[Elecraft] soldering station info, from a guy who does it all day: slightly OT

[Steve Jackson]

I am fortunate enough to have, either at work or at
home, at least one each of the several top-grade
soldering stations.... Pace, Metcal, Hakko, Edsyn,
Weller ... and several versions of each of these
manufacturers' product lines as well, in some cases.

As you'd expect, for professional use, the Pace and
the Metcal are the most costly - and the "best" at
what they do.  In general, some of these stations cost
far more than a completely loaded K2, putting them out
of consideration for someone doing hobby work!

And, for hobby work, the reality is that almost any
decent, temperature-controlled iron will do nicely. 

Your K2 (or any Elecraft kit) is REALLY engineered to
be straightforward to do, and doesn't take much in the
way of specialized tools.  It *IS* much easier with a
good iron, to be certain, and such can be had for
$40-$125 new, depending on how fancy you want to get,
or a fraction of that cost used.  

Definition of a 'good iron' is one that isn't a $10
non-temp-controlled pencil, and which also has a tip
suitable for use on common DIP parts, and which is
used with a suitable way of keeping the tip clean and
tinned.

To answer the next question ... what do I use myself,
since I do this for a living?  Well, at home, I have
two WTCP- series Wellers, plus a Metcal 500
dual-output unit, with an RM3 iron using 700 degree
tips, and Talon/TATC tweezers, and a Hakko 808.  At
work, my personal bench hols a pair of Weller
stations, one WSL2 and a WSL, supporting two irons on
the WSL2 and hot tweezers on the WSL, and another
Hakko 808.  The manufacturing shop uses top-line Pace
gear, mostly, and some trusty old Edsyns too, which
don't get the applause they deserve.

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