Recommend good inexpensive Iron?

[pedalinbob]

i know this has bveen asked a million times in the past, and have read MANY threads, but i had a few extra questions.

im not a pro, so i figure an inexpensive ($50 or less) soldering iron will be fine. i dont do ultra-fine soldering.

however, i will be attempting to change emitters on a badboy--and those solder joints look TINY.

i think i would like an iron that is inexpensive, but adaptable with different tips. i guess a very fine pointy tip might work best on the above stated project?

is there an advantage in plated vs copper (or brass or whatever) tips?

what selection of tips would round out a decent soldering setup?

im currently looking at some radio shack models, but there are some wellers i have seen at sears.

thanks a bunch,
Bob

 

[louie]

Inexpensive is fine for most folks, although you do tend to get about what you pay for. Good irons hold temperature precisely, heat the joint quickly, have changeable tips that are plated so they don't rot away, have ESD safe, grounded tips. I wouldn't invest in an iron that is not temperature controlled. You can start with 3 or so tips in a range of sizes and tip shapes. I like short irons personally. OTOH, you can usually do the same work with a $5 cheapie if you are careful.

Someone recommended this line
MPJA company
which appears to be a copy of an expensive iron and a lot of bang for the buck. But I know nothing about it myself, I have a Pace commercial system.

 

[RussH]

I have several irons & several soldering guns but my latest purchase was this one from Circuit specialists:
http://www.web-tronics.com/cispdeesdsas.html I bought the largest chisel tip and the long conical tip (I don't recall the nos.), although the one that comes with it is fine. Part of the reason for buying extra tips was to get the free multimeter with order over $50. That offer is on the home page http://www.web-tronics.com/
There are lots of other good ones on thier site & I recommend you look around it some.HTH,

 

[PEU]

GOOT brand are really good, and not expensive.

 

[jayflash]

PEU, I half expected you to say: GOOT brand is really goot! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[PEU]

I left it bouncing for someone elses kick ... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif