Here's a link to a Pace soldering station on eBay:
**broken link removed**
How hard would it be to find tips, etc for this one? I want to replace my conventional soldering iron with a soldering station but I'm not sure what brands are the best. Thanks ahead of time.
With $18 shipping cost and you don't get a soldering iron, this is not a good deal.
I did a search for a Weller soldering station & found this one that looks good: **broken link removed**
I bought the Part #229673 soldering station from Jameco at Christmas time and could not be more pleased. However, I notice in the newest catalog www.jameco.com it has gone up to $59.95. Shipping was only another 7 dollars, I think.
The unit you first described has no iron.... the second unit has no control.
Dollar for dollar, I would recommend the Jameco item.
I bought the Part #229673 soldering station from Jameco at Christmas time and could not be more pleased. However, I notice in the newest catalog www.jameco.com it has gone up to $59.95. Shipping was only another 7 dollars, I think.
The unit you first described has no iron.... the second unit has no control.
Dollar for dollar, I would recommend the Jameco item.
This type of Weller has the control in the tip and handle, you have to have a different tip for each temperature. An elegant solution in my opinion, because when you change temperature you are more than likely to change shape of the tip.
The 700°F tip I use for most of my soldering heats to operating temperature in about 30 sec.!
The model has changed little in the 40 years I have used them, not much to go wrong. The only failure I recalled having was that of the macro switch contacts that I fixed by sanding with a fine emery cloth.