| Posted: Sat Mar 28th, 2015 01:23 pm |
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1st Post |
Hope
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It's time to buy a new soldering iron. Any suggestions for irons? I'm wondering about getting a rheostat and info about this would be helpful, too.
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| Posted: Sat Mar 28th, 2015 04:06 pm |
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2nd Post |
Vic
Founder
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The short answer is, there is no best soldering iron.
It all depends on the type of work the soldering iron needs to do. Also depends on how proficient you are with the iron. In my shop I use about 5 or 6 different irons. And own many more,seeking the best ironLast edited on Sat Mar 28th, 2015 04:07 pm by Vic
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| Posted: Sat Mar 28th, 2015 05:04 pm |
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3rd Post |
CZL
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I use Hexicon, They make a number of sizes and wattages.
It is a hang over from my old Willet days. Jimmy Hunt got me started with them. Jimmy is from the old Hunt studio in Pittsburgh and his Uncle Frank Hunt, both worked at Willet as glazers and were very good. So are Hexicon irons. The had a clad tip, which worked with 40 solder and lasted for ever. The irons that is, not the Hunt Boys.
CZ
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| Posted: Sat Mar 28th, 2015 05:04 pm |
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CZL
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I use Hexicon, They make a number of sizes and wattages.
It is a hang over from my old Willet days. Jimmy Hunt got me started with them. Jimmy is from the old Hunt studio in Pittsburgh and his Uncle Frank Hunt, both worked at Willet as glazers and were very good. So are Hexicon irons. The had a clad tip, which worked with 40 solder and lasted for ever. The irons that is, not the Hunt Boys.
CZ
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| Posted: Sat Mar 28th, 2015 11:13 pm |
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5th Post |
Hope
Non AGG Member
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I'll be using the iron for soldering leaded panels and for copper foil. I do have a hexacon, but find it too heavy for general work. I'd like something lighter.
I'd also like to find out about using rheostats. Any thoughts about this or another way to keep temperature constant without having to turn the iron on and off would be helpful.
Last edited on Sat Mar 28th, 2015 11:14 pm by Hope
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| Posted: Sun Mar 29th, 2015 04:23 pm |
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6th Post |
Rebecca
Administrator
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The iron temperature is not going to stay constant. As you use the iron, it is going to cool off and reheat. You need an iron that is hot enough or quick-heating enough to continue using without having to stop and wait. And it all depends on how quickly YOU work, so it is an individual thing. Some stained glass shops have lots of different irons that they will let you try in their shop. Hakko and Weller are additional brands to look into. The newer Hakkos have rheostats built in.
Rebecca
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| Posted: Mon Mar 30th, 2015 01:30 pm |
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7th Post |
Krueger
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In all my years teaching beginning stained glass, I have always recommended a Weller 100...has a built in rheostat. and for those students who opted for a cheaper, non rheostat, by the end of the class they purchased a Weller 100. They are light, and very easy to work with.
Some who is doing restoration work and working on older lead may have other recommendations.
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| Posted: Mon Mar 30th, 2015 02:49 pm |
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| Posted: Mon Mar 30th, 2015 02:57 pm |
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9th Post |
Krueger
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OK Vic, you are correcct.....I meant an internal rheostat, or sensor...whatever......but at the very least, the Weller 100, having the internal control, is much easier to use than having to continually tweek an external rheostat while soldering.
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| Posted: Mon Mar 30th, 2015 03:21 pm |
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10th Post |
BloodGlass
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For me if I could only have one Iron in the shop it would be a 150Watt Hexacon iron with a simple temp control. With this you can solder lead, zinc, brass window joints and never want for more. I use iron set on high while using consistently then turn it down while you flux more joints and iron rests. Also you can turn down the heat and solder copper foil very nicely... I feel a temp control is a must, not so much for getting the right temp while using but rather to turn down the iron while its at rest to avoid overheating.
This is a heavy iron I am aware. If I was mostly going to be doing foil windows then it would be the same iron only 125Watt... I love these irons, they cost more but with a little thought on taking care of the iron (don't leave it on full blast and forget about it, don't let flux and solder run up into barrel) they will last for years and years
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| Posted: Mon Mar 30th, 2015 03:57 pm |
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11th Post |
BloodGlass
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I have a follow up thought... It is also important to use the correct tip for the job. When soldering lead, zinc windows I use the tips as is, copper core with a zinc plating. But when soldering foil the best tip is taking that plated tip and grind the plate off of the working end and getting down to the bare copper. This gives a much better heat transfer for running nice solder lines and you can shape your tip to your liking.
This is destroying the tips in a way since you have a tip which should last a very very long time and now it eats itself away and lasts a 10th of the time... To this I say as long as you are VERY careful with your iron and never overheat it or let solder run into the barrel and periodically take the tip out and remove the scale you can simply buy a 3/8 rod of copper and cut off your own tips... But as soon as you get careless with the iron you have have a tip stuck inside your wonderful iron and are in need of a new heating element.
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| Posted: Mon Mar 30th, 2015 04:08 pm |
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12th Post |
Rebecca
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The Weller 100 isn't hot enough for me. It seems to lose its heat and then I have to wait for it.
Rebecca
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Don Burt
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I have a number of irons and usually use a hexacon 150. I plug it into an Inland rheostat. I set it a 6.5 and start soldering too early because I can't wait. so those joints have a little unsightly bulge to them, or a little solder 'trail' off to the side. Then eventually it gets hot enough and I do about three perfect flat joints. Then it gets too hot and I obliterate one. The I set it to 5.5 and as it cools down, I cut and rebuild the joint that I screwed up. Then I turn it back up to 6.5 and start over with the process. I suspect this technique could be slightly improved.
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