I am about to undertake a small electronics project and have decided
that it's time to replace the soldering iron that I bought some time
in the 1980s. Can anyone recommend a reasonably priced soldering
station (around 100 pounds at most)?

-- Richard

Richard Tobin wrote:
I am about to undertake a small electronics project and have decided
that it's time to replace the soldering iron that I bought some time
in the 1980s. Can anyone recommend a reasonably priced soldering
station (around 100 pounds at most)?

There's a lot of good Chinese brands now, shipping decent soldering stations
for not a huge amount of money. This gives a roundup:

https://www.eevblog.com/forum/review...ons-and-tools/

You can also get good quality Wellers, Antexes, etc as in days of old, but
you'll pay 5x the price of the Chinese - so if you spend the same budget the
Chinese will be 5x better.

EEVblog has a good forum discussing the pros and cons of lots of different
models:
https://www.eevblog.com/forum/reviews/

(EEVblog is Australian, but you should be able to buy these on ebay,
Aliexpress, etc)

Theo

On 01/06/2020 15:25, Theo wrote:
Richard Tobin wrote:
I am about to undertake a small electronics project and have decided
that it's time to replace the soldering iron that I bought some time
in the 1980s. Can anyone recommend a reasonably priced soldering
station (around 100 pounds at most)?

There's a lot of good Chinese brands now, shipping decent soldering stations
for not a huge amount of money. This gives a roundup:

https://www.eevblog.com/forum/review...ons-and-tools/

You can also get good quality Wellers, Antexes, etc as in days of old, but
you'll pay 5x the price of the Chinese - so if you spend the same budget the
Chinese will be 5x better.

EEVblog has a good forum discussing the pros and cons of lots of different
models:
https://www.eevblog.com/forum/reviews/

(EEVblog is Australian, but you should be able to buy these on ebay,
Aliexpress, etc)

Theo

I think I got a draper for about £20

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Draper-6147.../dp/B010823P38

Its not bad for electronics

--
Canada is all right really, though not for the whole weekend.

"Saki"

Theo wrote:

There's a lot of good Chinese brands now, shipping decent soldering stations
for not a huge amount of money.

I've got a Yihua combined soldering station/hot air wand, good enough

Problem may be shipping, chinese factories are back up and running, but
getting the heavier items out of the country (eg PSUs) seems to be a bit
of an issue still, the solder stations are pretty dense and most
capacity being given to PPE

Richard Tobin wrote:
I am about to undertake a small electronics project and have decided
that it's time to replace the soldering iron that I bought some time
in the 1980s. Can anyone recommend a reasonably priced soldering
station (around 100 pounds at most)?

CPC have quite a range, I have one of their 'Tenma' branded ones and
(I think) another from them. Both are 60 watt with a display, cost a
lot less than your £100 limit. I slightly prefer the Tenma one but
there's not much in it.

--
Chris Green
·

On 01/06/2020 14:39, Richard Tobin wrote:
I am about to undertake a small electronics project and have decided
that it's time to replace the soldering iron that I bought some time
in the 1980s. Can anyone recommend a reasonably priced soldering
station (around 100 pounds at most)?

-- Richard


Not a soldering station - but Hakko make some very nice
temperature-controlled irons for not a lot of money.
In stained-glass work I'm using the FX-601 - which is rated 67w and has
proper temperature control built into the handle (much better than the
cheaper 'pretend-soldering-stations' which achieve some variation in
temperature by limiting the power to the iron.

The 601 is, unfortunately, 120v-only, but that's easily sorted - and
there's a range of replacement bits of all shapes and sizes which are
available from Hakko in the UK.
Unfortunately the iron itself isn't CE-Marked (so can't be sold in the
UK) - but there are many stateside suppliers selling them - think the
last one I bought was 60 euro, plus 15euro p&p.

Very nice little iron...

On 01/06/2020 14:39, Richard Tobin wrote:

I am about to undertake a small electronics project and have decided
that it's time to replace the soldering iron that I bought some time
in the 1980s. Can anyone recommend a reasonably priced soldering
station (around 100 pounds at most)?


Also worth looking at the TS100 irons - they are processor controlled
irons, with a good range of tips. Fast warm up (well under 10 secs!).
They run from most laptop style power supplies.

Ali express and the usual suspects will do the iron, a OSU, selection of
tips etc, and change from £50




--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/

Rumour has it that the expensive ones are in fact made in China now in any
case.
Brian

--
----- --
This newsgroup posting comes to you directly from...
The Sofa of Brian Gaff...

