I have cheap tools I bought in that era that are higher quality than the same brand/model today. Also, I suspect cheap tools have gotten worse since 1991. I merely found it difficult to use the cheap pencil iron to get good results, because good results required a lot more out of me, mostly in the form of patience waiting for it to get hot. But, really, when you've gotta wait 15 minutes for it to heat up, and then after a few joints you have to wait some more because it cooled off in the process.really, is it a good, or even usable, tool? Sure, I'm a poor craftsman in this regard I don't solder enough to ever be good at it.

But I know, at least for myself, that what iron I use doesn't make a difference in the project, but rather the skills I bring to the table.Īs the old saying goes, 'a poor craftsman blames his tools'. I also have a couple of older temp controlled irons - and they are great tools as well honestly, I prefer them over my old iron. I've assembled tons of things with it over the years. Now, I'm not saying you could do SMT rework using it, but basic thru-hole is no problem at all. The tip is not in the greatest shape.īut I can tin that puppy up and solder perfectly with it. You have to wait like 15 minutes for it to heat up. It's something like a 35 watt pencil iron, and the tip is janky like nobody's business. I have a soldering iron that has to be the cheapest of the cheap, that I've had since 1991 I got it when I went to a local votech electronics school fresh from high school. If I ever could get my lazy butt in gear, I want to make a video to prove that you can solder competently with a cheap and crappy soldering iron.

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