Bench Soldering Equipment / Tools Suggestions

[LB-V]

There are several seasoned bench DIYers on this Forum who's capabilities I have a great deal of respect for.

I am starting a very simple bench...tired of relying on expensive not so good technical shops and simply want to enjoy doing it myself.

Any suggestions out there for time tested soldering equipment and / or other primary bench hand tools that can save me the hit and miss of looking from a clean slate and/or learning the hard way?

Thank you!

 

[Sonik Wiz]

There are several seasoned bench DIYers on this Forum who's capabilities I have a great deal of respect for.

I am starting a very simple bench...tired of relying on expensive not so good technical shops and simply want to enjoy doing it myself.

Any suggestions out there for time tested soldering equipment and / or other primary bench hand tools that can save me the hit and miss of looking from a clean slate and/or learning the hard way?

Thank you!

I don't know how much help I'll be but that doesn't stop me from replying...
Myself I use a 50 yo Archer soldering pencil/gun at I think 30 watts. It's the simple type no temp control just a base with a spiral/spring holder. The tips can be bought locally. It's served me well with very rarely a burned component or cold solder joint.

For big wires I use a 50/100 watt Weller gun. Works good.

I'm sure there are some folks that would cringe at not using a more elaborate temp controlled unit. I just checked on Amazon & see some decent ones for only $50>$60.

A big thing to consider is if you anticipate working with SMD. That requires a whole different set of tools. There are even tutorial type kits out there designed to teach SMD soldering skills. I think Vellman makes some. Also an LCD microscope comes in handy as suggested elsewhere by Chucky. I bought one for my wife (not soldering) for about $129.

Hook up a power strip that runs the width of your table. Build a top shelf over the width of the bench so you can keep things your not currently using out of the way but close in reach. When possible get needle nose pliers & wire cutters with spring open. And other than generally good room light, get a desk lamp to get a better look at what you're doing.

 

[~dave~~wave~]

One word: Panavise

 

[Tribby2001]

One word: Panavise

...with the alligator clips.

Magnifying glass.

Many youtube tutorials.

 

[LB-V]

This is more exciting than I anticipated!

Please keep the suggestions coming!

 

[jefe1]

You probably have the requisite knowledge but I took electricity in high school and built a couple of simple devices. Nothing since then.
I would like to take a beginning or intro class for electricity and electronics to basically be able to do what you want. I have and know how to use a soldering iron but that's it for me....

 

[DuncanS]

Decent desoldering kit/tools. The technicians in the Lab all use Metcal kit with an active vacuum pump, which is not cheap. I always got on well with solder braid even with SMD components, as I couldn't really go to a Tech if all I wanted was a resistor changed - now it would be difficult to see the 0201 SMD resistors/capacitors!

 

[Sonik Wiz]

This is more exciting than I anticipated!

Please keep the suggestions coming!

Glue a piece of carpet down in the main work area of the bench. Keeps things scratch free. Apply some quarter round trim or the such to the bench perimeter. Keeps tiny parts from rolling on to the floor.

 

[jamoke]

I just retired a 40 year old Weller solder station and replaced with this:

Amazon Link

So far I'm loving it. Affordable and checks all my boxes.

 

[gene_stl]

G

 

[dadregga]

I highly recommend the Pinecil - it's cheap, easy to use, reliable, very precise, gets PLENTY hot enough for the biggest jobs, and completely replaced my (more expensive) soldering station - which I have never missed. The Pinecil does a better job in every way.

A desoldering gun is nice, but a proper well-made piston sucker is good enough to start with.

 

[Quadwreck]

Every soldering station should have a small fan (or vacuum) to keep the solder smoke away from your face.

 

[LB-V]

I highly recommend the Pinecil - it's cheap, easy to use, reliable, very precise, gets PLENTY hot enough for the biggest jobs, and completely replaced my (more expensive) soldering station - which I have never missed. The Pinecil does a better job in every way.

A desoldering gun is nice, but a proper well-made piston sucker is good enough to start with.

Looks like a great one to get things going. Great price to make sure I can even see well enough to solder....!

 

[LB-V]

Really appreciate all the great input!!! Saving me so much pain on a learning curve.

 

[LB-V]

LCD microscope

Well, now those are cool. Not sure if I'll need one, but man, how helpful would that be.

 

[barfle]

I’ve been using Weller temperature controlled tip so
dering irons since 1970. I’ve replaced a few since they eventually broke the low-voltage wire between the pencil and the stand/transformer. These use a magnet in the tip that sets the temperature. They also have a sponge that should be used prior to every application to a solder joint, and NOT when you return the tip to the stand. Keep a coating of solder on the tip at all times. I put solder on the tip whenever I turn the iron off to make sure it doesn’t corrode. The things Ikve seen…

I’m going to disagree with @Sonik Wiz and say that you probably want an anti-static mat on your bench top. It will prevent static damage to many of the parts being made these days that can be destroyed by as little as 10 or 12 volts. If there’s a field-effect transistor (FET) in the circuit, you’ll probably thank me.

I also have one of those magnifying lamps that I’ve permanently mounted to the bench.

Other good things to have are a variable power supply and a signal generator. I designed my own supply (stable 12V regulator with a pot across it, buffer op-amp and a big honkin’ emitter-follower to drive the output) and as I’ve already bragged about the signal generator in my ‘scope, I won’t go further.

If you’re going to be working on power amps, you might also want a variac (provides a way to turn down the AC voltage on startup, so if the smoke starts to escape from one of the components, you can catch it before it gets real bad) and a load resistor. Both of these can get expensive, although you might get lucky buying surplus.

 

[LB-V]

signal generator

I was thinking the 'scope has a signal generator. Is that a bad assumption?

 

[barfle]

I was thinking the 'scope has a signal generator. Is that a bad assumption?

My scope has two signal generators in it. And they can be set for the same signal with a phase shift between them, which will make a big difference in working in quad decoders.

 

[par4ken]

I would not want to recap a vintage receiver without the aid of a desoldering station.

Decent desoldering kit/tools. The technicians in the Lab all use Metcal kit with an active vacuum pump, which is not cheap. I always got on well with solder braid even with SMD components, as I couldn't really go to a Tech if all I wanted was a resistor changed - now it would be difficult to see the 0201 SMD resistors/capacitors!

We eventually upgraded to Metcal at work, but our units required the use of shop air. Prior to that we used Pace, I scavenged one that was being discarded. I had to purchase new tips and the glass tube that sits inside the handle. Be careful when you take it apart for cleaning, the glass tube doesn't like being dropped on a concrete floor!

Glue a piece of carpet down in the main work area of the bench. Keeps things scratch free. Apply some quarter round trim or the such to the bench perimeter. Keeps tiny parts from rolling on to the floor.

That is what my friend who ran a TV repair shop did!

I’m going to disagree with @Sonik Wiz and say that you probably want an anti-static mat on your bench top. It will prevent static damage to many of the parts being made these days that can be destroyed by as little as 10 or 12 volts. If there’s a field-effect transistor (FET) in the circuit, you’ll probably thank me.

An anti-static mat is not a bad idea depending on what you are working on. For most vintage audio equipment it is likely not necessary. I might worry about the possibility of a static charge building up on a piece of carpet.

My scope has two signal generators in it. And they can be set for the same signal with a phase shift between them, which will make a big difference in working in quad decoders.

Cool, I have a very old HP "Wide Band Oscillator" that was originally used by the telephone company. I forget if I found it in the landfill or if a buddy gave it to me. In addition to that I use my computer and Adobe Audition 3 to generate tones. The ability to set the phase of the stereo outputs is great for testing quad decoders.

 

[gene_stl]

I