Blind user, so no pictures please
Note this Signature is meaningless.!
"Theo" wrote in message
...
Richard Tobin wrote:
I am about to undertake a small electronics project and have decided
that it's time to replace the soldering iron that I bought some time
in the 1980s. Can anyone recommend a reasonably priced soldering
station (around 100 pounds at most)?

There's a lot of good Chinese brands now, shipping decent soldering
stations
for not a huge amount of money. This gives a roundup:

https://www.eevblog.com/forum/review...ons-and-tools/

You can also get good quality Wellers, Antexes, etc as in days of old, but
you'll pay 5x the price of the Chinese - so if you spend the same budget
the
Chinese will be 5x better.

EEVblog has a good forum discussing the pros and cons of lots of different
models:
https://www.eevblog.com/forum/reviews/

(EEVblog is Australian, but you should be able to buy these on ebay,
Aliexpress, etc)

Theo

The Natural Philosopher was thinking very hard :
I think I got a draper for about £20

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Draper-6147.../dp/B010823P38

Its not bad for electronics

A very basic model, just a dial to adjust the power level, no actual
temperature feedback at all. I would suggest something a bit better.

My Chinese 30w workbench iron has an LCD display, showing set
temperature and actual temperature. You just dial in the temperature
you want and it produces it - no burnt bits and power to spare. I took
the precaution when I bought it 15 years ago, of buying some spare
elements and bits. The bit is still the original, but the element
failed some years ago. One feature it lacks, which I would have liked,
was a standby mode which dropped the temperature 100deg or so, rather
than having to change the desired temperature. It cost me around £45.

On 01/06/2020 14:39, Richard Tobin wrote:
I am about to undertake a small electronics project and have decided
that it's time to replace the soldering iron that I bought some time
in the 1980s. Can anyone recommend a reasonably priced soldering
station (around 100 pounds at most)?

-- Richard


One consideration is availability of spare tips or even heater
replacement. For decades now I've made ny own Weller Magnastat tips
(removing the Curie Point numbered switch actuators off old tips before
dumping and reusing). 24V Heater I've never had to replace (at least 34
years old)

--
Global sea level rise to 2100 from curve-fitted existing altimetry data
http://diverse.4mg.com/slr.htm

On Monday, 1 June 2020 19:21:57 UTC+1, wrote:
The Natural Philosopher was thinking very hard :
I think I got a draper for about £20

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Draper-6147.../dp/B010823P38

Its not bad for electronics

A very basic model, just a dial to adjust the power level, no actual
temperature feedback at all. I would suggest something a bit better.

My Chinese 30w workbench iron has an LCD display, showing set
temperature and actual temperature. You just dial in the temperature
you want and it produces it - no burnt bits and power to spare. I took
the precaution when I bought it 15 years ago, of buying some spare
elements and bits. The bit is still the original, but the element
failed some years ago. One feature it lacks, which I would have liked,
was a standby mode which dropped the temperature 100deg or so, rather
than having to change the desired temperature. It cost me around £45..

The Aldi offering had that. They dropped them to under a tenner at one point.

In article , Chris Green wrote:

Richard Tobin wrote:
I am about to undertake a small electronics project and have decided
that it's time to replace the soldering iron that I bought some time
in the 1980s. Can anyone recommend a reasonably priced soldering
station (around 100 pounds at most)?

CPC have quite a range, I have one of their 'Tenma' branded ones and
(I think) another from them. Both are 60 watt with a display, cost a
lot less than your 100 limit. I slightly prefer the Tenma one but
there's not much in it.

I've ordered one of these:

https://cpc.farnell.com/tenma/21-101...esd/dp/SD01738

I'll report back on how well it works.

-- Richard

Richard Tobin wrote:
In article , Chris Green wrote:

Richard Tobin wrote:
I am about to undertake a small electronics project and have decided
that it's time to replace the soldering iron that I bought some time
in the 1980s. Can anyone recommend a reasonably priced soldering
station (around 100 pounds at most)?

CPC have quite a range, I have one of their 'Tenma' branded ones and
(I think) another from them. Both are 60 watt with a display, cost a
lot less than your 100 limit. I slightly prefer the Tenma one but
there's not much in it.

I've ordered one of these:

https://cpc.farnell.com/tenma/21-101...esd/dp/SD01738

I'll report back on how well it works.

