Author Topic: Affordable soldering station for kid?  (Read 11904 times)

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Offline wraper

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Re: Affordable soldering station for kid?
« Reply #25 on: March 16, 2017, 10:47:36 am »
Why not a simple ERSA 30S ?

https://www.amazon.fr/Fer-souder-30S-30W-ERSA/dp/B0009QX1MY
Because it is unregulated firestick which is not a competition for soldering station?
 

Offline oldway

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Re: Affordable soldering station for kid?
« Reply #26 on: March 16, 2017, 12:45:38 pm »
Why not a simple ERSA 30S ?

https://www.amazon.fr/Fer-souder-30S-30W-ERSA/dp/B0009QX1MY
Because it is unregulated firestick which is not a competition for soldering station?
For non profissional use, you don't need a temperature controlled soldering iron.

For field soldering, I use an ersa 30S and a gas Weller Pyropen piezo, both are non regulated soldering irons....
« Last Edit: March 16, 2017, 12:49:58 pm by oldway »
 

Offline wraper

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Re: Affordable soldering station for kid?
« Reply #27 on: March 16, 2017, 01:22:39 pm »
Why not a simple ERSA 30S ?

https://www.amazon.fr/Fer-souder-30S-30W-ERSA/dp/B0009QX1MY
Because it is unregulated firestick which is not a competition for soldering station?
For non profissional use, you don't need a temperature controlled soldering iron.
Required? No. Makes things much easier and pleasant to do? Yes
On top of that 30W unregulated iron is not suitable to solder any multiplayer board. Say, you want to recap motherboard, no luck with that.
« Last Edit: March 16, 2017, 01:24:36 pm by wraper »
 

Offline TJ232

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Re: Affordable soldering station for kid?
« Reply #28 on: March 16, 2017, 01:43:53 pm »
Why not a simple ERSA 30S ?

https://www.amazon.fr/Fer-souder-30S-30W-ERSA/dp/B0009QX1MY

I am a heavy user of ERSA soldering station for more than 25 years but in this case I must admit that the Antex XS25 is kicking ass big time.
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Offline oldway

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Re: Affordable soldering station for kid?
« Reply #29 on: March 16, 2017, 04:30:46 pm »
Why not a simple ERSA 30S ?

https://www.amazon.fr/Fer-souder-30S-30W-ERSA/dp/B0009QX1MY
Because it is unregulated firestick which is not a competition for soldering station?
For non profissional use, you don't need a temperature controlled soldering iron.
Required? No. Makes things much easier and pleasant to do? Yes
On top of that 30W unregulated iron is not suitable to solder any multiplayer board. Say, you want to recap motherboard, no luck with that.
A kid soldering multilayer boards ? You are kidding, I hope ?  :-DD
Even a multilayer I am soldering with my ersa 30S....at least, you learn not to have two left hands...
 

Offline amyk

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Re: Affordable soldering station for kid?
« Reply #30 on: March 17, 2017, 02:33:28 am »
Temperature controlled soldering stations are cheap now, and better in every way; I think there's really not much of a market for unregulated mains irons anymore. They are heavier, have a huge tip-grip distance, and a large diameter, and would be even harder for a kid to handle.

...unless you're advocating for learning to solder the "old school" way, in which case I ask, "why not start with an indirectly heated real soldering iron"? :D
 

Offline tggzzz

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Re: Affordable soldering station for kid?
« Reply #31 on: March 17, 2017, 09:02:48 am »
Temperature controlled soldering stations are cheap now, and better in every way; I think there's really not much of a market for unregulated mains irons anymore. They are heavier, have a huge tip-grip distance, and a large diameter, and would be even harder for a kid to handle.

...unless you're advocating for learning to solder the "old school" way, in which case I ask, "why not start with an indirectly heated real soldering iron"? :D

You mean like https://www.eevblog.com/forum/repair/hp545-repair-desoldering-the-nvram/msg1157280/#msg1157280

Sometimes the old ways are very effective :)
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Offline tggzzz

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Re: Affordable soldering station for kid?
« Reply #32 on: March 17, 2017, 09:26:01 am »
A kid soldering multilayer boards ? You are kidding, I hope ?  :-DD

Why not? After a little practice they will probably be very good at it.

