What soldering iron brands and other stuff do i need?

[slashsound]

Hi guys, Im about ready to small with real small projects...I would like to know what are the good brands for this trade for soldering irons...and what type do i need etc. Also what other tools should I buy, and what brands do you think are good? Do i need an oscilliscope and tube tester? Do I really need a multimeter and if so, is a cheapo ok or should or should i get the expensive ones? If so what is a good brand and model? Thanks alot you guys for helping me out.

[mwm523]

For soldering irons, some guys just use the cheap ones from Radio Shack. They work reasonably well but the tips don't last very long, and the irons burn out fairly quickly if you use them a lot. Many guys here use adjustable temp soldering stations like the Hakko 936 or the Weller WES51. I have the Hakko 936 and I absolutely love it. With an adjustable iron, you can tweak the temperature to exactly what works best for you. And the tips last MUCH longer than the Radio Shack ones. This is one of the best purchases I've made.

Oscilliscope? You probably won't need one for your basic amp projects. They can be very helpful troubleshooting tools if you have problems, but they're fairly expensive and have a large learning curve.

You really don't need a tube tester either, unless you're going to be testing and matching your own tubes. If you get your tubes from reputable sources, they will be tested and matched for you.

You DO need an accurate digital multimeter that can measure up to 600V DC. Fluke are among the best, but they're pricey. You don't necessarily need a Fluke though... But don't get the cheapest you can find either. I have this and it works well, but didn't break the bank:

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index ... Id=2223843" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Good luck!

[thousandshirts]

I have the Hakko 936 and I absolutely love it. This is one of the best purchases I've made.

+1 The right price, adjustable temperature, and interchangeable tips.

Oscilliscope? You probably won't need one for your basic amp projects.

+1 Or even for more complicated amp projects. Totally unnecessary for building your first amp at any rate.
Or second amp. Or tenth.

You really don't need a tube tester either

+1 There are so many different kinds of tube testers. You buy a tube from a seller, and test it on your own tube tester, and it gives you a totally different reading. There is no standard for tube tester calibration. Without getting too technical about it, all a tube tester will do is tell you whether a tube works or not. Which you can test by putting it in an amp. Having a tube tester is totally unnecessary for building your first amp. Or second. Or twentieth!

You DO need an accurate digital multimeter that can measure up to 600V DC.

+1 Spend a bit on your meter. Get a good one. You don't have to go with a Fluke, as MWM mentions, but as he says, be mindful and don't go cheaping out on your meter. I find that cheap meters break frequently and my good meters have yet to ever fail. You end up paying more in the long run using cheap meters.

You can't confidently complete your first amplifier without a metering device of some kind. You don't need a scope, or a tube tester, or a signal generator, or any of that crap, but you do need something to measure voltages and resistances. A digital multimeter is the answer.

Get some cheap hand tools - feel free to get cheapo needlenose pliers, and a few other pairs of pliers in the small size to bend and hold parts. But DON'T cheap out on your wire strippers. Get a good pair of wire strippers. Good wire strippers are in the $20 or less range, and cheap wire strippers are in the $10 or less range, at least around here. The difference doesn't seem like a lot of money, but wait until it cuts right through a wire you only wanted the insulation off of, or other various frustrating things. You can skimp a bit on wire cutters, too, if you want, but don't skimp on the strippers.

Another thing not to skimp on is the solder removal tool. Get the real Edsyn brand Sold-A-Pult, not the cheapo imitations. Again, the imitations break. I know. I've broken them. Still have my Edsyn, though.

That ought to keep you busy for a bit. Keep us posted.

[demonufo]

All good advice.

Personally I'm not too keen on solder suckers, but do use them to save on using all of my precious braid. I always finish the job with DECENT desolder braid (solder wick). Bad ones do almost nothing and use impossible amounts of heat, good ones give you clean effortless solder free connections to start all over again.
Servisol's soldamop is great if you can find it.

Also with the irons, choice depends a little on technique. Most people prefer to use something in the range of 15 to 25W, but I prefer using my little 50W Antex station, using it flat out, and working fast. Probably not for beginners, but food for thought. At least with a temperature controlled station you can turn it down.

The multimeter is your most important friend however, and should be considered carefully.
Ideally, for biasing, we ought to be using a seperate low voltage meter (as most generic multi-meters aren't going to be very accurate down in the millivolts range), but I suspect almost all people around here don't bother. In any case, eventually you'll likely start using the meter as a guide, and begin to use your ears a little.

Oh yeah, disposable chopsticks (or something similar) are probably the most important tool you'll need.

[SandovalPDV]

Another thing not to skimp on is the solder removal tool. Get the real Edsyn brand Sold-A-Pult, not the cheapo imitations. Again, the imitations break. I know. I've broken them. Still have my Edsyn, though.

Which model have you been using? They have a lot of different ones. The stations are real cool but so expensive.