UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum - View Single Post

knobtwiddler · 9th Nov 2019, 10:46 pm

As someone who does the electronics lark for a living, I have to repeat what others have said. I reckon a 2nd-hand TCP on Ebay is about the minimum if the gear you work on has any value. I often work on 70s gear with SS PCBs. They can de-laminate easily, even with an expensive temp-controlled iron. We currently rely on WSD81s, but Metcal or JBC ought to be on the cards at some point as I don't have the faith in Weller that I used to (note that the firm has changed hands a few times over the years and there are very mixed reviews for their current lower end range).

9th Nov 2019, 10:46 pm	#28
knobtwiddler Octode Join Date: Mar 2016 Location: London, UK. Posts: 1,047	Re: Soldering Iron For PCB's As someone who does the electronics lark for a living, I have to repeat what others have said. I reckon a 2nd-hand TCP on Ebay is about the minimum if the gear you work on has any value. I often work on 70s gear with SS PCBs. They can de-laminate easily, even with an expensive temp-controlled iron. We currently rely on WSD81s, but Metcal or JBC ought to be on the cards at some point as I don't have the faith in Weller that I used to (note that the firm has changed hands a few times over the years and there are very mixed reviews for their current lower end range).