- Tue Jan 12, 2010 6:01 am
#90258
I am new to electronics. Please be forgiving of anything ignorant I say and please provide your advice if you can.
I have been trying to find a soldering station to purchase. I want to spent upto ~50GBP i.e $80 but the less the better. However I want to purchase something that will not be frustrating as I move away from beginner projects. If you have any good recommendations please let me know.
There are a few things I am unsure about and I would like to ask here.
1. Digital vs analogue solder stations. Is the difference here simply how you set the temperature (buttons vs analog switch) and the lcd display in the digital one OR are there differences in terms of functionality?
2. Power. I understand that soldering pipes etc needs big watts but for electronics wattage seems to range from 20-80W. What should I be aware of here? Most irons in the range I am looking for seem to be 40-50W.
3. Tips. They are not interchangeable between brands? Should this be a major consideration when buying an iron? How long do they typically last?
4. Anything else that you learned "the hard way" that would be useful to me?
Any input would be appreciated to the extreme.
Thanks
I have been trying to find a soldering station to purchase. I want to spent upto ~50GBP i.e $80 but the less the better. However I want to purchase something that will not be frustrating as I move away from beginner projects. If you have any good recommendations please let me know.
There are a few things I am unsure about and I would like to ask here.
1. Digital vs analogue solder stations. Is the difference here simply how you set the temperature (buttons vs analog switch) and the lcd display in the digital one OR are there differences in terms of functionality?
2. Power. I understand that soldering pipes etc needs big watts but for electronics wattage seems to range from 20-80W. What should I be aware of here? Most irons in the range I am looking for seem to be 40-50W.
3. Tips. They are not interchangeable between brands? Should this be a major consideration when buying an iron? How long do they typically last?
4. Anything else that you learned "the hard way" that would be useful to me?
Any input would be appreciated to the extreme.
Thanks