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Weller 40W Digital Soldering Station -WLC100?
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I used one of these for years professionally, 40 hours a week. You'll want to replace that tip with an ST7 tip for electronics work but replacement tips are easy to find and cheap.
Should be no capacitor problem here, as the cap goes on the tone pot not the volume pot.
You can break the volume pot while soldering stuff to the back for grounding if you really make a hash of it. Soldering to the terminals is pretty fool proof.
I actually love doing this kind of stuff. Do you have a friend who dabbles in electronics or otherwise knows how to solder? You can teach yourself from YouTube or I seem to remember Seymour Duncan had a good video.
If you buy a soldering iron get a good one with a stand and a sponge tray like this one. Without a stand you will burn yourself and the table. You wet the sponge and wipe the iron tip on it to get waste off.
https://www.amazon.com/Weller-WLC100-40-Watt-Soldering-Station/dp/B000AS28UC/
I just picked up a Weller soldering station at my local hardware store. Seems to work pretty well for me
If you are doing vintage gaming, you might as well pick up the skills to do it yourself. It's a really painless process and very well documented, plus a decent quality but basic soldiering iron is not expensive.
If you can afford it get a proper soldering stations with at least a power switch and a basic control knob (Weller makes decent products).
My WLC-100 apparently goes from 5-40 watts and the knob is labeled 1-5 (so I guess it's 8W per marking). Amazon is selling the same one for $40.
https://www.amazon.com/Weller-WLC100-40-Watt-Soldering-Station/dp/B000AS28UC.
I have done a bit of soldering and recently used it to reflow the solder on the IC pins in a gbc cartridge. Since I set it 2-3 usually you probably want at least a 20 watt iron.
I have a Weller WLC100, the tip that came with is is a flat chisel style tip that makes it hard to run the soder on the wire. I haven't sodered in like 10 years and after a couple of attempts I just can't seem to get it to stick. Thats why I'm looking for someone to professionally help me, as I don't know anyone IRL to help me out. The job looks simples but after failing I just be willing to pay someone to do it right.
Recently gotten into soldering. Had a very similar kit and used to it unsolder keyboard switches. Burned off a few pads because of the soldering iron. (Luckily I learned how to bridge switches). I bought a better soldering iron from Home Depot this one and no longer had any issues.
In fact unsoldering and soldering felt 10x easier and smoother than the one I got with kit.
Helping hands are hard to do wrong, just don't get the cheapestone or one with a bunch of "accessories." The WLC100 is in your budget. It is not true temperature controlled but you can adjust the output wattage. If you can grab a used WES51 from ebay
Personally I love my weller station. Its inexpensive but extremely versatile and more than powerful enough for DIY electronics work. The rheostat to control power also is a big help to not scorch things! I have had mine for many years.
On top of that, quality solder and solder wicks can make all the difference in the world for projects.
It’s a weller variable temp; I think this one.
I’ve used it for a number of (small) things previously, and it seems to do a great job.
If your asking which solder station to use this is a good basic unit that will last forever:
I would not recommend harbor freight tools if you are looking for quality. For a soldering iron I use this. It may be a bit more than you’re looking to pay, but it works extremely well both for soldering and for plastic welding.
I bought one off of Amazon similar to this https://www.amazon.com/Weller-WLC100-40-Watt-Soldering-Station/dp/B000AS28UC/ref=mp_s_a_1_12?keywords=soldering+iron&qid=1640396403&sr=8-12
It worked well, but replacing the batteries was more difficult than I thought it would be even after watching hella videos. I ended up just taking my game in to a local retro game shop to fix. They only charged me $5
You don't need anything crazy, I used a Weller 100 for all my modding needs for many years before finally upgrading to the one I'm using now. These units cost around $60CAD
https://www.amazon.ca/Weller-WLC100-40-Watt-Soldering-Station/dp/B000AS28UC
Get a real name brand one. Practically the same price when you factor in time and gas to go to Harbor Freight, and also is less likely to burn your house to the ground.
Yeah you definitely want adjustable temp and interchangeable tips for board-level work, and a stand and sponge are super helpful. This $40 Weller WLC100 is the best value you’ll find and honestly all that 95% of people would ever need. If you don’t have a set of helping hands then I’d spring for the $55 version that includes them.
The next step up is a TS100 (there’s many brands but they’re all pretty much the same product) but with that one you need to buy a separate power supply and stand. You can get all that for around $80 is you shop around.
The Hakko FX888D is the best soldering station under like $250 and it costs a little over $100. It’s very nice but I’m not so sure that it’s $70 nicer than the Weller.
All of the integrated circuits (ICs) are in the C4000 CMOS family. The main oscillator core and the tempo control are powered by the 40106, the sequencing is done by the 4017 and the 4040, the output and filter are controlled by the 4069UB.
The idea is that they are all fairly simple logic chips that are being kinda retrofitted into a synth.
As far as tips go, I would recommend getting a few assortments for resistors, ceramic disc capacitors, "greeny" mylar capacitors, and electrolytic capacitors. For DIY synth stuff, I have found that a lot of them use B100K (100K Ohm Linear) potentiometers in their design. You probably also want to get some diodes like the 1N4148 and some transistors like the 2n2222 and the 2n3904.
I get almost ALL of my parts from Tayda Electronics, although I did get some assortments from Amazon when I first started.
In terms of soldering iron, I have a generic version of this one here that I got in a bundle from a guitar pedal making site. I really like it and have no complaints.
Hope that sets you in the right direction!
Yeah you can almost certainly just connect banana plugs into the open end of the terminal. But you'll still need to listen to make sure the polarity is right. Not a big deal.
This is a great soldering iron for starting out:
Oh yeah you are correct I do add more flux before joining the two. Wet sponge works but then you have to keep it wet and replace it at some point. The brass sponge you just empty every once in a while. Both work great. I prefer the brass because you can just stick the tip in and wiggle it around and it comes out clean instead of having the look and see what part is dirty and then clean that part. And yeah the tip being dark when you go to use it is the oxidation. Always tip the tip before turning the iron off or when it's not in use. This is a great cheap iron highly recommend it
Get something with temperature control. Also make sure it has super thin tips you can purchase if it doesn't come with one because the boards are so small. I use this one and it has treated me well.
A cheap knock off for $12 is not a horrible.wayntonstart, but if you want something more official and longer lasting I would recommend this one:
It sounds a lot like a broken solder joint on the socket unfortunately. The bad news it that you'll need to disassemble the board to get access to the pcb, but the good news is that it'll probably be a really easy fix. I'd recommend taking a look at the PCB to check whether the socket itself is damaged or if it's just a broken/loose joint. Assuming it's a bad joint, the actual repair is stupid simple, all you need to do is remelt the solder on the joint and maybe flow some more solder on for good measure.
