Budget soldering iron

[Gmm213]

First off let me say take pity on me lol. Im sure you guys hear this question all the time. I searched and found some ideas for irons but mostly cam across rework stations. Let me preface by saying that I am not a beginner when it comes to electronics or electrical. I did it daily in the Navy.

I was hoping for some help settling on one specific iron. This will get used a handful of times a year for random projects I come across. I was hoping to stick to a budget of $50. So far I have found:

1) Weller WLC100
2) X-Tronic 3xxx
3) Aoyue 469
4) unbranded 862D+ SMD rework
5) Any other recommendations?

I like the idea of the Weller for the name brand but Im worried the 40w will limit me. I dont need an entire rework station but if I had it Id use it. The iron itself is much more important. As for stretching to the always recommended Hakko FX880 I figure if I use one of these enough to justify it to myself Ill probably go with something nicer than that down the line.

[Gyro]

Hi Gmm213, welcome to the forum. 

This is the most recent discussion on soldering irons / stations in your sort of price range...

https://www.eevblog.com/forum/reviews/recommend-a-soldering-station-please/

Hopefully some tips for you there to get you started.

[Brumby]

If you've had experience in this area with the Navy, I believe you will find yourself cursing like a sailor if you short-change yourself on this decision.

I picked up a cheap soldering/hot air station - and the hot air works reasonably well (so far) but the soldering iron handpiece is not pleasant to use.  Thermal coupling between the element and the tip is poor, so temperature regulation is rubbish and even medium-duty connections take longer than they should.  I just don't use it.

You will appreciate the difference the right tool for the job can make - and how a better quality tool helps give better quality results more easily.

Sure you could solder a QFN with a nail and a blowtorch if you really wanted to, but even for infrequent use, the investment in a decent soldering iron is worth a few extra bucks ... IMHO.

[cdev]

I have a 939 D clone, which I paid around $40 for and I'm dealing with the same issue Brumby is. I recently got a bunch of different tips, the tips are okay but I'm starting to think its time for me to upgrade to a better iron.  I have to keep adjusting it up or down, and I don't trust its temperature readings.

[Brumby]

I use a separate soldering station for traditional soldering.  The other unit is only on the shelf because of the hot air.

There are a lot of things you can cheap-out on and still do OK - but a soldering iron is not high on that list for me.

[xani]

Buying decent (I think I paid around $100 for mine) soldering station is one of best buys I've had, I wouldn't skimp on it.

If you're on budget... maybe make a project out of it? You can usually buy soldering iron itself much cheaper than whole station (one for mine is less than $20).

[woody]

As I also voiced in the other $50,- soldering iron thread, I really think you cannot get a decent soldering iron for under a couple of hundred dollars/euros.

IMO a decent soldering iron:
- has adjustable temperature
- heats quickly from cold
- is able to maintain the tip temperature whatever you solder, be it an smd or a 20.000uF cap
- switches to a lower temp when in the stand to save your tips from evaporating and re-heats instantly (<2 seconds) if you take it out of the stand again so it is hot before the tip touches the solderpad. I find this the killer feature.
- has tips that can be replaced when hot
- withstands the >350 deg. C temperatures that lead-free soldering needs
- survives being switched on for a week
- switches to sleepmode (room temp) when you forget to switch it off
- offers a good selection of tips.
- does not advertise its power value. At least, mine doesn't. It just works very good

From a soldering point of view the heating speed is the most important factor; the iron must be able to maintain the set temperature whatever you present it at the tip. If you do not want to spend the hundreds of dollars/euro's then the TS100 looks like good value for money, assuming it does what it promises and it doesn't break in a couple of months.

[cdev]

I think the soldering iron I have - which is a clone of the Hakko 939 except digital, is a good budget choice, the best choice under $50, however, you grow out of it.

My iron is not that bad, it's just also not that good. I think it may be possible to improve the thermal transfer between iron and tip somehow.

I didn't notice the thermo-regulation problem was as bad as it was until I started trying to modify devices made with lead free solder without "over-heating" them.  That basically seems almost impossible, unless you are extremely good and fast without preheating them to 90-100 degrees C on a hot plate while working.

Getting a variety of tips for it helped improve the usability a lot.
Make sure the iron you get has a decent variety of tips available at low prices.