I think that's the one I have, similar certainly, seems pretty OK.

--
Chris Green
·

On Tue, 2 Jun 2020 09:03:14 +0100, Chris Green wrote:

I've ordered one of these:


https://cpc.farnell.com/tenma/21-101...ation-digital-
esd/dp/SD01738

I'll report back on how well it works.

I think that's the one I have, similar certainly, seems pretty OK.

I've one as well, does the job. The UI for adjusting the preset
temperatures isn't, at least to my brain, quite intuative.

--
Cheers
Dave.

In article ,
Richard Tobin wrote:
I am about to undertake a small electronics project and have decided
that it's time to replace the soldering iron that I bought some time
in the 1980s. Can anyone recommend a reasonably priced soldering
station (around 100 pounds at most)?

Can't really recommend any, since I built my own combined solder/desolder
station. Because there was nothing on the market then that did what I
wanted. But a long time ago before cheap Chinese were common, and pro ones
pricey.

One thing I would make sure of. That all the spares you're likely to need
- like a selection of different bits, sponges, etc are avaiable.

So best to buy from the likes of CPC where you can check on spares.

Other thing is what suits one person as a comfortable to use iron, another
might hate.

--
*He who laughs last, thinks slowest.

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

On Tuesday, 2 June 2020 14:16:00 UTC+1, Dave Plowman (News) wrote:
In article ,
Richard Tobin wrote:
I am about to undertake a small electronics project and have decided
that it's time to replace the soldering iron that I bought some time
in the 1980s. Can anyone recommend a reasonably priced soldering
station (around 100 pounds at most)?

Can't really recommend any, since I built my own combined solder/desolder
station. Because there was nothing on the market then that did what I
wanted. But a long time ago before cheap Chinese were common, and pro ones
pricey.

One thing I would make sure of. That all the spares you're likely to need
- like a selection of different bits, sponges, etc are avaiable.

So best to buy from the likes of CPC where you can check on spares.

Other thing is what suits one person as a comfortable to use iron, another
might hate.

Sponges are available from your nearest homewares store. They pack cellulose sponges damp now so they don't go stiff & put buyers off. Check the small print, if it mentions going hard when dry it's cellulose.


NT

On Tue, 02 Jun 2020 14:12:24 +0100, Dave Plowman (News) wrote:

One thing I would make sure of. That all the spares you're likely to
need - like a selection of different bits, sponges, etc are avaiable.

That has been my problem in the past. So I splashed out on a Weller
WT1010!



--
My posts are my copyright and if @diy_forums or Home Owners' Hub
wish to copy them they can pay me £1 a message.
Use the BIG mirror service in the UK: http://www.mirrorservice.org
*lightning surge protection* - a w_tom conductor

On Tuesday, June 2, 2020 at 2:46:03 PM UTC+1, wrote:
On Tuesday, 2 June 2020 14:16:00 UTC+1, Dave Plowman (News) wrote:
In article ,
Richard Tobin wrote:
I am about to undertake a small electronics project and have decided
that it's time to replace the soldering iron that I bought some time
in the 1980s. Can anyone recommend a reasonably priced soldering
station (around 100 pounds at most)?

Can't really recommend any, since I built my own combined solder/desolder
station. Because there was nothing on the market then that did what I
wanted. But a long time ago before cheap Chinese were common, and pro ones
pricey.

One thing I would make sure of. That all the spares you're likely to need
- like a selection of different bits, sponges, etc are avaiable.

So best to buy from the likes of CPC where you can check on spares.

Other thing is what suits one person as a comfortable to use iron, another
might hate.

Sponges are available from your nearest homewares store. They pack cellulose sponges damp now so they don't go stiff & put buyers off. Check the small print, if it mentions going hard when dry it's cellulose.


NT

These days I prefer to use the 'pads' of brass turnings for cleaning an iron,
rather than wet sponges. Saves having to mix water and electrickery...
and I think the reduced thermal shock is a good thing.

Richard Tobin wrote:
I am about to undertake a small electronics project and have decided
that it's time to replace the soldering iron that I bought some time
in the 1980s. Can anyone recommend a reasonably priced soldering
station (around 100 pounds at most)?

-- Richard


Ive a couple of the clone ones off EBay. My favourite uses T12 bits. The
T12 bit is like a knitting needle but the element is inside. The whole
thing slides into a handle. You buy different bits for different sized
jobs. I think mine- complete with a couple of bits- was about £32. The PSU
is about the size of a laptop PSU and has a temp display etc.