I use this iron for most of my soldering and it's held up fine through the years.
I know you said that you want to get a decent iron for later, but If you want a quick and easy fix you really don't need something that expensive. Any $10 iron on amazon is more than enough to fix a single joint.
I cannot recommend this sub enough: r/MechanicalKeyboards These folks will help you a ton.
I've put together a couple of boards myself. I think the biggest mistake I made was getting a cheap soldering iron. After struggling with my first build, I upgraded to a Weller that worked well for me. I notice this one is on sale on Amazon right now too.
Also, be patient. I rushed through my first kit (with the cheap iron) and botched it to the point that I ruin the PCB. In my second attempt, I did about 1/4 of the switches a day to space it out and keep my hands from cramping.
I started with a cheap iron from Radioshack and gave up on soldering for years because I sucked at it.
Then I upgraded to this Weller station and suddenly I was soldering like a pro. Temperature adjustment is amazing.
I don't know about any of the super-cheap ones on Amazon, but there's definitely value in spending more to get a great iron.
Kinda surprised to not see a good soldering iron. It's by far the tool that has denied my tech the most work personally.
You don't really want to cheap out on this though. You need a good one with a variable temperature setting. At least 30 or 40watts. Weller makes a decent one for pretty cheap.
I have this soldering station and it is great, I spend most of the time between 3 and 4 on the dial depending on what I am doing. Since it is a Weller, I can get replacement/different tips easily and not worry about compatibility.
I am a big fan of sourcing my own parts, but that is a part of the fun and process for me. Starting with a kit is great, though, for exactly the reasons you mentioned.
Regarding sockets, I would only use them on IC's, Diodes, Transistors at first. Primarily to protect them from heat, secondly to swap them out to change if you want to. Not to discourage you, but it will be a pain in the ass to solder 100% of the sockets for caps and resistors and a lot of them don't change anything in the tone of the pedal.
I was looking around and was thinking of getting this soldering station, aside from that I don't know what else I would need except for a tri wing screwdriver? https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000AS28UC/
For whatever reason messing with circuit boards and solder intimidates me, but I would like to learn and tackle this (simple? Easier?) project.
Been using this for years (weekend hobbyist). SMD, anything. You don't need expensive stations. I still don't have a small air gun, once you learn some tricks it's quicker to just use your iron.
It's a fairly simple process. Just open the game, desolder the old battery, solder the new one, and close the game.
Make sure the new battery is the same type as the old one; a CR2032 probably won't fit in a game that uses a CR1616. Make sure the batteries you order have tabs. It's generally not a good idea to solder directly to batteries, so the tabs make it much easier to mount. As for the batteries themselves, just find an eBay seller with good feedback and you should be fine.
Take your time and be careful, and you should be able to do it just fine. If you're worried you'll mess it up, watch some soldering how-to videos and practice on some old junk board before you move on to a Gameboy game. If you don't already have a soldering iron, the Weller WLC100 is a great, inexpensive, variable-temperature soldering iron that is frequently recommended here. I have it and it works perfectly. 60/40 rosin-core leaded solder should be fine for this; it's what I've used for my cart battery replacements and I've had no issues with it.
I've got a Weller WLC100 that does the job just fine. It's a soldering station, so it's an iron with a variable temperature and a base with an iron holder and a spot for an included sponge. It also has removable tips that I believe are a standard size.
I have this one. It has served me well for several years. I did however get a better tip cleaner.
Yet another vote for Weller soldering irons. The WLC100 is the model I use and it does the job well.
This is nothing more than a 40 watt iron with a triac. There is no temp control or even a way to gauge how hot the iron is. I own one and would not recommend it.
The best iron would be Weller WLC100 40-Watt Soldering Station. It helps maintain a constant, even temperature for all my projects and soldering needs. I stay at a 3 - does the trick no problem. Just ensure you properly tin the iron prior to starting.
Pro-sound does help reduce that sound/buzz that the DMG creates. There's also a capacitor you can install to remove it from coming out of your external speakers.
The Weller WLC100 has served me well for almost 4 years now.
I work in commercial construction, and a lot of the professional audio/video guys I have seen in the industry use the Weller WES51 or WESD51.
Thank you for this.
Dude, what kind of soldering iron are you using? I have this one. I'm totally unable to solder 12 awg wire (from xt60s to pdb) because it won't melt the solder. It just won't! I can crank it up to 5 and hold it for minutes... nothing doing. So when I see you just barely touch that iron to the solder and it melts so quickly, I'm blown away. I can't imagine being able to solder that 12 awg so quickly.
What am I doing wrong?
I've got a Weller WLC100, relatively inexpensive but the difference in quality from a $7 RadioShack is tremendous. Makes everything so much easier with better results. Weller WLC100
Well, I really want to say that it's not worth it if you don't have a soldering iron, but having an iron opens you up to modding. I personally would buy this iron to start Weller WLC100 40-Watt Soldering Station https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000AS28UC/ref=cm_sw_r_other_awd_a-b5wbP6YPKQS
It's a decent iron and then you can buy a DMG and put in a bivert mod! Also, don't forget to tin your tip or else it slowly corrodes when the iron is hot. These are the starter irons in the electronics shop at my school, a technical high shool. And if you get bored you can always poke holes in the power supply with the hot iron!/s If you have a lot of money then buy the iron I have, a Weller WES51. Soldering irons can also fix jewelry and other metal, so it's not a one time use purchase. And if you get burnt you don't even feel it, I don't think I have nerves in my right index finger anymore!
Replacing the batteries is very easy. They go for $7 for 10 on eBay just search Gameboy save battery. Only Pokemon RSE need them for GBA games because of their clocks. They use CR1616 batteries. No other GBA games need batteries AFAIK. Most original or color game needs them for saves, however. They use CR2032 batteries. It's easy, just make sure that the positive and negative are correct. Positive side is shiny with writing on the battery and the negative is textured. Earlier GB games such as Kirby's dreamland, Tetris, Pinball, etc require no save battery, as they didn't save!
I have this fairly cheap Weller 40-Watt Soldering Station. It's done everything i've needed up to this point.
Amazon has an entry level adjustable temp Weller iron on a deal right now:
For your purposes even this is probably over kill.
I use this one and I love it. It has temperature control in the form of a dial (1-5, not degrees) and the iron itself plugs into the base, so if it breaks or something, it is replaceable.
