Solder station bargain?
- Thread starter DaveKen
- Start date
graham-r
pfm Member
I would say that is the best approach, even though I have just bought a Maplin one myself, I suppose the 'Gold' range is just a Maplin brand ? Anyway it will do until I get my geriatric RS station back in service.
Not all Maplin is crappy surly,
I know my irons were but I made the mistake of buying the cheapest, I know Maplin knew one iron was pretty crappy as they soon withdrew it from sale. My iron mistake was in thinking an adjustable temperature was what I needed and buying the cheapest. My Metcal iron has a fixed temperature, yes I can change the tip for differing temperatures and I did buy a few different Metcal tips but in reality one tip has been in the iron for some considerable time, it can flow solder around the biggest ground plane or heat sink tab or a SMT 0805 device that's just 2.0 × 1.25 mm. All one tip.
I also have a Maplin multimeter from about 1988 and its still going strong, no Ultra fast HRC fusing but not a lot did back then and I always use GS38 leads these days anyway.
I know my irons were but I made the mistake of buying the cheapest, I know Maplin knew one iron was pretty crappy as they soon withdrew it from sale. My iron mistake was in thinking an adjustable temperature was what I needed and buying the cheapest. My Metcal iron has a fixed temperature, yes I can change the tip for differing temperatures and I did buy a few different Metcal tips but in reality one tip has been in the iron for some considerable time, it can flow solder around the biggest ground plane or heat sink tab or a SMT 0805 device that's just 2.0 × 1.25 mm. All one tip.
I also have a Maplin multimeter from about 1988 and its still going strong, no Ultra fast HRC fusing but not a lot did back then and I always use GS38 leads these days anyway.
Robert
Tapehead
Just buy a couple of Antex irons - low and medium powers cover most audio related uses.
I've used them pretty exclusively for 25 years. Reliable and long lasting.
Avoid cheap Maplin stations. The ones I've tried previously have ended up in the bin pretty sharpish.
Spend the extra fiver for the silicone jacketed mains lead versions. Nicer to use.
I've used them pretty exclusively for 25 years. Reliable and long lasting.
Avoid cheap Maplin stations. The ones I've tried previously have ended up in the bin pretty sharpish.
Spend the extra fiver for the silicone jacketed mains lead versions. Nicer to use.
My 25W iron has done everything I needed it to as well. The tip is held on my a little grub screw and from experience it's not a good idea. I had another iron like that and the heat knacked the grub screw and there was no way it was coming out so the Draper one has been left alone, I just file or sand the tip clean. It's getting rather short now though ;0)
Not everything Maplin sells is rubbish obviously but a lot of it is. What I've found is that they sell poor quality stuff for the same price as decent quality stuff that you can buy in RS etc.
I have a digital multi-meter from Aldi that cost about a tenner. Had it for years and it works fine. I've had to buy new leads for it and it's a bit slow but it does the job, ish
Not everything Maplin sells is rubbish obviously but a lot of it is. What I've found is that they sell poor quality stuff for the same price as decent quality stuff that you can buy in RS etc.
I have a digital multi-meter from Aldi that cost about a tenner. Had it for years and it works fine. I've had to buy new leads for it and it's a bit slow but it does the job, ish
Yes for sure, mate has an Antex with the standard
cable
How did they get such a rigid cable?
Well, my new soldering station arrived today.
I bought an Atten 963b which is a clone of the Hakko 963. I'll report on how it works out later, first impressions are ok. It's clearly a budget product but it does work. Parts are readily available and cheap, whole thing cost around £40 delivered.
I bought an Atten 963b which is a clone of the Hakko 963. I'll report on how it works out later, first impressions are ok. It's clearly a budget product but it does work. Parts are readily available and cheap, whole thing cost around £40 delivered.
graham-r
pfm Member
The Maplin soldering is coming up to it's 1 month birthday without breaking - is this a record ?
graham-r
pfm Member
Still going strong.
I used a similar one from Maplins for 2 years before it eventually packed in after I guess 500 hours service (professional use). Bought as a stop-gap and worked pretty well but not great value. Others have had the same model and it's packed up after 100 hours. Now replaced with a used (but mint) Weller WTCP51 which will probably out last me. It uses the Magnastat tips, so far less to go wrong than with the PCB components of the Maplin variable temperature controlled iron.
les24preludes
pfm Member
I'm a very happy user of Metcal. I bought into the SP200 system 10 years ago and it's been faultless and so easy to use. Power stations are around £35 used, then you need the handset. The Oki SP-HC1 handset fits it, available from Farnell for £70. Put them together and that's a good price for Metcal. Even cheaper if you use the Thermaltronics version for £46. That's a real bargain. The SP200 is an older model - there are plenty of others, but you'd pay a lot more.
https://www.ams-electronics.co.uk/s...rmaltronics/thermaltronics-shp-s-handpiece-2/
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