I never thought I would find something to surpass my Weller but this beast
is a delight to use.

--
https://www.unitedway.org/our-impact...an-trafficking

Andy Burns wrote:
Theo wrote:

There's a lot of good Chinese brands now, shipping decent soldering stations
for not a huge amount of money.

I've got a Yihua combined soldering station/hot air wand, good enough



Finding the right element is a s*d. Yihua seem to be unique. I want to have
at least one in stock.

Otherwise, they are good.

--
https://www.unitedway.org/our-impact...an-trafficking

Bob Eager wrote:
On Tue, 02 Jun 2020 14:12:24 +0100, Dave Plowman (News) wrote:

One thing I would make sure of. That all the spares you're likely to
need - like a selection of different bits, sponges, etc are avaiable.

That has been my problem in the past. So I splashed out on a Weller
WT1010!




Weller were always the business but the Chinese ones are remarkable and the
bits are a fraction of the price of Weller ones.

--
https://www.unitedway.org/our-impact...an-trafficking

In article ,
Richard Tobin wrote:

I've ordered one of these:

https://cpc.farnell.com/tenma/21-101...esd/dp/SD01738

I'll report back on how well it works.

And the answer is... adequately. After a few hundred soldered joints,
I now have something resembling a PDP-11/70.

-- Richard

On Thu, 04 Jun 2020 13:39:18 +0000, Richard Tobin wrote:

In article ,
Richard Tobin wrote:

I've ordered one of these:

https://cpc.farnell.com/tenma/21-101...n-digital-esd/
dp/SD01738

I'll report back on how well it works.

And the answer is... adequately. After a few hundred soldered joints,
I now have something resembling a PDP-11/70.

Must get on with mine. But I'm still fiddling with the case on the PiDP-8.

--
My posts are my copyright and if @diy_forums or Home Owners' Hub
wish to copy them they can pay me £1 a message.
Use the BIG mirror service in the UK: http://www.mirrorservice.org
*lightning surge protection* - a w_tom conductor

On 04/06/2020 14:39, Richard Tobin wrote:
In article ,
Richard Tobin wrote:

I've ordered one of these:

https://cpc.farnell.com/tenma/21-101...esd/dp/SD01738

I'll report back on how well it works.

And the answer is... adequately. After a few hundred soldered joints,
I now have something resembling a PDP-11/70.

what was the starting point?

-- Richard



--
In todays liberal progressive conflict-free education system, everyone
gets full Marx.

In article ,
The Natural Philosopher wrote:

And the answer is... adequately. After a few hundred soldered joints,
I now have something resembling a PDP-11/70.

what was the starting point?

A Raspberry Pi and a bag full of bits.

-- Richard

On 04/06/2020 15:27, Richard Tobin wrote:
In article ,
The Natural Philosopher wrote:

And the answer is... adequately. After a few hundred soldered joints,
I now have something resembling a PDP-11/70.

what was the starting point?

A Raspberry Pi and a bag full of bits.

-- Richard

Ahaha!

Retromodding a Pi eh?


--
Socialism is the philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance and the
gospel of envy.

Its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery.

Winston Churchill

In article ,
The Natural Philosopher wrote:

And the answer is... adequately. After a few hundred soldered joints,
I now have something resembling a PDP-11/70.

what was the starting point?

A Raspberry Pi and a bag full of bits.

-- Richard

Ahaha!

Retromodding a Pi eh?

https://obsolescence.wixsite.com/obsolescence/pidp-11

-- Richard

In article ,
jkn wrote:
These days I prefer to use the 'pads' of brass turnings for cleaning an
iron, rather than wet sponges. Saves having to mix water and
electrickery...

If your iron is leaking to that extent, I'd stay well clear of working on
electronics...

--
*I yell because I care

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

On Thu, 04 Jun 2020 15:34:59 +0100, The Natural Philosopher wrote:

On 04/06/2020 15:27, Richard Tobin wrote:
In article ,
The Natural Philosopher wrote:

And the answer is... adequately. After a few hundred soldered
joints,
I now have something resembling a PDP-11/70.

what was the starting point?

A Raspberry Pi and a bag full of bits.

-- Richard

Ahaha!

Retromodding a Pi eh?

PiDP-11 kit. Well know, I thought.

