Fairfax County General :
Fairfax Underground
Welcome to Fairfax Underground, a project site designed to improve communication among residents of Fairfax County, VA. Feel free to post anything Northern Virginia residents would find interesting.
Welcome to Fairfax Underground, a project site designed to improve communication among residents of Fairfax County, VA. Feel free to post anything Northern Virginia residents would find interesting.
Soldering supplies
Posted by:
Radian
()
Date: March 11, 2013 08:57PM
I don't usually post here asking questions... buuuuut..
I have a bunch of circuit boards I'll be putting together in a week or two. I have a chintzy, cheap Weller pen I got from Home Depot but it won't do. Think I'll get myself a Hakko soldering station. Of course I can get everything I need off the 'net but it would be nice to support the local economy if I need supplies.
Back in the day I used to hit up Radio Shack but they seem to have mostly gone over to mobile phones and cheap RC toys. Not as much soldering stuff there anymore. There used to be a place in Fredericksburg called Colonial Electric Supply that had EVERYTHING but that was years ago and I moved up here.
Any electronics geeks around here? Any decent shops near Springfield?
I have a bunch of circuit boards I'll be putting together in a week or two. I have a chintzy, cheap Weller pen I got from Home Depot but it won't do. Think I'll get myself a Hakko soldering station. Of course I can get everything I need off the 'net but it would be nice to support the local economy if I need supplies.
Back in the day I used to hit up Radio Shack but they seem to have mostly gone over to mobile phones and cheap RC toys. Not as much soldering stuff there anymore. There used to be a place in Fredericksburg called Colonial Electric Supply that had EVERYTHING but that was years ago and I moved up here.
Any electronics geeks around here? Any decent shops near Springfield?
Re: Soldering supplies
Posted by:
GiveAFlux
()
Date: March 11, 2013 09:37PM
Arcade-electronics.com
Re: Soldering supplies
Posted by:
496
()
Date: March 11, 2013 09:42PM
Soldiering supplies? Rucksack, ammo, weapons.....
Re: Soldering supplies
Posted by:
Hard to find
()
Date: March 11, 2013 09:44PM
Micro Center has a small amount of soldering equipment and supplies.
Re: Soldering supplies
Posted by:
Radian
()
Date: March 11, 2013 09:49PM
GiveAFlux Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Arcade-electronics.com
Hey cool, looks like a good place! thanks!
-------------------------------------------------------
> Arcade-electronics.com
Hey cool, looks like a good place! thanks!
Re: Soldering supplies
Posted by:
Jimbo
()
Date: March 11, 2013 10:19PM
If by cheap Weller pen, you mean the little battery powered gizmo, that thing is a piece of junk. Spend $15 on one of the ones with a cord and you're good to go.
Re: Soldering supplies
Posted by:
Radian
()
Date: March 11, 2013 11:27PM
Hey Jimbo -
It actually does have a cord, it's a 40 watt iron. It's OK for soldering connectors and wires but I haven't done any circuit boards in like 20 years - and to be frank I wasn't that great at it then.
So anyway I watched these tutorials yesterday:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=J5Sb21qbpEQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=fYz5nIHH0iY
after watching those I think I need to step up from the one I have if I'm going to be doing circuit boards and some RF components. Was looking at the Hakko station like the one seen in the video, but according to the reviews I have found the Weller is good too.
It actually does have a cord, it's a 40 watt iron. It's OK for soldering connectors and wires but I haven't done any circuit boards in like 20 years - and to be frank I wasn't that great at it then.
So anyway I watched these tutorials yesterday:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=J5Sb21qbpEQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=fYz5nIHH0iY
after watching those I think I need to step up from the one I have if I'm going to be doing circuit boards and some RF components. Was looking at the Hakko station like the one seen in the video, but according to the reviews I have found the Weller is good too.
Re: Soldering supplies
Posted by:
Hank Hill
()
Date: March 11, 2013 11:52PM
I really like the butane soldering irons. They need no AC cord (great for car electronics work) and have a lot of adjustable temperatures. I have used them for fine circuit board soldering, just watch your temps (helps to have a thermocouple on your DVM.)
Also gives me another reason to buy butane besides my Xikar lighter.
Propane and propane products.
Also gives me another reason to buy butane besides my Xikar lighter.
Propane and propane products.