[Shock]

In the United States the Hakko FX-888D goes on sale for around $70 which is unique to the US only.

The Yihua 936 (sourced from hobbyking.com) had long been the cheapest clone and it's gradually gone up in price. Recently they started selling other cheap 936 clones for under $25 including shipping. http://www.ebay.com/itm/172710704419

On all Chinese clones, you should check the wiring and construction, these are built to a price point and often quality and quality control (safety) is the compromise.

Soldering is all about technique, tip and temp selection. The cheap tips I feel do not wet (solder) as well as the original Hakko T18 series (which are around $5 each). Both Hakko and the clones may come with a fine conical (pointy) tip with the station, this is not the best tip to learn on.

So my advice is if you're not in a hurry wait for the Hakko FX-888D to go on special or save up. There is no reason to spend anywhere near $50 on a clone station.

For a beginner Hobbyist the Hakko FX-888D is a fine station it has everything you need and cheap and easy to source tips. For someone with experience who wants a cheap station even better.

Just buy it from a legitimate reseller like Frys or tequipment.net etc and not Amazon or Ebay.
 

[Shock]

One more point to note those stations you suggested are all not comparable at all to the Hakko FX-888D.
I would avoid also buying a Chinese "all in one". If you need hot air, get a separate Atten 858D (or similar) later.

[KL27x]

Last time 888 went on sale at my Fry's for 69.00, it was for in-store, only. This rules out most of the country. 

1. Weller WLC100: The Weller is variable power, which is not nearly as helpful as temp-control.
Without digging into it, I also would assume the tips are not compatible with more "serious" wellers; i.e., I would ASSUME tip selection and availability is bad.

2. X-tronic: I have used the Xtronic 888 style soldering iron in the past. I am not impressed with their clone of the Hakko handpiece. The plastic and molding is not high quality. This was obvious to me from the start, even before it cracked in two. The heater was undersized, as well. If you really like the station for other reasons, plan on buying and swapping out the plug on a replacement handpiece, IMO.

3. Aoyue 469: It looks like it might take hakko T18 tips(?), but the variable power makes is as much a non-starter as the Weller WLC100.

4. 862D+: I do not like combo stations. Personally, I do not like the diaphragm pump hot air, at all. Max air flow is very low, the air hose for the hot air is large and inelastic, and the stations are very large and bulky. It is more versatile to have them as separate (and smaller) units, at any rate.

If I wanted to buy a complete soldering station for under 50.00, I would consider a temp-controlled station, only. Perhaps a
1. T18 compatible clone, such as 939D, 937(D), 936
2. T12 compatible clone

[wire.rat]

I too would recommend a T12 soldering iron. It ahs the heating element embedded in its tip, so it heats up to working temperature in under 10 seconds and you have a wide choice  of tips from the really sharp and tiny one for SMD rework to the chisel tip for serious soldering work. you can get it from aliexpress and i recommend the station ones with the digital OLED display.

[mauroh]

+1 for the T12 Soldering Irons.
I personally bought the Bakon BK950D and I'm quite happy with it.
On the newer T12 Stations with OLED display it is possible to upgrade the firmware, but due to the tilt sensor, the hand piece is much longer and I persolally prefer the Bakon one even though the overall quality is not the best.

Here you can find a review of a T12 OLED STM32 version


And here my unboxing of the Bakon BK950D


Mauro

[IanMacdonald]

I'd strongly recommend one with a mains transformer and 12/24v element. Direct mains is not good for bench work.

Weller or Hakko, can't go wrong with. Expensive, though.

The Chinese 937D, sold under various brands including YiHua and WEP, is excellent value for money and has a reasonably accurate temperature display. Only drawback is that it's a bit lacking in thermal mass for tackling heavy jobs.

[Gmm213]

After more research and the suggestions from everyone here I believe Im going to pick up one of the Bakon BK950D. I really like the form factor and it is very cheap. It should get the few jobs done that I have lined up, mainly installing new RCA cables on my turntable. Its cheap enough to get me started then I can search around and take my time to find the FX888D for a good price.

[Shock]

You going to get the T12 version or the T13 version of the Bakon?

A couple of downsides the Bakon has,  it might not be ESD safe and it's a cheaply produced switch mode power supply.