--
My posts are my copyright and if @diy_forums or Home Owners' Hub
wish to copy them they can pay me £1 a message.
Use the BIG mirror service in the UK: http://www.mirrorservice.org
*lightning surge protection* - a w_tom conductor

On Thursday, 4 June 2020 16:31:16 UTC+1, Dave Plowman (News) wrote:
In article ,
jkn wrote:

These days I prefer to use the 'pads' of brass turnings for cleaning an
iron, rather than wet sponges. Saves having to mix water and
electrickery...

If your iron is leaking to that extent, I'd stay well clear of working on
electronics...

or do the old dodge of unplugging right before soldering. Glad those days are gone.

On Thursday, June 4, 2020 at 4:31:16 PM UTC+1, Dave Plowman (News) wrote:
In article ,
jkn wrote:
These days I prefer to use the 'pads' of brass turnings for cleaning an
iron, rather than wet sponges. Saves having to mix water and
electrickery...

If your iron is leaking to that extent, I'd stay well clear of working on
electronics...

Hi Dave
Not sure I said anywhere that my iron was leaking ... just that I prefer
not to mix the two. In fact it is also because an 11-year old is watching me
and the 'rule' I have (currently) passed on is that 'water and electricity
don't mix'.

I'll go back to soldering 0805s now if you don't mind...

J^n

In article ,
jkn wrote:
On Thursday, June 4, 2020 at 4:31:16 PM UTC+1, Dave Plowman (News) wrote:
In article ,
jkn wrote:
These days I prefer to use the 'pads' of brass turnings for cleaning
an iron, rather than wet sponges. Saves having to mix water and
electrickery...

If your iron is leaking to that extent, I'd stay well clear of working
on electronics...

Hi Dave Not sure I said anywhere that my iron was leaking ... just that
I prefer not to mix the two. In fact it is also because an 11-year old
is watching me and the 'rule' I have (currently) passed on is that
'water and electricity don't mix'.

I'll go back to soldering 0805s now if you don't mind...

J^n

Any decent soldering iron will be low voltage anyway.

Hope you don't let your 11 year old fill an electric kettle...

--
*Happiness is seeing your mother-in-law on a milk carton

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

In article ,
Cursitor Doom wrote:
Whilst it's
inexcusable to hold a man down in this way, the fact that he was high
on crystal meth would have given him extra strength and aggression
requiring rather more containment than usual.

Nice to know you are an expert on meth too.

--
*Money isn't everything, but it sure keeps the kids in touch *

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

On Saturday, June 6, 2020 at 12:23:30 PM UTC+1, Dave Plowman (News) wrote:
In article ,
jkn wrote:
On Thursday, June 4, 2020 at 4:31:16 PM UTC+1, Dave Plowman (News) wrote:
In article ,
jkn wrote:
These days I prefer to use the 'pads' of brass turnings for cleaning
an iron, rather than wet sponges. Saves having to mix water and
electrickery...

If your iron is leaking to that extent, I'd stay well clear of working
on electronics...

Hi Dave Not sure I said anywhere that my iron was leaking ... just that
I prefer not to mix the two. In fact it is also because an 11-year old
is watching me and the 'rule' I have (currently) passed on is that
'water and electricity don't mix'.

I'll go back to soldering 0805s now if you don't mind...

J^n

Any decent soldering iron will be low voltage anyway.

Hope you don't let your 11 year old fill an electric kettle...

Yes, I do - under supervision.

Like all 'rules' (and science), it is an approximation to the truth, to be
refined as time goes on and the situation changes.

"I will push you in the buggy across the road"
"Never go farther than the pavement"
"Never Cross the road on your own"
"make sure that you look left and right, and keep looking and listening"
"Who's going to get to the park first?"
...
"Can you help me cross the road, Son?"

J^n

On 06/06/2020 12:22, Dave Plowman (News) wrote:
In article ,
Cursitor Doom wrote:
Whilst it's
inexcusable to hold a man down in this way, the fact that he was high
on crystal meth would have given him extra strength and aggression
requiring rather more containment than usual.

Nice to know you are an expert on meth too.

thanks ....

In article ,
jkn wrote:
Hi Dave Not sure I said anywhere that my iron was leaking ... just that
I prefer not to mix the two. In fact it is also because an 11-year old
is watching me and the 'rule' I have (currently) passed on is that
'water and electricity don't mix'.

I'll go back to soldering 0805s now if you don't mind...

J^n

Any decent soldering iron will be low voltage anyway.

Hope you don't let your 11 year old fill an electric kettle...

Yes, I do - under supervision.

