I have started to build up my supply of repair tools.
Now that I have the basics on the recapping of radios it is now time to spend some $$$.
I have a standard Weller soldering iron, blue with the holding base, but I tried my friends
Weller soldering gun and it seemed to work very well with radio repair.

Can anyone give me some advice on which Weller is best for radio repairs?

Thanks
Rock

I would look for the heavier Weller D550 - not the lower wattage 8200. For me, the 8200 did not have the power to solder directly to a chassis. Look for an older gun with tip nuts, not set screws, that retain the tip. I use a Weller iron like you have for components.

I do most everything with a Weller 8200..... Dave Allen is right - it's too light to do chassis soldering - but will handle almost everything else. The D550 (IMHO) is good mainly for chassis soldering but too heavy for much else in radio work (and I can count on both hands the number of times I've needed to solder to a chassis).... Dave is right though that you want to find an older model (in good shape) that uses the tip nuts rather than screws... I currently have 3 of the 8200's that I rotate and a single D550 that I've only used once since I got it. I'd highly recommend the older model 8200 for general repairs......

I have a Weller WESD51 pencil solder station. 50 watts and adjustable to 850 deg and has a fast recovery time. Haven't run into a solder lug it couldn't handle. For chassis soldering I use a vintage 250 watt Weller S-500 that has tip nuts. Haven't run into a chassis it couldn't handle. A quick search shows the S-500 going for about 30 bucks.

Weller 8200. I use mine more than I thought I would.

Good suggestions so far, but I think that over time you will find you need all three. The bulk of the work you can do with the 8200 and you will use it most. The earlier ones with the tip nuts are the only way to go. The ones with set screws will drive you nuts with loosening. The pencil iron will still be there for the closeup work. A gun can cause a lot of damage instantly in tight places.

One can go for years without soldering to the chassis if necessary. Just snip out the part next to the part and re-solder the new part to the pigtail that is left. But when you finally get the Big-Boy 550, you will wonder how you ever got along without it. You may not use it much, but if you ever need it, hardly anything else will do. I, in fact, just found a new use for mine. I have been rewiring the headlights on my MG the last few nights. I can slip a Lucas bullet connector over the #14 stranded wire, heat the connector with the 550, and the 63/37 solder just wicks right into the connector like soldering copper pipe with a torch. Leaving my 8200 on the same connectors the same way starts to melt the adjacent insulation before the solder will wick.

So the answer would seem to be all three.

+1

Same setup here except the pencil is the analog version WES51. An important point to stress is the correct size tip for the work you're doing. For instance, the included tip with these Weller pencil irons is too small for the work we do on these larger point-to-point old radios - it simply cannot apply enough tip surface area to these larger joints to quickly and efficiently solder & unsolder as well as possible. People will often turn up the heat to try and overcome this, yet no matter what it's still no easier - get a good assortment of tips. Search the forum for a post I made regarding this and you'll find part numbers and vendor ideas.

Hello Guys,
Yes I use a Weller Soldering station for my maion soldering Then a weller 8200 and 550 plus I also have a few diffrent solding irons to.

I see that Weller still makes a 100 watts Soldering Iron it runs $50. at my local Big R store

I use a 550 for just about everything; although I have a smaller gun, when I need to get more precise I just warm up a pencil iron. I see good Weller guns all the time at flea markets and yard sales, often in the $5 range, so you don't need to put out much money.

I agree with the 550. I can use it for nearly everything. Some say it is too big, but it is not the size but rather the way you use it. I use a 40 watt Radio Shack iron when I desire less power.

I personally use a Weller/Ungar 35 watt soldering iron for all my radio and tube amplifier needs. I have a Weller 8200 but used it once. I do use a higher wattage soldering if I have to solder to the chassis.

Sal

To my mind you need several soldering guns,irons. I have a D550 for heavy duty jobs and a junker 100 watt for lighter duty [tekton- that is most of the time] and a 40 watt pencil iron. Though the 100 watt gets the most use, I find that having the others is a great help.

That's my take, too. For PCB work, including surface mount, I use a Weller WP25. I actually have 3, since I keep misplacing them (not losing them, that's why I have 3). An old 40W Oryx, that's perfect for cable connectors and radio chassis. If I need something heavy, I break out a 80W Weller. Usually for sheet metal work, but its also good with heavy cabling.

I also have one of those classic Weller pistols, with the little incandescent light bulb. I personally, don't like it, and haven't used it in years. I prefer the "pencil" style grip.

Tips ! Also, as important as irons are a variety of soldering tips. For the WP25, I keep tips of 3 different diameters, depending on the size of the devices being soldered.

...and when it's late and all the stores are closed, making and tinning your own tip with a conductor from a 12/3 cable works in a pinch. At least for a gun type.

The problem with a soldering gun is that it takes time to warm up. I use an iron that is on all the time that I am using it. There is no wait time.

I like my Weller D550, its a bit much for some things due to it being 240/325 watts. Its mainly good for heavy duty soldering, like when you solder a ground to the chassis of a radio. When it comes to PCB work you only need something in the 25-35 watt range. I used a 30 watt iron for years and i did all types of soldering with it. When there is no power or plugging an iron in isnt an option, a butane torch with a soldering tip works great. I used one when my iron quit on me.

Agree with all. I also have several 99 cent store irons for salvaging tube sockets and toasting out tar caps and other dirty details. Use with a lamp dimmer and toss them when the tip is gone.

Exactly...

In percentages, 8200 = 96.9%, D-550 = .1%, small iron = 3% and only then if you do small PCB work... For the older PCBs with large traces, I use my 8200...

For years I got along without a D-550, used a 8200 in each hand for the heavy work, trick is to be able to hold solder with your teeth... Actually once hot, one gun would generally keep the work hot enough to finish the job... Probably now would not have a D-550 but about five years ago, I found a like new one from the '60s at a antique store for $15, major deal... Still, bet I haven't used it 15 times...

BTW unless it's dirt cheap(like less than $5), stay away from any Weller that has the tip retaining screws, the older models with tip nuts are 1000% better... I junked the last one I had to get the switch & case for a older model...

BTW #2 sometime around late 70s Weller reversed the heat ranges, first click is high then low with trigger fully depressed... Some of the nut type have this configuration but most are Lo/Hi...



Never saw the 4-5 sec it takes for a 8200 to heat as a hindrance... I've found that if I pull the trigger as soon as I pick it up, it's hot by the time I'm focused on the work...

I use a Weller soldering station for most small work. My Weller 8200N gun can cover just about everything else. I do have a larger gun that I have used rarely for soldering to a chassis. My recommendation would be to get an older used Weller 8200 nut job first, then a good soldering station and lastly a D550 if you think you will need to do heavy duty chassis soldering on occasion. Again though it all depends on what you plan on working on. If you are working on newer solid state stuff you will need a pencil or soldering station.

One other thing. If you do a lot of bench soldering get a small fan to blow the lead filled solder smoke away from your face. Boxer fans are a great bench soldering accessory.

I've said this before and I will say it again. Buy a couple of NOS vintage 60-100W soldering irons. The massive copper tips transmit heat like no other soldering tool. I regularly use a vintage 60W with my 40 Harbor Fright special with Hakko tips.Soldering guns get temp quickly, but they are bulky and the heat transfer just isn't as good as the vintage irons. My .02-Gearhead