Cheap one is always good enough. I went with a cheap $30 Weller WLC100 3 years ago. I recently spent $300 on one. I haven't gave it a shot it yet, but any does work. A lot of people uses this one, http://www.amazon.com/Weller-WLC100-40-Watt-Soldering-Station/dp/B000AS28UC/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1444555261&sr=8-2&keywords=weller
Friend, you need a soldering iron. Might I suggest putting one on your Christmas list (regulated one, such as a Weller WES51 , or just get your hands on a $5 cheapie from RS or Harbor Freight. (Huge difference in performance, from a cheapie to even the cheap benchtops; if this is something you think you may need down the road, even for household repairs, $40 is a solid investment.)
Here's a Weller station for about twice the price of the HK iron. I have this, and it's sufficient for hobby stuff, at least what I do.
I use a copper scouring pad (Chore Boy!) stuffed into a small tin can (cat food size) to clean the tip.
I've been eyeing this soldering station for a while now, but I can't justify buying it because there are so many cheapo soldering irons for a quarter of the price that should theoretically work for me. A guy can hope though...
Weller is the tried and true irons a lot of people use. We had a decent one in an old shop I was a part of and it kept going for years, real nice solder joints.
http://www.amazon.com/Weller-WLC100-40-Watt-Soldering-Station/dp/B000AS28UC
This one from Amazon would get you started. its good to pay a little more for this one than one of the shits from Radioshack.
For solder I would just go to RadioShack and get the thinnest stuff they have.
Edit - it's probably all they'll have, but make sure you get rosin core. Lead free or leaded is up to you.
Sweet. I was thinking of something a bit cheaper, might get this. Seems like the one you linked has a much better temperature control system.
For basic soldering are different tip types really that necessary?
Should be fine operationally. Just not gonna click after being melted.. What kind of iron did you use? If it melted it out, I'm guessing you have an $8 iron in one of those kits. They're problematic because they just go to max heat all the time.. The weller wlc100 40-watt was my iron for like 15 years and worked just fine for this kind of bigger stuff (and is like 40 bucks).. Temp control is crucial: https://www.amazon.com/Weller-WLC100-40-Watt-Soldering-Station/dp/B000AS28UC/ref=sr_1_5?dchild=1&keywords=soldering+iron+weller&qid=1597869810&sr=8-5
I started with the Weller WLC100 (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000AS28UC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_glt_fabc_V7ZGX6WP7NWRF4579MPM)
And a conical tip like this (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002BSP4K/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_glt_fabc_CWM3NESNYDVT1WYQBKGY)
Edit: I also got one of these, but it wasn't as important https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FZPGDLA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_glt_fabc_KA62XGXZ19FTQM002PSV
No. You want an iron that you can control the temp on. Those plug and play ones are horrible.
That's a decent starter.
$ 1K is plenty, but as other answers have you realizing, you need to know what you want and you need a plan, if you want to stretch that money as far as it will go.
Personally I would avoid AliExpress. Tayda has excellent prices and with very few exceptions, everything that I have bought from them has been totally fine. I like Mouser for anything I can’t get from Tayda.
Some places you can save money and be ok, other places cutting corners will save you a few pennies but you will likely regret it in the long run. You can’t avoid an initial investment in tools and basic supplies and that is not a place to cheap out.
You don’t need a lot to start out. I’ve used this model soldering iron for decades: Weller WLC100 40-Watt Soldering Station https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000AS28UC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_QVY2BWSRKJTX9CE78RJP?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1, this is good solder and a pound will last you forever: KESTER SOLDER 24-6337-0027 Solder Wire, 63/37 SN/PB, 183°C, 1LB https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DE2QVIG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apip_UdAwkiNWu7B9S. You’ll need wire strippers, little cutting pliers, good needle-nose pliers.
One place you can save money, especially when you are starting out, is in your rack/case. I built mind out of scrap wood and spent literally zero $. My rails are Keva blocks my kids outgrew. Likewise your first power supply. Look up the “MFOS Wall Wart” PSU. if you want to see if the bare-bones DIY approach is for you, you can build one of those from scratch on stripboard for about six bucks, match it with a good AC wall wart and that will support your first several models. You also could as spend just a bit more and make one on a PCB from AI Synthesis and see if that approach suits you better.
Pots, knobs, jacks, and cables always add up. There’s only so little you can spend and still have a satisfying product but you probably won’t have to spend very much at least to know how far you want to take this.
I saw this on Amazon for $40. Weller WLC100 40-Watt Soldering Station https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000AS28UC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_4n1Iyb8CPKJY1
What’s your definition of cheap?
This amazon one worked ok for me after I purchased smaller tips for about $15
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000AS28UC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_We97Bb6V1Y6YC
https://www.amazon.com/Weller-WLC100-40-Watt-Soldering-Station/dp/B000AS28UC/
I have several. The Weller I have had for more than 13 years. pretty basic and works like a charm. You can get it on Amazon for about 40$.
This is my research on the subject so far.
WLC100 is a Drop Capacitive type Station. Well made but slightly overpriced. In my opinion.
It is very similar to Vastar or maybe the Vastar is more like the Weller WLC100. (Similar circuit.) (You can see this in the pics on Amazon that a user sent in showing a very similar dimmer control circuit that is similar to the WLC100)
WLC100
https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B000AS28UC
Vastar
https://smile.amazon.com/Vastar-Soldering-Iron-Station-Temperature/dp/B07GH119L9
Something like the Hakko 936/937 Clones are touted as being adequate possibly better with better temp control and static grounded (I never really had a issue with ESD myself) and it transformer drivin. The Hakko clones and the Vastar uses Hakko 936/907/933 type tips that are 6.5mm Outside diameter. The Weller WLC100 uses Weller style tips that are 6.2mm Outside Diameter.
I ordered one of these to try out as I am curious. And some extra tips.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/110V-75W-936-Adjustable-Temperature-Electric-Soldering-Station-Kit-w-Iron-Stand/173753821500
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If you are soldering PCBs you might want a pencil shaped tip. You can probably pick up a tip online or at your local store hardware store for about $8
​
Edit:
Just go slow and be careful not to accidentally de-solder things like I did and youll be fine. Learn from my mistakes lol.
​
Here's a link for the Weller Desk station on Amazon:
https://www.amazon.ca/Weller-WLC100-40-Watt-Soldering-Station/dp/B000AS28UC?th=1
This is what I have, and I love it.
And here is a link for that Bernzomatic portable butane torch with soldering tip. I love this little unit for soldering in the field, as well as at my bench for heating up heat shrink tubing and shrink tube connectors:
I'd shop for prices too. I only paid about $50 for my soldering iron on sale at Canadian Tire, and I got my Bernzomatic for about $30 on sale at Princess Auto (Harbor Freight in the US).
Just grab a Weller like this one.
Soldering is a very useful skill to have whether you plan on doing keyboard building or not anyway.
Make sure you do it in a well-ventilated area and don't inhale the fumes.
