During a repair group potluck, I said budget soldering irons are fine. The awkward pause said it all.

2 comments

2 Comments

Oh wow, I know exactly what you mean! Budget soldering irons can get the job done sometimes, but they have their issues. I once tried to fix a guitar pedal with a ten-dollar iron from the hardware store. The tip oxidized so fast it was basically useless after two joints. I had to borrow a better one from a friend to finish the repair. Now I save up for mid-range tools because cheap ones just cost more in frustration.

ward.tara9h ago

Keep a damp sponge handy to clean the tip constantly.