Like all 'rules' (and science), it is an approximation to the truth, to
be refined as time goes on and the situation changes.

But stupid as an example for your son.

It has been practice for many a year to use a damp sponge to wipe a
soldering iron on.

--
*If at first you don't succeed, then skydiving definitely isn't for you *

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

On Saturday, June 6, 2020 at 3:49:23 PM UTC+1, Dave Plowman (News) wrote:
In article ,
jkn wrote:
Hi Dave Not sure I said anywhere that my iron was leaking ... just that
I prefer not to mix the two. In fact it is also because an 11-year old
is watching me and the 'rule' I have (currently) passed on is that
'water and electricity don't mix'.

I'll go back to soldering 0805s now if you don't mind...

J^n

Any decent soldering iron will be low voltage anyway.

Hope you don't let your 11 year old fill an electric kettle...

Yes, I do - under supervision.

Like all 'rules' (and science), it is an approximation to the truth, to
be refined as time goes on and the situation changes.

But stupid as an example for your son.

Tut tut - bad (and incorrect) assumption there...

It has been practice for many a year to use a damp sponge to wipe a
soldering iron on.

I am well aware of that, having done it since around 1980...

On Sat, 06 Jun 2020 15:48:52 +0100, "Dave Plowman (News)"
wrote:

snip

It has been practice for many a year to use a damp sponge to wipe a
soldering iron on.

I had such on my Weller soldering station for years and it worked well
but they would often get lost if I ever took my soldering stuff
elsewhere.

I now use the pot of brass turnings and now prefer them as they seem
to do more of the tip and probably don't take so much heat out of it.

I assembled a little 10+10W amp kit last night with my s/h Aoyue 968A+
[1] s-station but (ironically) couldn't find my tip cleaning pot. I
used some damp folded up kitchen towel instead and it worked 'ok'.

I bought a little FM radio kit for daughter (to listen to R4 as she's
dog walking) and I was going to get her to build it herself (she was
soldering with me when she was 5 g) but 1) I want to do it now and
2) I think it might be a bit fiddly for someone not into electronics
as such [2].

Cheers, T i m

[1] I can get compatible spares for it locally.

[2] On the amp kit there were a couple of component substitutions (a
3k3 as opposed to a 3k4 for example) and one incorrectly marked on the
parts list but right on the schematic (1.2 not the 12K shown) that you
might only know how to deal with if you knew roughly how things
worked.

On 06/06/2020 15:48, Dave Plowman (News) wrote:
In article ,
jkn wrote:
Hi Dave Not sure I said anywhere that my iron was leaking ... just that
I prefer not to mix the two. In fact it is also because an 11-year old
is watching me and the 'rule' I have (currently) passed on is that
'water and electricity don't mix'.

I'll go back to soldering 0805s now if you don't mind...

J^n

Any decent soldering iron will be low voltage anyway.

Hope you don't let your 11 year old fill an electric kettle...

Yes, I do - under supervision.

Like all 'rules' (and science), it is an approximation to the truth, to
be refined as time goes on and the situation changes.

But stupid as an example for your son.

It has been practice for many a year to use a damp sponge to wipe a
soldering iron on.

It has, but many now go for the "pan scourer" style in preference...
they seem better at cleaning the flux residue that one tends to get at
the higher soldering temps required for lead free work.


--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/

On Sat, 06 Jun 2020 12:22:36 +0100, "Dave Plowman (News)"
wrote:

In article ,
jkn wrote:
On Thursday, June 4, 2020 at 4:31:16 PM UTC+1, Dave Plowman (News) wrote:
In article ,
jkn wrote:
These days I prefer to use the 'pads' of brass turnings for cleaning
an iron, rather than wet sponges. Saves having to mix water and
electrickery...

If your iron is leaking to that extent, I'd stay well clear of working
on electronics...

Hi Dave Not sure I said anywhere that my iron was leaking ... just that
I prefer not to mix the two. In fact it is also because an 11-year old
is watching me and the 'rule' I have (currently) passed on is that
'water and electricity don't mix'.

I'll go back to soldering 0805s now if you don't mind...

J^n

Any decent soldering iron will be low voltage anyway.

Hope you don't let your 11 year old fill an electric kettle...


Bloody hell. At that age if I hadn't got the fire going in the
morning before I went to school it would have gone out, and if I
didn't get the dinner on the go when I got back we'd be eating late.


--
AnthonyL

Why do scientists need to BELIEVE in anything?