Best Soldering Station Or Iron?????

[billythebum]

I have a regular 15watt radioshack soldering iron but wanna upgrade was looking at the Weller WESD51 Soldering Station Can you guys reccomend me a good Station. I read about the hakko but nbot sure which one to chose what station do you use?
http://www.action-electronics.com/wewesd51.htm

[REDFlELD]

I don't solder a lot so I bought an unbranded solderer for a few dollars. The tip is getting dark and I wish to know if you guy use something to prevent the tip from getting black?

[billythebum]

try using tip tinner they sell at radioshack.. HElps preseve life of tip.

[Thinkdiff]

I use the 8 dollar Radioshack iron with no problems at all. Replace the tip every so often, and it works fine.

[LiquidCell]

I have a nice weller soldering station, not sure of the model as it is at my other house but they can be a bit flimsy as I have had my volume control knob fall off (the piece with the arrow that points at the temparature, not the whole thing) but I just put it back on.

[keefyboy]

I don't solder a lot so I bought an unbranded solderer for a few dollars. The tip is getting dark and I wish to know if you guy use something to prevent the tip from getting black?

Yeah, ignore the other suggestions and save yourself some $.

Just get a paper towel, fold it over several times, and get it wet. Not dripping wet, but pretty wet. Wipe the HOT tip on it and it will get shiny again.

If you're putting it away when you're done, just melt a *little* solder on the end to prevent oxidization.

I've never bought a new tip. If it goes bad (meaning you never cleaned it properly), rub it with sand paper to remove any oxidizaiton and then get some solder and melt it onto the new tip.

[N£TM£ÇH]

I use a soloman sl-10 kinda pricey but works great for me

[9HOMERSIMPSON9]

I go with an antex soldering iron!

Its excellent!

[darklegion]

I use a goot 13 watt iron with a small tip....slightly more expensive then the average iron but at least you are just paying for quality iron rather than the luxuries of a soldering station.Works fine and has lasted me well despite the fact I didn't really look after it in the beginning,and have sanded the tip down a number of times.Now I always have a wet sponge handy and I just tin the tip and run it through the sponge every now and then while I am working.

[HiProfile]

Why go with such weak irons? I suggest the dual 140/100 watt weller gun! j/k

Best $24 I've spent so far. IMO it seems to work out a bit weaker @lowest settign compaired to a $5 iron, which is great for electroinics - can be very safe, or be very hot. I also popped <$10 for an extra tip and good soldering stand and 0.8mm tip (iron comes with 1.6mm). Its chrome-plated, and the last 6mm of the tips don't oxidize (the rest of it doesn't wick solder well).