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

4 comments

4 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.

dylan_foster2mo ago

Ever had a cheap iron tip go bad immediately? Mine oxidized on the first joint and just smeared solder everywhere. Total waste of money.

ward.tara2mo ago

Keep a damp sponge handy to clean the tip constantly.

burns.brian2mo ago

Actually, a wet sponge can shock and crack a hot tip over time. A lot of people use brass wool instead, it cleans without the sudden cool down. Abby_brown's story about the tip going bad fast is a perfect example of how that happens. Constant wet sponge use just speeds up the damage on cheaper irons. You want to keep the tip tinned with solder, not just wipe it clean.