throbscottle
Well-Known Member
I took my soldering iron apart to see how I can modify to fit a thermocouple to connect a pid controller. Well, with not much poking and prodding one connecting wire came out of the element and it's binding wire started breaking into pretty little semicircles - so I don't have a soldering iron anymore.
I did eventually work out I can replace a grub screw with a modified one, with the thermocouple inside it.
The thermocouple wire has to go through the handle, but can run outside the barrel.
Please don't anyone suggest I get ready made station, even the cheapest are not affordable.
I'm looking at 40/50/60w irons now
In the meantime, I can't afford the likes of Weller or Antex, so I'm looking at cheap mains soldering irons on eBay. The ones like to my old one are very cheap, starting about £1, but the old one was pretty reliable. But I also found some WLXY irons - does anyone have experience with these? It comes with a 2 core lead - is it easy to get into the handle to fit 3 core?
Also I am looking at this one: **broken link removed**
no brand is given - note the nut that holds the tip on. Does anyone have experience with one of these, or this style at least? How easy would it be modify?
Also, the black and red Duratool irons look nice - does anyone have experience with these? Again, how modifiable are they?
There are some quite nice looking Hakko clones (well, I presume they're clones) which have a temperature adjuster in the handle. I'm guessing this doesn't have any kind of feedback, but again, they look like nice irons, and I'm wondering if they are similar enough to the Hakko soldering station irons I can put a thermocouple in the same way.
Well, anyway, thoughts and comments welcome as always
TIA
I did eventually work out I can replace a grub screw with a modified one, with the thermocouple inside it.
The thermocouple wire has to go through the handle, but can run outside the barrel.
Please don't anyone suggest I get ready made station, even the cheapest are not affordable.
I'm looking at 40/50/60w irons now
In the meantime, I can't afford the likes of Weller or Antex, so I'm looking at cheap mains soldering irons on eBay. The ones like to my old one are very cheap, starting about £1, but the old one was pretty reliable. But I also found some WLXY irons - does anyone have experience with these? It comes with a 2 core lead - is it easy to get into the handle to fit 3 core?
Also I am looking at this one: **broken link removed**
no brand is given - note the nut that holds the tip on. Does anyone have experience with one of these, or this style at least? How easy would it be modify?
Also, the black and red Duratool irons look nice - does anyone have experience with these? Again, how modifiable are they?
There are some quite nice looking Hakko clones (well, I presume they're clones) which have a temperature adjuster in the handle. I'm guessing this doesn't have any kind of feedback, but again, they look like nice irons, and I'm wondering if they are similar enough to the Hakko soldering station irons I can put a thermocouple in the same way.
Well, anyway, thoughts and comments welcome as always
TIA