x-tronic 4000 soldering station

Actually the solder iron is minimum 200C, I am afraid this is to high for the solder I use, I guess I looked at the gun temp which has 150C minimum. Hm...

Weller makes about the best there is as far as soldering stations - we have about 5 of them.

Good luck on your project - if soldering wire to connectors make sure you get an iron with enough tip mass to do the job properly.

Peter

Avs9 - I'm not sure why you need station and not the soldering iron. Do you do any work with surface mount?

180degC iron is wrong. Eutectic 63/37 solder (or solder paste) melts at 183degC and it would take forever to solder. Flux would clean oxidation and then evaporate while oxidation would come back. Proper temperature is 700degF (371degC). You can go higher but then flux will evaporate before completing cleaning job. If your solder contains silver you need perhaps 800degF.

I would recommend simple Weller like that one: http://www.amazon.com/WTCPT-Temperature-Controlled-Soldering-Station/dp/B00004W463/ref=sr_1_18?ie=UTF8&qid=1335131348&sr=8-18

It has tips marked for different temperature ranges. Typical one for typical Eutectic solder (63/37) is marked 7 for 700degF (you can buy different tips) Iron is 60W and adjusts power switching on and off in precise temperature point. Tip's butt has pressed in end piece made of metal that has precise curie point of 700degF (temp point where metal looses magnetic ability). Behind end of tip is small magnet connected to switch. It works really well - seems to be immune to larger objects that sink heat (solders exactly the same small and large objects). It lasts forever and parts are replaceable. My company uses these soldering irons for at least 30 years.

If you want to work with surface mount you need different set of tools. For removal of resistor's and capacitors you need hot tweezers (two soldering irons will do) and for soldering you need syringe with "no clean" flux paste, very thin "no clean" solder (like 0.015") and small hot air pencil + very small temp controlled soldering iron (assuming practical way, right way requires syringe with solder paste). I assume that you can only do 50 mil pitch. For 25 mil pitch ICs you would need hot air column. 20 mil pitch is out of the question. You also need "no clean" solder wick. For thru-hole components all you need is 60W Weller iron.