Don't unnecessarily limit young people with your preconceptions. For example this this is a 10yo doing something you probably wouldn't believe, and here's a 14yo doing more on his own preparing for a competition with adults.
« Last Edit: March 17, 2017, 09:34:21 am by tggzzz »
There are lies, damned lies, statistics - and ADC/DAC specs.
Glider pilot's aphorism: "there is no substitute for span". Retort: "There is a substitute: skill+imagination. But you can buy span".
Having fun doing more, with less
 

Offline screwbreaker

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Re: Affordable soldering station for kid?
« Reply #33 on: March 17, 2017, 09:32:43 am »
Temperature controlled soldering stations are cheap now, and better in every way; I think there's really not much of a market for unregulated mains irons anymore. They are heavier, have a huge tip-grip distance, and a large diameter, and would be even harder for a kid to handle.
...

It's not completely true. My first soldering iron was a JBC 14s, I still have it and still use it from time to time. It's light and compact, more easy to carry than a soldering station. It's only 14W but it has a lot of tip and can be used for most basic work in electronic. It's not really cheap, the iron itself is not too much expensive, if you got the original stand it cost like a hakko fx-888d, with a generic stand is affordable.
I think there are more other unregulated iron from other well known brand and they can be more cheap and maybe more easy to find in local stores or internet.

I think that for educational purpose even the most cheap station on ebay can be used. It's different if it must be the first tool, something who last for years, and can be looked with nostalgia one day. In this case don't hesitate to spend a little bit more, in my opinion.
 

Offline tpowell1830

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Re: Affordable soldering station for kid?
« Reply #34 on: March 17, 2017, 12:40:21 pm »
Can anyone advise me what would be a good, safe yet affordable soldering station for a beginner of 12 years old? She will be soldering under supervision, but I'd like the station to be properly safe in spite of lower cost. Use: single/dual layer, mostly through hole to begin with.

Please note, I'm in the EU, Hakko is expensive here  >:(

I have the Velleman LAB1U Three In One Lab Unit that has a DMM, a PSU and temperature controlled soldering iron and they are sold for around $100. Good starter kit for kids, since it has also the PSU and meter.
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Offline wraper

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Re: Affordable soldering station for kid?
« Reply #35 on: March 17, 2017, 02:48:22 pm »
I have the Velleman LAB1U Three In One Lab Unit that has a DMM, a PSU and temperature controlled soldering iron and they are sold for around $100. Good starter kit for kids, since it has also the PSU and meter.
Shitty $2 multimeter, shitty PSU and shitty soldering iron. Not a good deal at all. On top of that why would you want reduced mobility multimeter in the first place. You cannot even place it in a proper place where you would normally put bench multimeter.
 

Offline tpowell1830

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Re: Affordable soldering station for kid?
« Reply #36 on: March 17, 2017, 03:05:22 pm »
I have the Velleman LAB1U Three In One Lab Unit that has a DMM, a PSU and temperature controlled soldering iron and they are sold for around $100. Good starter kit for kids, since it has also the PSU and meter.
Shitty $2 multimeter, shitty PSU and shitty soldering iron. Not a good deal at all. On top of that why would you want reduced mobility multimeter in the first place. You cannot even place it in a proper place where you would normally put bench multimeter.

Well, glad you asked. The OP said he was looking for a soldering iron for a child. I wouldn't use this professionally, however, I do use the soldering iron quite regularly and it does a nice job. The meter is good to learn with and would be a good hedge against a child accidentally destroying a good meter. The power supply does work and again, if destroyed by a child, nothing really lost.
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Offline oldway

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Re: Affordable soldering station for kid?
« Reply #37 on: March 17, 2017, 03:13:50 pm »
A lot of volunteers in the repair café are using an 8 euros soldering iron and are doing all kind of repairs you can imagine....
From electric appliance to mother boards.....
This one:
https://www.dealabs.com/bons-plans/kit-fer--souder-pour-des-soudures-de-prcisison/217414

If you only want a soldering station, look for an used Weller TCP-S magnastat....
« Last Edit: March 17, 2017, 03:23:35 pm by oldway »
 

Offline boffin

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Re: Affordable soldering station for kid?
« Reply #38 on: March 17, 2017, 04:29:23 pm »
A lot of volunteers in the repair café are using an 8 euros soldering iron and are doing all kind of repairs you can imagine....
From electric appliance to mother boards.....
This one:
https://www.dealabs.com/bons-plans/kit-fer--souder-pour-des-soudures-de-prcisison/217414

If you only want a soldering station, look for an used Weller TCP-S magnastat....

I'll second that.  My iron is a 40yr old Weller W-TCP-L. 

Old enough that the main body is Bakelite, and it works like a champ.  You often see stuff like this on craigslist.
 


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