Best soldering tip FYI

That's where I was, so I got a stereo microscope.
I wont be without one now.

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@DocStein99
Hot Air soldering:

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DocStein99:
I am NOT considering SMD. All of those tools will not help me hold, place those tiny components. I already have a tough enough time reading labels on DIP sized chips.

I find a cheap USB microscope useful for this.
Placing smd components i find increasingly difficult (shakes).

I wonder how the upcoming generation and new students handle this with fewer components being available in thriough hole packages.

Here is a good idea to get one stable hand :wink:

Edit:
In the version I made, I added a third, middle alligator clip at the center of the rod therefore there are 3 of them.
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i use something like this.

https://www.machinemart.co.uk/p/clarke-3-inch-vice-cdv30c/?da=1&TC=GS-040314019&gclid=COWAhveMgdACFdTNGwodrDEEsg

That has parallel jaws though, mine has a 2mm lip for sheet metal which is ideal for solderig PCBs.

Very solid so only twitch is the soldering iron.

Better pic, but mine is better. 2 quid from a boot sale

Those are good, got one in the shop too.

A good panavise is also a nice thing to have.

https://www.google.ca/search?q=panavise&rlz=1C9BKJA_enCA713CA713&hl=en-US&prmd=isvn&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&fir=DlHmuUzVTivrFM%253A%252C7GKe0iTB2S-OXM%252C_%253BZ9yyQh5mtQp_8M%253A%252C6pGGiMzKpwEG0M%252C_%253B_P_ns-eA084uAM%253A%252CIocbmGRqPFtgLM%252C_%253BTALzZwTBt54NOM%253A%252Cxr7lY8-Nlld7BM%252C_%253BbrnmygzzUBLVkM%253A%252C5vInuSy8npVyYM%252C_%253BZt69FgDMsLxquM%253A%252CHZyUMrk8k6GiMM%252C_%253BZ1EZo9iUdZrS_M%253A%252CiA4wgppLkFGzlM%252C_%253Bp_JzQ8P-D9UZmM%253A%252C6pGGiMzKpwEG0M%252C_%253Bekw2y67qnBp_dM%253A%252CuYQC-sa58sGOBM%252C_%253BEZJNm8d0dYvv9M%253A%252CjCReC05vKai06M%252C_&usg=__8-sRjp7zosv5gcvrXNczRsDeBYc%3D&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjRusLTjoHQAhVN7mMKHRM3BGUQsAQIYg&biw=1024&bih=748

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I use a rotisserie jig to hold circuit boards, is nice. Has a spring to move in and out to hold the board, flips around, and holds position. I would show a picture of it here, except the forum won't allow me to insert pictures (with ease). I bought it at a flea market for like $5.00 and had no idea what it was until I looked it up when I got home. It's old and indestructible. They are rare, I've never seen one for sale on any modern electric tool supply.

I have the panavise at work, with this pcb holder :

and is indeed useful for pcb repair/rework. For assembly I have this one from Weller :

nice to own, but I have not used it so much.
Both are not so cheap, but not very expensive.

Ciao, Ale.

I have seen these around but have not used them:
omni vice.

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Yes, mine looks like the "panavise" on Larryd's post at the top. I havent seen any of the other tools, they are interesting.

LarryD:
I have been using this tip shape for the last 10 months.
It is great for getting around and under things you are soldering.
As the tip is bent, you can easily move the contact point on the target to achieve more/less heat transfer.
The version I have is series 936 but it works well on my Hakko F888D iron.
I Run the tip at ~410C.
Highly recommend using this.
(probably invented by someone who dropped the iron on the floor.)

How to use:
https://www.hakko.com/english/tip_selection/type_j.html

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Hi,

Yes nice idea thanks, for when you cant quite get the right angle with a normal straight tip. I could see this working nicely when you have to solder something that is on a board that is right next to another board so you cant get the iron tip in there right unless you remove one of the boards, but a bent tip would help so you dont have to take out a board.

Great tip for small pads when under a big magnifying glass.
They reduce the distance from soldering iron to board which can disturb the focal distance of the glass.

I like using a chisel tip if I'm doing something that needs to transfer a lot of heat before it wicks, like large wiring. It also works well for soldering SMD, I've used it on 0.5mm pitch packages in a pinch. Dave @ eevblog has some great general soldering tutorials for anyone new to it.

Do those fancy bent tips sell for use with the threaded cheap type soldering iron?

Get a coffee and search eBay.

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Seems like a great deal for $35.00. I think I'll buy 5, they're small.

I got these (as mentioned, they work on FX888D iron).
They seem to work so far, I have no complaints yet.

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If you are careful, you might be able to make your own by heating and bending things yourself.

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I can bend my own, yes. Which would take less time then scanning ebay, waiting for a tip the wrong size to be delivered, and me spending more time to modify that one to fit.

Or I buy 10 of them at a time, thinking I will save time - and 10 wrong sized ones come in the mail.