Choosing the best tools for your soldering work bench.
Building the ultimate electronics workbench for the beginner can be a bit daunting. With so many choices of soldering equipment and tools, figuring out what you need can be difficult. Here's our quick guide for the cash strapped electronics enthusiast or maker.
Soldering Iron
There are many different types of soldering iron available on the market today, some are ideal for hobbyists and occasional use, others are built for every day use, even in electronics production. There are also specialist irons such as T2483 which has a jumbo chisel tip for serious solder repairs on pipes, leadlighting and tinning large conductor cables.
A 20W iron is the absolute minimum for most electronics work, but 40-50W is the best choice for both value and performance for most enthusiasts. Wattage is probably the most important factor when choosing an iron as it determines how long the iron will take to heat up and how long it will take to heat a solder joint. A higher wattage iron also has better tip temperature stability, as heat is pulled away from the tip as you solder, it is replenished faster. This allows you to move from joint to joint on a board quite quickly. This might not seem a concern for a beginner, but you will be surprised how quickly your soldering skills will improve!
All of our soldering irons have interchangeable tips so you can change tips to suit different soldering needs, larger soldering pads typically use larger tips. Conical tips are typically used for more precise work, whilst chisels store more heat and are ideal for general through hole components or dragging solder across flat seams. For beginners, a small chisel is an ideal choice, this is because learners typically apply pressure when soldering and this can quickly deteriorate a fine conical tip. We also stock tip spares for irons we have discontinued from our range for up to 10 years, so you can always be sure to get replacements.
Adjustable temperature irons are a great choice if your budget allows for it. These irons allow you to quickly dial in the working temperature you need which can reduce tip wear and protect your components (and PCB) from heat damage.
Soldering Iron Stand
All Micron irons are supplied with a bench stand (its the law!), but you may want to invest in something a little bit more substantial. We think the T1306 is the best stand we sell, mainly because it stores your solder and tip cleaning sponge all in the same place. Plus it's weighty base keeps it where you need it on your bench. This is the #1 upgrade for anyone using a regular handheld soldering iron.
Tip Cleaner
Cleaning carbon, flux and excess solder from your tip is a vital part of soldering. The easiest and cheapest way to do this is a wet sponge. A stand such as T 1306 or T 1310A offers this basic convenience - but if you want to get a little bit fancy, T 1330 dry tip cleaner is where its at. This cleaner is made from "metal wool" which quickly cleans tips without that pesky trip to the tap to wet your sponge twice a day.
Solder
Choosing solder is probably an article in itself, with so many brands, grades, types and sizes available from suppliers it can get pretty confusing! Our range is pretty simple, lead and lead free resin cored solder. We've tried a few suppliers over the years, but we've stuck with our current one for two decades - reason being, its just good quality solder. We even use it in our kits and Redback production departments.
One thing to bear in mind is melting point. Leaded solder typically melts at a much lower temperature (185 deg. C) than lead free and as a result you can get away with a lower power soldering iron. Lead free solder melts at 217-220 deg. C which may require a temperature adjustable soldering iron for reliable joints. For beginners, we recommend sticking with leaded solder.
Other Tools
One item we recommend you don't skimp on is a great pair of precision snippers. The best 'snips' often have hardened jaws for longer life and much better grips for added comfort. Our T 2745A cutters were once described by one of our customers as "Quite possibly the greatest pair of side-cutters I've ever had the pleasure of owning"
With soldering it can sometimes feel like you need a third hand, so for that you need the helping hands (T1450 and T1460). These handy bench clips secure wires, connectors, PCB and components while you apply solder. Another essential is the T 2356 spring loaded PCB holder, a sturdy soldering platform for your workbench.
Finally, soldering mishaps will happen, you'll solder a diode or capacitor in the wrong way around at some point. So its best to be prepared for when it does happen. The best beginner tool for "rework" (the polite word in electronics for "stuffing up") is the T 1242 solder sucker. You can also use desoldering braid, such as those found here to help soak up solder from joints.
Happy building!
Handy products to get started with soldering.
T1306 Solder Reel/Iron Holder Stand
T2356 Rotating Spring Loaded Desktop PCB Holder
T1242A Aluminium Solder Sucker
