A few question...

[sefton]

Ok I need a soldering iron but the high wattage one's on sites like apex are £50ish (I dont want to really spend that much). I have seen this on e-bay but it just looks to good to be true! its new 60wt and only £8 in all.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/60W-240-VOLT-S...QQcmdZViewItem

Does anyone know of any good quality irons that dont cost the earth?


I also might buy some beefed up turnbukles in the future. Would Lunsford one be my best bet?

which rod ends are best for these? RPM's?

Would it be a good idea to get titanium ball studs if I get the above?


Thanks in advance

Craig.

[DCM]

Check on the availability of new tips and I doubt that is a long life tip. Otherwise it is a 60W iron. Good price. MRT do a better one though and it is 12v.

Lunsford do good ones but the AE ones are pretty durable to, as for ball studs, I would stick with the stock items, including the ball cups.

[sefton]

Thanks mate!

Do you know what watt the mrt iron is? it doesnt say on the site!

Craig.

[DCM]

it is suitable for most work, motors, connectors but I wouldn't of thought soldering cells.

[sefton]

I run a brushless setup so it would be mainly cells and connectors I would be soldering.

Craig.

[DCM]

the MRT one would last you far longer than the el-cheapo option but wouldn't be very suitable for soldering cells together.

[jimmy]

I have the cheapy, and the tip doesn't last a long time especially if you are using it a lot. But if you only doing the occasional soldering job rather than soldering your cells and motors in all the time, its alright.

[Oscar]

If you want good quality, You cant beat Antex (I've had mine over 15 years). Adcola is also very good.
If you just want to do work time to time such as cells and connectors, I reckon £8 is a worthwhile gamble.

Edit: just looked at Antex.co.uk, they do an 80w for under £10+vat. you can also buy spare tips for these and replacement elements. Bargain!

[Rob]

For 240v I got a 40W Weller one from here for about £17:

http://www.toolshopdirect.co.uk/handtool/brand/Weller

Weller are a good make, and it solders cells etc with ease.

For at the track I have the MRT 12v, apparently it is 40W but doesn't seem so to me, I'd say more like 25W. Not tried it with cells but it's fine for motors and wires etc.

£8 sounds a bargain but you will need a different tip as that says its a pointed one and you will want a flat chisel tip.

[sefton]

just had a look on the Antex website, there an 80wt iron on there for £8

[sefton]

Looks like theres only limited tips for the Antex 80wt iron (the tips that fit it dont look wide enough for cells). other wise its perfect!

http://www.antex.co.uk/

[sefton]

Im really struggling to find a 80wt iron that have sutable replacement tips avalible.

I've seen both Weller and Antex 80wt irons for £20 & under, but no tips!

[DCM]

try the 80W iron with the 2500 tip, that should work, as you want the heat localized, but on a reasonable size tip so once you touch the tip on to the cell, all the heat doesn't run away like Imiigrants out of the Euro Tunnel, lol.

[sefton]

:smile:

Is this tip wide enough though? looks a little on the skinny side.

Is it not best to get a tip thats shaped a little like 52?

[sefton]

this looks ok! but cant see any big replacement tips.

http://www.tooled-up.com/Product.asp...-Iron-80w-240v

[MikePimlott]

craig, i have a 200v 200W weller iron i can bring to bury if you wanna solder some cells there. let me know.

[sefton]

cheers mike, but I really need to buy my own sooner or later.