You'll want a solder sucker as well to desolder switches.
There are plenty of great YouTube videos for whatever you need. Good luck!
Don't worry, friend. In a just a few, short minutes you can become a boutique pedal builder.
Buy this soldering iron.
Drink an IPA and take a delta 8 gummy (Or delta 9, if your state permits).
Get to assembly.
Put the finished product on Reverb.
You are now a boutique pedal maker.
Dude awesome board!
Would it be cool if I make a recommendation? My board looked similar to yours and having those thick cables can be pretty annoying. like already I can see it being annoying to get your foot snagged on a cable standing up too high.
I highly suggest you make your own patch cables. It's actually super easy and cheap if you watch a few videos. Mogami 2314 and Mogami 2319 is only 40 cents per foot and super thin/bendable which makes it ideal for a pedalboard like yours to let you manage the cables better. The squareplugs are like $5 each so I can basically make each cable for about $5-6 so you'd easily come out under $60 to get a custom high quality cable rig. My soldering iron was only $35 as well in case you don't have one. It's 100% worth the effort haha - I wish I learned this shit years ago, would have saved me so much headache when I was gigging a lot more regularly.
I personally used this video and my rig came out spotless, but a lot of folks don't like that guy (unrelated to his cable advice) so here's one from Sweetwater but it features the same guy so hopefully I don't get downvoted lol (if someone else has a video just as good from someone else let me know and I'll post that).
If you are only soldering a board or 2 and thus not worried about longevity, just about any iron will do the job. I'd recommend this Weller for a budget model: https://www.amazon.com/Weller-WLC100-40-Watt-Soldering-Station/dp/B000AS28UC/ref=sr_1_5?crid=13XUDS9KLGNS3&keywords=weller+wlc100&qid=1644449704&sprefix=weller+wlc%2Caps%2C101&sr=8-5
Also, the back button kit does require soldering but it’s legit the easiest soldering job you’ll ever do. Anyone should be able to do it, even if they’ve never soldered, after watching a quick soldering tutorial on YouTube. The install took me maybe 15 minutes.
If you don’t have a soldering iron then I recommend starting with this one. Combined with this kit, you’ll have everything you need to install the back buttons. You could also grab a soldering mat to work on, some helping hands, and a desoldering pump in case you make a mistake but that’s just being extra.
as Bikersquid said, you'll need a soldering iron. Nothing super fancy but adjustable temp is a plus.
This is the one I use: https://www.amazon.com/Weller-WLC100-40-Watt-Soldering-Station/dp/B000AS28UC
I've soldered for years and the best I've ever used is a basic Weller 40w. It doesn't have any fancy (useless) features. Its just a sold well made machine. If your a noob your going to burn out your tips all the time. So get some spare tips.
I agree on the soldering part, it is one of the most valuable skills I have picked up, I'm sure you've found value in it, too!
I don't think people should be intimidated by soldering. It can be daunting at first because electronics can be complicated.
Soldering doesn't require electronics expertise. It requires a steady hand, a solder kit that costs about 40-50 bucks -- wait what a Weller WLC100 is down to 33 USD? What the hell? That is a super nice kit. Uh, anyway, cheap cost of entry. I do suggest you get what's called a "helping hand", or a "third arm". This will hold wires and bits in place while you solder them together, very useful. Brass cleaner is a good idea too, and don't forget the solder. Don't get hung up on what type of solder you use. Don't get stained glass solder, and get solder that's thin enough or thick enough for your application.
If you're worried about screwing something up, they sell solder practice boards that are really cheap, too. Just punch "Soldering practice" into Amazon or Ebay. If you're new, avoid things with like 0805 SMDs. The 0805 refers to the size of the thing you're soldering to a PCB, and the SMD means "Surface Mount Device". 0805 is pretty small, but it is nothing compared to soldering an 0402, which is much smaller!
This piano kit looks pretty lit, I might buy one myself just for funsies.
See how everything's labeled? It's Lego with an extra step. You're just following directions, putting stuff together, then soldering it in place. If you're fixing a controller pot, or a capacitor, or whatever, there are likely tutorials on the internet to guide you through it, step by step. It's Lego but instead of being held together with friction, it's held together with hot metal glue. Dear reader, you can do it.
>Apply the solder wire to the pad and wire NOT THE IRON
Sorry, I had to read it again.... I think this is the crucial step I missed in my learning. Unfortunately I kept heating the wire, iron, and pad all at once, or just the wire and iron.
How long can I put the iron on the pad without damaging it?
I am using a Weller WLC100, and had the temp set to 3. Do you know what temps correspond to these numbers? I was trying to keep it under 650F, as I use to always have it on 5, and people here said that was bad.
https://www.amazon.com/Weller-WLC100-40-Watt-Soldering-Station/dp/B000AS28UC/
Thanks I will study these materials.
In terms of my soldering iron, I am using the 40 watt, Weller WLC100:
https://www.amazon.com/Weller-WLC100-40-Watt-Soldering-Station/dp/B000AS28UC
I set the temperature adjustment to 3. I used to have it on max (5), but people here told me that's too hot, as this soldering iron goes up to 900F. Thus, I figured 3 would be a reasonable adjustment? I can't seem to figure out what temperature these stupid numbers correspond to though!!
I am also using the stock tip on it, the "ST3 iron plated tip." Although I am tempted to switch to a finer tip (Weller ST-1) thinking it may make it easier to solder capacitors, etc. to a PCB?
You're very welcome. I've been on reddit a long time and though I'm a noob at this particular audio tech work one thing I know is irritating is when beginners with any hobby ask completely vague ultra-basic questions with little clarity and which indicate they've done no research. I've tried to avoid that here and with my crossposts - though it's been a bit of a bummer since my /r/audiorepair post got downvoted and my /r/audiophile post got nuked by the mods, even though I was getting some awesome help there and tried to be very detailed and specific.
Anyways that's a whole other issue. I do appreciate your tips on the DeOxit alternative and the flux. I actually already ordered a can of the DeOxit a couple months ago cause I'd been thinking of it for years and actually got a deal on it on Amazon.ca but it's good to know there are cheaper alternatives too.
The flux is a good reminder as well. I actually did a tonne of research on trying to get good soldering gear a couple years ago, and I'll list it all right here below.
I'm going to re-research it since the pricing or stock might be off, but maybe this stuff could be useful starting points for someone else, since there's a lot of gear involved (not all necessary) and different brands. But from what I researched these looked like good brands and product options people could start a search with.
