very helpful in soldering surface mount components.

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-Tips on selecting a soldering iron thats right for you
+Tips on selecting a [[soldering iron]] thats right for you
 ==Steps==
-* Soldering irons can vary from 10$US to several thousand dollars, but there are basicly four groups:
+* [[Soldering iron]]s can vary from 10$US to several thousand dollars, but there are basically four groups:
-*# Basic soldering irons, sometimes called solder pencils
+*# Basic soldering irons, sometimes called [[solder pencil]]s
-*# [[wikipedia:solder_gun|Solder guns]]
+*# [[Solder gun]]s
-*# Soldering Station
+*# [[Soldering Station]]
-*# Rework station
+*# [[Rework station]]
-* Cost varies on how well it can regulate the temperature, and abiltity to set the temperature, and interchange tips.
+* Cost varies on how well it can regulate the temperature, and ability to set the temperature, and interchange tips.
 * Choice in soldering irons depends on you application
-# If you plan on soldering soldering wires together, replaring disconected speaker wire, broken plugs or similar than a basic soldering iron is perfect.  Soldering guns also work, the heat up much faster, but they are very cumbersome, and often you need three hands as it is.  If you are soldering joints that are the close to the size of a marble then a solder gun is recomended.  It would take a solder pencil a very long time to do that job
+# If you plan on soldering soldering wires together, repairing disconnected [[speaker]] wire, broken plugs or similar than a basic soldering iron is perfect.  Soldering guns also work, the heat up much faster, but they are very cumbersome, and often you need three hands as it is.  If you are soldering joints that are the close to the size of a marble then a solder gun is recommended.  It would take a solder pencil a very long time to do that job
-# If you are a beginer electronics hobbiest and work with [[wikipedia:Through-hole_technology|through hole]] components such as resistors and capacitors with leads, then a basic solder iron is fine.  If you  find you are spend a lot of time waiting for the iron to melt joints, you can get a higher wattage iron, but if you solder allot it is recomened you get a soldering station.
+# If you are a beginner electronics hobbist and work with [[wikipedia:Through-hole_technology|through hole]] components such as [[resistor]]s and [[capacitor]]s with leads, then a basic solder iron is fine.  If you  find you are spend a lot of time waiting for the iron to melt joints, you can get a higher wattage iron, but if you solder allot it is recomended you get a soldering station.
-# If you are profesional electrision, engineer, or avid electronics hobbiest it better to get a soldering stantion. The solder stations iron can heat up most joins instantly and maintain the heat.  With varable heat soldering stations you can solder sensitive components easier. A good soldering station can be purchaced for 100-200$US
+# If you are professional electrition, engineer, or avid electronics hobbiest it better to get a soldering station. The solder stations iron can heat up most joins instantly and maintain the heat.  With variable heat soldering stations you can solder sensitive components easier. A good soldering station can be purchased for 100-200$US
-# Rework stations cost thousands of dollars and are not for personal use.  They often contain a soldering iron, hot air pencil, vacume suction for placing and removing chips, and heated tweesers.  These are very helpful in souldering [[wikipedia:surface-mount_technology|surface mount conponents]].
+# Rework stations cost thousands of dollars and are not for personal use.  They often contain a soldering iron, hot air pencil, vacuum suction for placing and removing chips, and heated tweezers.  These are very helpful in soldering [[wikipedia:surface-mount_technology|surface mount components]].
 ==See Also==