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Uncle Bulgaria · 9th Nov 2019, 1:23 am

I have a second hand Weller WS81 and a couple of 'soldering pencils', for maybe £100.

I got it because I was fed up of bits wearing through and not being able to solder bus bars on valve amps. I am definitely a 'dining room table job' fellow, but have discovered that since splashing out on a serious step up from the Antexes and red-handled Wellers that I do a lot more soldering.

Suddenly other repairs become a pleasure rather than a game of chance as to whether the soldering's going to work or not.

The small tip option has been a real boon for doing the PCBs on the Uher I've had on the go for the last year.

I think, in my hobbyist's experience, "buy cheap; buy twice" is a truism when it comes to soldering irons. Getting a better one will improve your soldering and make you want to do it more, which should be factored in.

9th Nov 2019, 1:23 am	#24
Uncle Bulgaria Nonode Join Date: May 2016 Location: Cornwall, UK. Posts: 2,339	Re: Soldering Iron For PCB's I have a second hand Weller WS81 and a couple of 'soldering pencils', for maybe £100. I got it because I was fed up of bits wearing through and not being able to solder bus bars on valve amps. I am definitely a 'dining room table job' fellow, but have discovered that since splashing out on a serious step up from the Antexes and red-handled Wellers that I do a lot more soldering. Suddenly other repairs become a pleasure rather than a game of chance as to whether the soldering's going to work or not. The small tip option has been a real boon for doing the PCBs on the Uher I've had on the go for the last year. I think, in my hobbyist's experience, "buy cheap; buy twice" is a truism when it comes to soldering irons. Getting a better one will improve your soldering and make you want to do it more, which should be factored in.