Weller WLC100 40-Watt Soldering Station : https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B000AS28UC/?coliid=I2HUWGW8JYY3B0&colid=2VW8LYXZLWV3B&psc=1&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it
SRA Soldering Products Rosin Paste Flux #135 in A 2-Ounce Jar: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B008ZIV85A/?coliid=IZC4UOOA74QE2&colid=2VW8LYXZLWV3B&psc=0&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it
"MG Chemicals 60/40 Rosin Core Leaded Solder, 0.032"" Diameter, 0.6 oz Pocket Pack" (4890-18G): https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B005T8N3YI/?coliid=I1XBBMTXACF0TN&colid=2VW8LYXZLWV3B&psc=1&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it
MG Chemicals 8341 No Clean Flux Paste, 10 ml Pneumatic Dispenser (Complete with Plunger & Dispensing Tip) (8341-10ML): https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B00425FUW2/?coliid=I3A6CL1TPGTP6F&colid=2VW8LYXZLWV3B&psc=1&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it
American Terminal AT-31604 60-40 Rosin Core Solder (4 Ounces): https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B00030AP48/?coliid=I26HZRYR6UGCKT&colid=2VW8LYXZLWV3B&psc=1&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it
Wemake Solder Sucker- Desoldering Vacuum Pump: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B0002KRAAG/?coliid=I1RJR033CV9GM1&colid=2VW8LYXZLWV3B&psc=1&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it
Weller ST7 ST Series Conical Solder Tip Hobbyist for WP25, WP30 and WP35 Irons, 0.31": https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B0002BSP4K/?coliid=I2HS0HDK6LJ2YJ&colid=2VW8LYXZLWV3B&psc=1&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it
Hakko T18-S7 - T18 Series Soldering Tip for Hakko FX-888/FX-8801 - Bevel - 1.2 mm/60? x 14.5 mm by Hakko: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B0186JJCZK/?coliid=I24O490JV44CUX&colid=2VW8LYXZLWV3B&psc=0&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it
SE MZ101 2 1/2-Inch-4X Helping Hand Magnifier, Glass Lens, Box Pack: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B0002BBZ2Y/?coliid=I25RAEXD6NLPQO&colid=2VW8LYXZLWV3B&psc=1&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it
Ultra-Efficient Desk Clamp-Mount 56 SMD LED Spring-Arm Magnifying Lamp: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B00PG762EA/?coliid=I20XEG49SCN08G&colid=2VW8LYXZLWV3B&psc=1&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it
Aoyue 486 Benchtop Solder Smoke Absorber: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B001RLZGKK/?coliid=I2LAERBV4IFRHP&colid=2VW8LYXZLWV3B&psc=1&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it
Well I think that covers all the kind of stuff that people recommended in my soldering research, though I'm probably not going to buy the $150 magnifying lamp or smoke absorber lol.
I've never soldered before and know basically nothing about it but these seemed like good rosin flux, tip, and entry level iron options based what I read in forums and guides. Hopefully someone who wants to get into soldering finds this useful (in the unlikely event they see this thread).
Can you solder? It is not hard to fix electrical problems like this.
Just buy decent quality spare parts and swap them in.
Here's the soldering iron & stand I use: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000AS28UC/
You can buy knobs, pots, switches etc from Amazon. Not expensive.
Yeah, leaded solder melts at lower temperatures, meaning less chance of damage to the boards. I own this one:
Weller WLC100 40-Watt Soldering Station https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000AS28UC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glc_fabc_6ELbGbV22M2V3
I like the Weller WLC100. It's cheap and you can get better tips for it. Been rocking one for near 15 years and it still works great!
I've been soldering for 20 years and I still can't quite get it down all the time.
Take an evening, beer up and go watch the PACE International soldering tutorial. Get a good soldering iron from a local electronics shop or Amazon; I like the little $30 Weller "student" irons because they're adjustable and have good tip variety for cheap. SMT soldering needs two basic kinds of tip: point and a flat. With some practice, you can easily drag-solder gull-wing packages like the Atmel here.
You also don't seem to have
- ruined the board
- actually caused damage to the gull-wing
A small amount of solder wick or just GENTLY dragging your iron across the pins will get the bridged pins cleaned up, just make sure to add some flux when you solder again, if your solder doesn't have flux baked in. Then, the big glob of solder should just ~~pop off the board -- it isn't wetted to anything~~ Wick off the board.
I will agree with whoever said you're using too much solder: you're dripping. That's too much. The PACE videos will get you oriented in the right direction as to when to stop.
Solder wick is cheap to the point Amazon demands you buy it with something else. Get some. It's like a towel for solder. Heat, soak, and repeat.
Those desoldering irons are straight up dangerous. I'd avoid at all costs. Grab a threaded solder sucker, it's much safer and works about as well.
The general consensus is that a small, conical tip works best for switches. I personally like an elbow tip for SMD soldering, but you can use the same one you're using for switches.
Your soldering station looks like a piece of shit. Buy this one instead. Set it to 4 and solder away.
You've got solder paste in your order. That won't work properly without a hot air setup. Kester 0.031" is the solder of choice for building. You can also find similar, lead-free solder on amazon, but lead free is harder to work with.
If you don't have flush cutters and ESD-safe tweezers, I recommend grabbing some. Ifixit has some for pretty cheap.
Your cleaners are bad. Get this instead. It is, again, safer than your selection.
You don't need flux, the kester solder has it in the solder already.
Planning on picking up my first split keyboard but I'm stuck between the Sol 2 and Iris. If anyone has first hand experience with either I would love to hear about it. Sol seems nice because I love ridiculously bright/gaudy lights and colors and I won't have to add them myself, Iris shape seems more appealing to me and would cost a bit less overall since it has less keys. Also open to recommendations of other similar boards. I've been slightly considering just getting an Ergodox EZ because I haven't soldered in a while and don't currently own a soldering iron, which brings me to a second question:
I've found a few decent-looking affordable & basic soldering kits/stations on Amazon (like this or this), but I'm not really sure if they're even worth the $20-30 or if I shouldn't bother with anything that cheap. I would pretty much only be using it for this board so I don't need something high-end, budget suggestions would be nice!
Youtube Channels
Afrotechmods and GreatScott! are really good electrical engineering channels. Afrotechmods focuses on the basic stuff, and GreatScott! is a bit more advanced. Check out his "Electronic Basics" Series. That series covers some basic stuff too, but it has a lot more complex stuff like Reactive Power and Impedance. ElectroBOOM is also another great channel and he basically blows shit up "accidentally," but also teaches you along the way.
If you are looking for something related to software, I would highly suggest the youtube channel "DroneBot workshop." He teaches a lot of stuff related to Arduino, and hopefully you find that useful.
Oh yeah, and also the youtube channel "ALL ABOUT ELECTRONICS" is another really good channel. He goes into very specific topics, and he explains it well.
