Which Soldering tool would you choose?

[CJL 10+ year member]

Which Soldering tool would you choose and why?

#1

#2

#3

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[yacob.naif 10+ year member]

#1, plug and play, no added cost.

or one of the battery powered instant-on soldering irons.

they have em at walmart for like $30-40.

 

[PatFitz9 10+ year member]

neither, i'll stick with my $20 (solder included) radio shack iron.

 

[forceofwill 10+ year member]

#2

I have a butane and one like #1. The only one I ever use is the butane one. #1 is WAY too heavy to be used practically. It's awkardly shaped and like 2 pounds, if you're trying to solder up in random places in the car, it's nearly impossible. Not to mention you need power for it. The butane one goes anywhere I go, it's small, heats up extremely fast, and very easy to manuver. The tip is also pointy enough to solder very small things. Not to mention it doubles as a butane torch.

 

[audiolife 5,000+ posts]

depends what you are doing... wouldnt want to use a solder gun under the dash in a car.

 

[Ruffy 10+ year member]

number #3 or #2 for in car usage.

For desktop/bench use I'd use my hadco or weller stations. Or get a JBC or MBT/Pace unit

You only use a gun style soldering iron for specific uses. I'd use it for pipes. Not for wires

 

[Justin89T 10+ year member]

Get a weller butane one.

I was doing an alarm in an old beater (carb'd car) using #1 to solder the starter wire.... the ****ing car started.

I've also blown fuses with that type of gun....

 

[JimJ 5,000+ posts]

Depends on the job.

I wouldn't use a soldering gun for PCB or delicate work, but for coaxial connectors or other stuff that needs a lot of heat to avoid getting cold joints, they are a lifesaver.

I'd say #2 or #3 for general work.

 

[BaseSteala112 10+ year member]

Get a weller butane one.
I was doing an alarm in an old beater (carb'd car) using #1 to solder the starter wire.... the ****ing car started.

I've also blown fuses with that type of gun....

x2. That one pictured is very nice and heavy duty. I believe Sears carries it.

 

[nauc 10+ year member]

i dont like Sears stuff except for their hand tools... wrenches, sockets, pliers etc

everything else breaks, tired of having to take trips all the way across town to return sh!t

 

[nauc 10+ year member]

id get this http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?&DID=7&Partnumber=372-070

 

[THUNDERBIRD 10+ year member]

#2 cuz i have the radio shak version of it. but #3 is dope. i like to portability of the butane and they heat up nice too.

 

[BaseSteala112 10+ year member]

id get this http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?&DID=7&Partnumber=372-070

Weller makes that right? Sears sells Weller.

 

[MegaHurtz 10+ year member]

Weller is good stuff. I have a Weller P2KC iron and it's a wicked piece.