gEDA-user: Re: Soldering irons

[DJ Delorie <dj-atMUNGEDdelorie_dot_com>]

Just wanted to follow up on this...

Many thanks to all for the advice.  I bought a used Metcal MX-500 (I
looked for the SP-200's but at the time used MX-500's were all over
the place and the SP-200s were hard to come by - but I got the used
MX-500 for less than the cost of a new SP-200) and a pair of tips, got
repair parts for my old Panavise, and mounted my desk lamp over it
all.  Some new solder and paste, and off I went!  Boy, the difference
between my old Radio Shack iron and the Metcal is like night and day.

Anyway, the results...

http://www.delorie.com/house/furnace/

This is the first time I've had to solder with TWEEZERS.  Geez, those
0803's are tiny.

FYI: the SMTs were easier to solder than the through-holes.  Once I
got them positioned with the tweezers, that it ;-)