Youtube is probably the best source for learning so just use it wisely.
Books
I'm not sure how interested you are in books, but a book I would recommend is called "Principles of Electrical Engineering and Electronics" by V.K. Mehta and Rohit Mehta. This book goes from simple stuff like Ohm's Law to complex stuff like phasor algebra and three-phase circuits. It also teaches all the math involved, which is one of the things you were asking for.
Materials
As for materials, getting one of those kits is really great because they give all the things you need to get started, like resistors, capacitors, and breadboards and a bunch of other stuff. If you are going the Arduino route, there are tons of kits out there and you can find them from Amazon. If not, you can always buy separate component kits for diodes, capacitors, resistors, transistors, inductors, and other components. I would suggest you look around and find which kits suit you best. Also, jumper wires are a must for breadboard protoyping. But if you get one of those Arduino kits, you get all these things. Just not a lot of each. Also, alligator clips are handy at times.
As for soldering, I use this soldering station. I'm telling you right now, makes sure you get one that is good. Don't get a cheap one hoping to save a few bucks because my first one that was really cheap caused me so much problems and, after using it a few times, the tip would sometimes fall off and it didn't melt the solder at all.
Another good kit to buy is an IC kit. These aren't necessary, but they are very useful. If you instead want to buy your ICs for specific projects, you can go here. That website also has other components apart from ICs and I'll leave it to you to browse it to your heart's content.
I'm gonna leave it to your judgement as to what multimeter you should get. There are tons of youtube videos out there, so yeah
Also, you need a power supply. You can either build one, buy one, or simply use a battery in conjunction with a buck or boost converter to get a a variable voltage. If you are gonna build one, here is a good video. If you are gonna buy one, I would suggest to just research as I don't really use a proper supply lol. I just use a battery and a buck-boost converter to get the job done.
Software
LTSpice is an amazing circuit simulation software. It is easy-to-use and very customizable.
All these things that I have covered were more so circuit-oriented than Arduino or Raspberry Pi related but hopefully you find it useful.
Have a great day! :)
From his older videos he's said he uses the Weller WLC100. Looks like it's still the same one in this video. I'm not even close to being as good of a solderer as he is, but I would recommend an adjustable temperature iron instead of an adjustable wattage iron. This video review settled it for me, and I am super happy with my T12 KSGER station.
I’ve used this for a couple years now - Weller WLC100 40-Watt Soldering Station https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000AS28UC/ Although I wish I had a dual solder and hot air station. I also got a tip cleaner (Hakko 599B-02 Wire-type soldering iron tip cleaner https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FZPGDLA/) & flux (SRA Soldering Products Rosin Paste Flux #135 In A 2 oz Jar https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008ZIV85A/) has upped my game.
There are probably better quality tips but I’ve used a fine tip from this pack for small detail work. Depends on your technique. ShineNow ST Series Soldering Tip for Weller WLC100,WP25, WP30 WP35 5pcs Pack https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076ZQZQ8W/
Hopefully some of this info helps
A standard p bass harness will do. It’s the same design, just the pickup style and jack location that are different. You can find lots of soldering tutorials on YouTube, get some flux and some rosin core solder. Get an iron with adjustable temperature range. This is a good starter soldering iron though I would recommend getting a small pencil tip rather than the wide tip it comes with.
I use the Weller WLC100 with some fine tips and soldering's been a breeze. Zero complaints.
One like this or similar Weller WLC100 40-Watt Soldering Station https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000AS28UC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_RnPqFbTRZACES
Getting all that stuff for that price probably couldn't hurt. When I've bought cheap soldering irons though, they tend to be "single-use" and then end up in the trash.
I've used this iron at several jobs and for years in my own personal use: https://www.amazon.com/Weller-WLC100-40-Watt-Soldering-Station/dp/B000AS28UC/ref=sr_1_4?dchild=1&keywords=weller+soldering+iron&qid=1596221624&s=industrial&sr=1-4
Not that much more expensive, but doesn't come with all the trinkets.
The one you linked can be used, but it will be difficult, and frankly it's beyond my skill level (mostly because I got smart early on and got an adjustable iron). If you can afford $50, you can get a very serviceable adjustable station from weller.... this for example.
The problem with nonadjustable soldering irons is that if the heat output is too high for the particular joint you want to solder, you run a very high risk of burning the board and causing the pad to come off. Best case scenario if that happens is that that connector is toast. Worst case scenario, the entire board is done for. As for tip size, use a chisel tip rather than a pointed conical tip. Conical tips are very difficult to use for beginners.
Practice boards: This and others like it. Just search amazon and ebay for 'surface mount soldering practice board' or 'smd practice board'.
For solder, standard 63/37 or eutectic solder will be fine. Companies use lead free solder to comply with environmental regulations, but for hobbiest use it is neither necessary nor beneficial. Lead free solder is actually harder to work with than standard leaded solder, so stick with regular stuff. You will also need flux. I recommend either Chipquick or Amtech, but you have to be really careful where you get the Amtech from. Anything on ebay is probably fake (and useless), while anything on amazon is probably expensive. I'd check to see if Amtech has any distributors in the UK you can order directly from. If not, these guys have it for a very good price (half of what it costs on amazon). I don't know if they ship to the UK though.
I can't emphasize enough, DO NOT try it until you've gotten comfortable with surface mount soldering. The risk of ruining the connector and the board are very high if you've never done any surface mount soldering before, and even higher if you've never soldered anything before. Watch lots and lots of youtube videos. You will learn a ton from them, then you can take that knowledge to the practice boards and learn how to apply it.
Well, that depends on your budget. If you want something mid/higher end, chances are it's sold out and you'll have to get it on the secondary market like r/mechmarket.
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If you want a solid starter build, I'd recommend getting the tofu kit from KBDFans. Regarded as one of the better quality starter kits around for the price. They have pretty much all the parts you'll need there. Those being: Kit (case/pcb/plate), stabilizers, switches, lube, keycaps. Cheap soldering irons can be found on Amazon, I'm using this one: https://www.amazon.com/Weller-WLC100-40-Watt-Soldering-Station/dp/B000AS28UC and its great.
I have a Weller 40-watt soldering iron. Specifically, this one: https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B000AS28UC/
Works great for soldering. But does anyone have any experience with this iron and desoldering? Specifically, will it get hot enough to melt the lead-free solder that mass-manufacturers use?
I've had this Weller for years, it works great. It's on sale right now for $30, definitely worth the money
I highly recommend getting a good soldering Iron. I used a shitty one for a long time and got horrible joints. Now I use this one :
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and all of my joints are perfect. I got an assortment of tips for it too, which made a big difference.
It's fairly easy. I bought a Weller soldering iron that I think works well. Take a note of where the positive and negative wires from the pickup are comnected, then heat the solder so you can disconnect the wires, and solder the new pickup's wires there. This page has some tips for guitar wiring & soldering: https://www.stewmac.com/How-To/Online_Resources/Learn_About_Guitar_Pickups_and_Electronics_and_Wiring/Soldering.html
Been using this for about 3 years. I recommend it. It's very simple and works well for soldering and desoldering.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000AS28UC/ref=sspa_mw_detail_4?psc=1
You could go with this one and it would be better than anything you could get for $20.
But it’s definitely worth the extra money to go with
I have the Hakko and a buddy has the Weller so I’ve used them both and they’re both great stations.
Do you have a soldering iron at hand already? I wouldn't recommend this as your first soldering ever, they're pretty small connections and if you heat up the wrong part for too long you can damage them permanently. It takes a good amount of looking through the forums and researching but it can be done. I didn't have much soldering experience beforehand but I modded a different pair first to really figure out the wiring situation. I bought this soldering iron to do it and it works really well and I've been using it since for a bunch of other things. Just look up some tutorials on learning to solder before buying it to see if you think you can do it.
I wouldn't recommend that cable I have pictured, it's pretty hard to carry around and it makes a ton of noise when you tap it. I started making my own cables, which is a whole other process, but also a great way to learn soldering without the chance of fucking anything up.
I modded the hole slightly differently than how I saw other people doing it. Most people use a dremel to widen the hole a bit to get the jack to fit, but I didn't have one, so I ended up melting the edges a bit with my soldering iron. Would not recommend, it was super messy and probably dangerous.
You can ask me anything you need to here and I'll help you out, the process was tough without anyone to walk me through it so I know how it feels, but it's amazing when it's done. Very accomplished feeling.
Expect it to take a day if this is your first project. Regardless of what others say, building your own effects is well worth the time and effort. The skills you develop can help with all sorts of things. That being said, the effect you choose is moderately complicated with quite a few components. You may want to attempt something simpler first, but by all means if you are determined to learn it can be done. Be sure you use a correct wattage soldering iron preferable adjustable and a good tip that is not huge (personally I like chisel tips for most work). Flux is a must have item. If you manage to heat up your flux-core solder too long, you will have burned off all the flux and your solder joint will be very poor. A good dollop of flux and a reheat can save the day.
How to solder (these videos are old but still great):
https://youtu.be/vIT4ra6Mo0s?list=PL926EC0F1F93C1837
Cheap adjustable soldering iron:
https://www.amazon.com/Weller-WLC100-40-Watt-Soldering-Station/dp/B000AS28UC/ref=sr_1_7?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1514915892&sr=1-7&keywords=soldering+iron
Info on soldering iron tips:
https://makezine.com/projects/skill-builder-soldering-iron-tips/
Flux pen (easier and cleaner then a bottle of flux):
https://www.amazon.com/SRA-99-20-Rosin-Soldering-Flux/dp/B008OC3VMU/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1514915680&sr=8-3&keywords=flux+pen
Weller WLC100 40-Watt Soldering Station https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000AS28UC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_S3b.zbZTVY46Y This is the one i bought
I have a cheapo Weller WLC100 and .0031in tip.
results
this is the cheapest one I would ever recommend anyone buy
https://www.amazon.com/Weller-WLC100-40-Watt-Soldering-Station/dp/B000AS28UC
this is the one I would recommend to anyone who who repairs stuff on a daily basis and wants something a little more professional
https://www.amazon.com/Hakko-Digital-FX888D-Soldering-Station/dp/B00AWUFVY8
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000AS28UC
This is the cheapest one I can recommend, otherwise any hakko is good
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000AS28UC/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_r.9rzbBZMZH60
The face plate might be as difficult to solder to too. I'll take a picture of it later
I recommend this Weller from Amazon. It is a little pricier than others, but top-notch quality, especially if you plan on soldering in the future.
https://www.amazon.com/Weller-WLC100-40-Watt-Soldering-Station/dp/B000AS28UC
That Weller wlc100 is what you're referencing, yeah?
https://www.amazon.com/Weller-WLC100-40-Watt-Soldering-Station/dp/B000AS28UC
Like several others have mentioned, /r/diypedals is a good place to go. As long as we've got you here, though... I had already practiced soldering before and wanted to start with a kit. That way you have everything you need and just have to assemble. A very easy and inexpensive first build was this boost pedal. Don't let the simplicity fool you. I still have this boost pedal on my board to this day and love it. Also, I picked up this Weller soldering station. Crazy cheap, but I've been using it for over 6 years with no issues. Finally, just read, read, read and read some more! There's tons of great info in various forums, books and youtube videos to get you on your way. Best of luck and have fun with it!
I have this one. It's not great, but it's been good enough for my purposes for a few years. It's about $40. https://smile.amazon.com/Weller-WLC100-40-Watt-Soldering-Station/dp/B000AS28UC/
There are ones on Amazon that are a little cheaper. This one sounds pretty comparable and is in your price range. https://smile.amazon.com/Aoyue-Variable-Soldering-Station-Removable/dp/B00MCVCHJM/
For really basic soldering, you actually can get away without a temperature control, but it's hard to recommend that for anything involving a printed circuit board.
For my part, I'm thinking of upgrading to a hot air reflow station, to make it easier to work with solder paste and surface-mount components, as well as heat-shrink tubing. But the basic adjustable Weller was good enough for several years of tinkering.
Soldering is one of those tasks where it really pays off to invest a little bit more in your tools at the beginning. /u/1-11 mentioned the Weller WLC100 - I second this recommendation. I've had one for almost 8 years and it's never let me down, though I bought a nicer iron a few years ago (Aoyue 968A+) and the Weller hasn't seen much use since.
The kit you posted is probably not very high quality. I would steer away from it and spend the extra money to get something you know will perform well for years. You do want some of the things from that kit, though:
Solder sucker
Solder wick
Tweezers
Various tips
Flux (I use a flux pen similar to this one for most things as it's a little easier to apply)
A good way to practice is to get some perf board (the tan-colored breadboard-looking PCB prototyping boards), a pack of random wires and/or resistors/capacitors, and just start soldering things in. SparkFun sells some good kits for beginner soldering, and they have a few good tutorials as well.
Always use flux, always tin your wires before soldering them to anything, and always hold the iron on the solder long enough for it to completely flow. Learn how to use solder wick and you'll be able to repair just about anything. Finally, always tin your tips before storing the iron - don't want the tips to corrode!
Depends, how much you wanna spend?
