Weller D550PK 120-volt Professional Soldering Gun Kit 260/200 Watts

[RonW]

Amazon sells this soldering gun kit for $41.71. FREE SHIPPING.

There's also an "industrial" model available, but this "professional" model (260/200 Watts) should more than suffice for soldering wires together. The online price is half of what I would pay locally for the same item in my neck of the woods.

http://www.amazon.com/Weller-D550PK-120-volt-Professional-Soldering/dp/B00002N7S1/ref=sr_1_4?s=power-hand-tools&ie=UTF8&qid=1296136270&sr=1-4

[bigfish_Oh]

that has always been my choice, but at replacement/upgrade time this was on sale and local, the slimmer design did work out better for storing in my elect box

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00927320000P?prdNo=1&blockNo=1&blockType=G1

[RonW]

With a *400 watt* high-temperature setting! And a copper tip, that really does live up to its "industrial" strength label.

[Walküre]

Seeing as I still have, and use, my first Weller soldering gun, that I bought, used, soon after high school, 40 years ago, you can't go wrong with a Weller! I have several Weller soldering stations, and another Weller soldering gun, but still rely on the old powerhouse! The new one, although the same rating, isn't NEAR the gun the old one is!

I think I'm on my 3rd or 4th cord, though...



R

[RonW]

Btw, is silver solder better to use than lead/tin rosin core solder? I "heard" that it was. Thankx in advance.

[Walküre]

Btw, is silver solder better to use than lead/tin rosin core solder? I "heard" that it was. Thankx in advance.

Depends on what you are "soldering". Silver soldering, or "hard soldering", is actually a form of brazing, often of dissimilar metals, or metals you can't gas weld. For electrical/electronics, it's usually lead/tin, although with all the risks of lead, the formulations have changed, and silver is used in lead-free solders, along with a lot of other alloys. So, if your question is, is lead-free better to use than lead/tin, the answer is "yes, if you are concerned about lead". Is it "better", over all? Questionable - I can do quite well with lead-free, but I do a LOT of it, more than most, even in the electronics field. But, the average person will get a better joint with lead/tin, than lead-free, until they have a bit of experience. Rather like lacquer and BC/CC paint - a good painter can get an excellent finish, with BC/CC, me, not so much! But, almost anyone with patience, can end up with a good lacquer paint job. You just can't find lacquer anymore. And I think that lead/tin will go the way of lacquer, eventually.

R

[bigfish_Oh]

Seeing as I still have, and use, my first Weller soldering gun, that I bought, used, soon after high school, 40 years ago, you can't go wrong with a Weller! I have several Weller soldering stations, and another Weller soldering gun, but still rely on the old powerhouse! The new one, although the same rating, isn't NEAR the gun the old one is!

I think I'm on my 3rd or 4th cord, though...



R

funny you should say that... I had an old weller that I inherited, got the "same" new one. The old one did finally give out. The newer one never did match the old one, so I went to the craftsmen. I keep one at the bench and one in my portable box

[Robert]

I have a couple of electric soldering irons and they will stay in the drawer, because the one I really like is a gas or butane iron so much better. It always works soldiers anything no cords no tightening the tips to get better results and takes a shorter time to heat up. The only down side is you have to have Butane around not a real problem, and they last along time on one charge. Good for electronics or wiring, plus with the extra tips you can use it to braze, heat, use shrink tubing, cut plastic really does it too not like the electric that goes so slow.

[alph]

fifteen years ago i was working in a hardware store in Mondovi Wi. putting in a security system.  i went to throw out some garbage, when i saw a weller soldering gun in the trash.  i asked the manager what's up with it, he told me a customer returned it 'cause the light didn't work!!!  i asked if i could have it, he said sure!!  got a $40 soldering iron for free!!!  sad thing is i had boughten a new one about six months earlier, still have both of 'em, pretty much like the ones pictured above.