It appears that some of the older Bakons had a poor tip to handle distance, was looking at some newer ones and they appear better now, close to the original. So check the exposed tip length on what you're looking at buying to this, a FM 2028/2027 (the original Hakko iron which takes the T12 tips).



T12 (and probably the T13 tips) outperform the Hakko FX-888D's T18 tips, so if this clone works well you should probably stick with it. You could always buy an original Hakko T12 tip as well for it (they cost ~$20 a tip).

[mauroh]

I think there is just a bit of confusion on some sellers description/pictures that let someone think the Bakon BK950D can use the T12 and also the T13.
This is not always true:
There are 2 handle that are sold with the Bakon 950D, see attached picture...

The one on the left is the one I received and reviewed (Hakko 912/FX-9501 like). It fits perfectly the T12 cartridge like the Hakko FX-2028, but not the T13 (much shorter).
On the 912/FX-9501 like, the tip to handle distance is exactly the same of the FX-2028 and it is perfect for the T12 series tips.
The handle on the right it is advertised from some sellers to support the T13 cartridge but I never tryed it.
Actually I don't like this "latest" handle since the distance between the hand and the tip is much higher if you use the T12 series tips.

I agree that since the Bakon 950D uses the same tips of the Hakko FX-951, if you are thinking to upgrade to a genuine Hakko, you should save a bit more and go for the FX-951. It is a great soldering station.

Mauro

[Gmm213]

Thanks for the heads up. I am probably going with the t12 as it seems I can find tips easier for it.

As another note for anyone else looking at the Bakon make sure to double check because a lot of them were using discontinued t2 and t3 tips.

As for ESD safety, I always assume that things aren't when they're budget/clone versions like this. I actually assume that if I plug it in it will immediately catch fire and burn my house down. So I always go through them beforehand.

[nanofrog]

FWIW, TEquipment has a Hakko FX-951 demo unit available for $195.53 (here). Not totally certain, but I suspect you could also apply the EEVBlog discount code (6% off, bringing it to $183.80). And as it's over $99, it ships for free.

I know it's more money, but you won't regret purchasing this station.

P.S. PM sent.

[John B]

I don't know of anyone who regretted buying good quality tools that work well.

[Gmm213]

As of right now I dont have anything close to that budget. Im just looking for something to do some small projects around the house while I save up for something more. But thanks for the heads up.

[ChrisLX200]

I reently bought an Ersa 60w iron from this forum - Ersa are a good make and the iron cost just £55. It replaces my old 45w Weller iron which just didn't have the power to solder/desolder where large groundplanes were involved. I was upgrading my Siglent SDG1025 with a TCXO and the Weller had all sorts of issues trying to unsolder components.

ChrisH

[hernick]

The Hakko FX-600 hasn't been mentionned yet. It's around 40$ on Amazon as a Japan import, but it is much more powerful when used in America - 50W at 100V (Japan mains) or 74W at 120V (USA mains) operation. The quality is very good, it feels solid and well-made. The temperature is adjustable, it heats up super quickly, and it uses the common T18 (900M) Hakko tips. It's a lot more portable than a soldering station. Adjusting the temperature is with an analog dial, which is more convenient than a cheap digital up-down system.

The main downside is the power cord, which isn't very nice and flexible, but that's not a big problem for me. Also, it doesn't have an on-off switch, so you'll need to plug it out when you're done with it, or use an external power switch like a power bar.

Since I hate lead, I use it to solder SMD components as small as 0402 with Sn42Bi57Ag1 solid-core (no flux) solder wire and SuperSafe #30 flux (Glutamic Acid HCl in water). This is a lead-free, rosin-free combo, so no toxic fumes from the flux and no toxic lead! I work at temperatures between 200C and 270C and the iron takes less than 10 seconds to heat up. Since the solder melts around 139C and the tip temperature is so low, the tip doesn't oxidate very fast and the components aren't stressed to high temperatures. For some non-SMD work, I also use Sn96/Ag4 "food grade" solder which fully melts around 229C.

[cdev]

You use glutamic acid as a flux?

Pyroglutamic acid maybe.. (PCA) Its also good for your skin... Its the stuff that makes dried beer sticky...  Its actually quite good for your brain. (unlike alcohol)