I have this one and I love it. https://www.amazon.com/Weller-WLC100-40-Watt-Soldering-Station/dp/B000AS28UC/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1473696178&sr=8-3&keywords=weller
My soldering iron the popular: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000AS28UC/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I only use at at 1/2 power so I would think 30watt is more than enough.
Still can't get it to work. 40w iron. Not enough?
This is the one I currently use, and I keep it mid settings - #3 at all times.
Pretty cheap and will get the job done: http://www.amazon.com/Weller-WLC100-40-Watt-Soldering-Station/dp/B000AS28UC?ie=UTF8&psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=ox_sc_act_title_9&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER
The one that gets recommended the most on GH and here: http://www.amazon.com/Hakko-FX888D-23BY-Digital-Soldering-FX-888D/dp/B00ANZRT4M?ie=UTF8&keywords=hakko&qid=1460875820&ref_=sr_1_1&sr=8-1
I wouldn't cheap out on the solder sucker, I've got a 5 dollar one that just made desoldering a pita, but if you want: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B019QB2QSW?psc=1
For a soldering iron I recommend getting one with a station and adjustable temperature. Weller and Hakko are reputable brands. Here's the most popular model on Amazon.
If all you need are basic readings from a multimeter you really don't have to get anything fancy. I like the autoranging kind so I don't have to keep adjusting my range, and this model has served me well.
My soldering iron/tips are made by Weller, and using 60/40 Tin/Lead mix.
That makes sense. I've been using this a 40W iron I picked up cheap off Amazon, and it barely cuts it for the bigger wires.
also where can I get some good solder? If I could, I want to buy a cheaper option. Any recommendations?
I'd suggest getting any standard soldering station, some solder, and a few batteries these are specifically for the original GB and GBC games. Then go to town putting new batteries in! It's a super easy process, have you researched it at all yet?
I use a reel of 63/37 .02" (.5mm) Kester solder. Got a 1lb reel of it for... 20 bucks, I think? It's really really fine, as I was working on a different project (soldering together a mechanical keyboard) when I bought it. It's more for fine electronics, but it works just as well for Nerf applications, I just have to feed a few more inches of solder into joints to get enough to fill them.
As for your problem, it's likely not as much solder, as it is the iron or the tip. A good quality iron makes a world of difference. I went a bit all-out when I bought mine (again purchased primarily for a different product, understood I'd be using it on Nerf), so I got a Hakko FX888-D, but I would suggest something with some kind of temperature control, rather than one that just plugs right in to the mains. Something like this Weller is a fine entry-level station. As for the tip, make sure you're practicing proper tinning and cleaning. If your tip is worn to hell, you may need to replace it.
Start at low heat, give it a minute or two to heat up, then slowly increase the heat until your solder melts right onto the tip (tinning), then go just nudge or two hotter, to make sure that the tip stays above that temperature once it starts dumping heat into the part you're working on. YouTube has tons of tutorials. I would instantly recommend Dave from the EEVBlog on the topic, although some of the stuff he goes into is more specific to fine electronics, so take some of it with a grain of salt, particularly the tools he has. (Don't turn it on, take it apart!)
In case Toruk is confusing you talking about "eutectic", it basically means that the solder melts at one specific temperature -- non-eutectic solders, such as 60/40 mix, can melt in a range of temperatures; 63/37 solder melts at 361 F exactly, which also happens to be relatively low compared to other solders.
It is a Weller WLC 100. link here
It works great and has got me through 3 builds and countless rebuilds. I use the st 7 tip on it.
Weller and Hakko make good soldering irons. Teensy seems to be what everyone uses for the Phantom. The subreddit wiki has two build logs for a Phantom: Strictlyfocused02 and WhiteFiredDragon
Is this a good one?
Weller WLC100 40-Watt Soldering Station https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000AS28UC/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_ufbWvbA1THQJN
I got this one and it works great.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000AS28UC/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_HbjOvb178YQYW
As a side note if you care to save a little money this soldering station will get the job done http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000AS28UC/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Sorry to bother you but can I still build this kit with a cheap harbor freight solder iron ? or should I upgrade
Bottom line - don't get one from Radio Shack.
At the very least, I'd get this:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000AS28UC
If you don't mind spending $100, I'd get this (I have one, it's awesome):
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000BRC2XU
I also hear great things about the Hakko:
You could, but I wouldn't recommend it. I'd recommend this one, it's cheap and well constructed.
Their kits are sort of crap, imo. I've bought two before and they were crap components, a cheap plastic case which shattered after I stepped on it, and it never did work correctly.
As far as the toolkit, I have about the same soldering iron, and I love it. However, most of that is direct Harbor Freight stuff. If you want a soldering station like that, get the Weller WLC100. It's the best damn soldering iron for the money. I'd look into getting a multimeter that's not crap, too. You can pick up a Fluke 115 for cheap through eBay, or even your local electrician's union (they sell their used equipment all the time). For all of the other little stuff, just buy decent tools. Good wire cutters and strippers, good pliers. There's not a lot you don't need, but you'll start building your workbench and find there's always one more thing that you need. I'm trying to find a decent oscilloscope right now...
If you are willing to drop a little bit of coin, but don't want to go too crazy this guy is pretty popular: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000AS28UC/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=33Z9SEU0RU74U&coliid=I177ELVX243CET
For starting out, and into the foreseeable future, one like this would probably server you just fine: http://www.amazon.com/Weller-SP40NKUS-Watt-Soldering-Black/dp/B00B3SG7F0/ref=sr_1_2?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1421030141&sr=1-2&keywords=weller+soldering+iron
Is that worth the extra 80% price increase over something like this?
EDIT: Math...
Yeah I have a Weller WLC100 that I like a lot. Most of my other tools are dime store pliers, snippers and strippers. I wouldn't mind upgrading some of those. I do have a PanaVise 300 on the list too since this one is a pain for electronics soldering.
If you think you'll do any other soldering grab one of these:
https://www.amazon.com/Weller-WLC100-40-Watt-Soldering-Station/dp/B000AS28UC
I have that exact unit and it's pretty cheap and way better than one that just plugs straight into the wall. Very inexpensive for the level of utility.
Also you can get some branded and tabbed CR2025 for pretty cheap over here:
https://www.mortoffgames.com/cr2025-coin-cell-battery-with-tabs-panasonic-
Mr. LoadedRhino, I have such a desire to solder, but don't want to die. Can't you understand?
And 900 isn't too hot. If you look at the Weller soldering station, it actually goes up to that amount: https://www.amazon.com/Weller-WLC100-40-Watt-Soldering-Station/dp/B000AS28UC
I've had this one for years, it's great. Only $30
Popular alternatives to Weller 40W Digital Solderin...
Hakko FX888D-23BY Digital Soldering Station FX-888D FX-888 (blue & yellow)
