Soldering Iron
 

I bought a Draper 60w soldering iron and Im highly dissapointed in it. The first one had the tip crumbling after only a weeks use and the 2nd I got sent as a replacement did the exact same thing. So, im looking for a new iron, I basically want one which can take alot of use and the tip will stay great. Im looking at an Antex as I have a 25w one and the tip is immaculate after a few years use. It has to be mains powered and reasonably cheap.

Weller make great irons - we use them exclusively at work. They're not that cheap new, but you can often get them for a good price second hand.

Otherwise, I've got one of these at home which has stood up to about a year's occasional use well http://www.maplin.co.uk/module.aspx?...10271&doy=28m1
. They often have them on special in store (at least they do at the branch near me). Just make sure you don't buy their dodgy lead-free solder which basically doesn't stick to anything!

I have had 3 of their soldering irons, that all broke.

So I bought a precision gold one from Maplins, its really hot, has a digital thermo probe, so you can set the temp, and was £40.

I have a wellar 80w iron it cost me18 pound and ive had it 6 months the best iron i have ever bought. It will sodler anything from batterys to v2 motors and even little switches like on speedo's.

Top Iron.

A

I got this one currently http://www.maplin.co.uk/module.aspx?...35016&doy=29m1 as my old one, the tip has finally gone and I can't find a replacement (it is about 12 years old), does everything from receiver wires up to soldering wires onto V2 motors, best, being temp controlled, turn it down to simmer so it don't take long to heat back up.

Steve the only problem with the Iron you are recommending is that you cant get a tip big enough, so soldering V2's is near imposible as with such a small tip it just can't retain the required temp (I also thought it would be ok, and it has been sat unused in my desk draw for over a year now)

I've got one of these as well, it'll take your eyebrows off from 10 paces!!:wtf:
They are brilliant irons, as they will do cell connections very quickly indeed, V2 motors with no problem and general electrical stuff just as well.
Try:-
www.tooled-up.com
as they are around £20.00 and are a great deal.

If money isn't too much of a concern, I have had this kit from Snap on for 7 years, it's never let me down and has soldered motor cables on a frosty, windy morning without missing a beat.
http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item....uk&dir=catalog

They do a normal chisel tip, and yes, I got that and yes, it has happily soldered and unsoldered a V2 in a very VERY cold school barn last weekend.

When ever I have asked about replacment tips for it at Maplin, they just give me the pack of 3 small tips and claim that,thats all they do for it

I use the big one out of there, worked fine for me Brian.

Dont ask, use the cataloge! They do, trust me i used to be a manager there.

If someone want this soldering iron they can have it for £25 posted, as I have just boughy a Spec 50watt 12v iron.

where did you get that from brian ?? im after a good 12v :cool:

MRT do a nice 40w 12v iron with interchangable bits

http://stores.ebay.co.uk/MRT-Racing-Supplies

HTH

Paul PM sent

you can still get the 35w trickbits one (now rebadged as slipstream rc and half the price!!) less than £20 posted

The only trouble with those Chris is that they don't conform to rospa, that's why only that shop has them, and now you can only get the 25watt version from anywhere else.

who's rospa and why does that make any difference?

They are the people that pass this sort of item as safe I think.
If you ask any model shop other that the one you mentioned Chris they will tell you the same thing.