buying a soldering iron..

[Tony Hardie-Bick]

deeplfo wrote:
>> Do any of the DIY'ers have any tips (no pun intended) on purchasing a
> 
>> soldering iron?
> 
> Three things that I've came away from with soldering projects: first make
> sure the tip is suitable for the task at hand, i.e. not too thick or too
> thin.  Second, make sure it has a good power rating, i.e. it can get hot
> enough (again for the task at hand).  And finally, make sure you use a solder
> that is of high quality.

High power with basic temperature control is very helpful. If you rely on 
dissipation of heat into the object to define temperature, you'll do well on 
some joints, bad on others, and wonder what you're doing wrong. You don't need a 
solder station, just a 50W iron with a built-in adjustable temp control. Also, a 
good stand is helpful, as Martin says.

Tony (HB)