My new Pace ST115 heats up to 350C in 7 seconds. The JBC that I was looking at (and couldn't afford) says they can do it in 2.5 seconds.

 

The harbor freight ones kinda suck, I use their $3 ones. Just use then throw when your done lol.

 

Because:

1: Nice tools make the work more pleasant (applies to all tools),
2: Good irons have good tips, and good tips both flow better and last forever,
3: Station-based irons usually have much faster thermal recovery than unregulated pencil irons, and
4: You like the cоck.




The Metcal MX-500s we have here in the lab make a Weller WES51 look like a cheap, Chinese-made *****.

At home, however, I use a Weller. I have literally been using the same tip for over a decade at this point.


This image, by artist Paul Cadden, was drawn with a graphite pencil:



Nobody is saying that you can't do quality work with cheap tools.

But I am saying that nice tools will last much longer and will generally make life more pleasant.

 

You can also turbo a miata for under $400 and win races.

 

My analogy is better than yours joe.

 

Yes, I will have to concede that point.

 

I wasnt saying "Why would you buy the Weller soldering station?". I was saying, "Why would you buy that harbor freight gun monstrosity?", then continued to say that most people dont need a soldering station.

You cant argue with that soldering in the photograph.
That cheap iron available right now at radioshack is more than enough for what almost anybody working on a car does.
40 watts for heating it up and working with big wires, and 20 watts for working on through hole PCBs.

I have said radioshack iron, A friend gave it to me when he got a legitimate soldering station. Before I got it he used it to modify 100+ Honda ECUs in addition to countless other projects. He had it for years. Now I have it, and although Ill probably end up getting a Hakko 888 station soon, I suspect this iron will still be around for a long time.

Having a $100 soldering station to soldering 16 gauge wires together occasionally is very clubroadster