Review on Elenco SL5K40 Solder Station 40 Watt by Christopher Buck

***EDIT*** So I'm seeing some bad reviews from people saying things like "this is a kit", "it needs to be assembled "or"You should already have a soldering iron to assemble this kit." First of all, this station is a list with the word "Kit" right in it. Secondly, the description says that you have to build the station and thirdly, it is clear that you can use the supplied iron to assemble the kit. In addition, this is an Elenco product. Elenco has been selling electronic kits to vocational schools and electronics schools for decades. This should serve as a teaching aid. I don't understand the negative reviews at all as I can't believe so many people bought it based on the picture alone and didn't read a single word of the listing or description. ***EDIT*** A few decades ago there were a lot of basic devices like this little Elenco SL-5k. The aim is to control the power in Elcheapo soldering irons, also known as "detonators", which are plugged directly into the wall. That was in the 70's and 80's when a decent variable temperature soldering station could cost anywhere from a few hundred to a few thousand. This system offered good value for the layman. But here we are in the next millennium, and that is no longer the case. These days you can buy a Hakko FX-888 for around $80 (or one of the 936 clones for around $40) and get an iron that can be used effectively by a professional. So what's the point of this cheap device? Well, Elenco has been selling it in one form or another for almost two decades, and it's aimed at students for use in labs in EE courses. But the amateur can still put it to good use. There are times when you don't want to travel with your Metcal mx500 or even lower Hakko units (just low compared to PACE, Metcal etc) and risk losing/damaging them. Lightweight, easy to set up and take with you, this little station allows you to use any cheap (sometimes free) soldering iron you usually throw in the trash can. Simply plug it into the back of the base unit, set the temperature and you're done. Any standard 2 or 3 prong 110/120 volt soldering iron up to 300 watts will work. This makes it a great option for artists who do things like stained glass and don't want to settle for electronic stations. soldering stations at home. I also use it on all lead free solders as they ruin tips like tomorrow and I'd rather kill tips on cheap/free irons than my good tips which only have the good old tin/lead alloys 60/40 or 63/37 touch. The base is made of high-quality polycarbonate plastic and will withstand any journey. The whole system can be put together in minutes (an hour if you're new to soldering) using the included iron and solder. This version is the 2010 version and the number of PCB parts is reduced to 6-7 components. It also comes with that crappy lead-free solder. I would recommend using decent iron and lead solder to build the base station. I didn't have a sponge. I emailed Elenco for a replacement but they can be found on places like ebay for $3-4 for a pack of 5 with free shipping. I also got this device when Revain was selling it for $20 last month so it was a lot cheaper. The few remaining adjustable soldering iron temperature controllers like this one on the market usually sell for between $75 and $150, so it's a decent deal. Quick and easy assembly and quality components so with good care it will last a while. A small note about the stickers on the device. Glue is a really strong guy that instantly sticks to anything it touches and once it's applied you're going to mess up the sticker trying to get it out. Take your time lining him up as you only get one chance. Starting on either the left or right side of the sticker, use a credit card (or something similar) to slowly press on it, squeezing out any air bubbles. Check out how to put youtube stickers and you will get the best idea. Just one more chance to get it right. This is one thing Elenco had to do before it came in the box. I haven't had any problems, but I can see how someone who has never done this before can screw things up and then get very angry. In summary, this is a great portable/lead-free station that can even act as a backup station, but it's better to have a backup station that uses the same tips and heating elements as your main station. The included 40-watt iron is an updated Weller package that uses plug-in tabs. Not the best design, but if you want you can find tips in places like radio stores and all over the internet. It comes with just a tapered tip. I personally think that's rubbish. I prefer small chisel tips for 95% of my electronics needs including SMD as they offer a much better heat transfer contact. The old style tapered bits just can't work as well as the small 1.6mm chisel bits. But this is not junk, and you can find interchangeable elements and nozzles for it. It doesn't have to be overpriced Elenco parts. Check out Weller's options and you'll be able to find the parts you need and save big. Like most plug-in irons, it's a little big and not very comfortable to hold for long periods of time. Tin tip and tin well. If possible, use real lead solder. As the iron heats up, begin applying solder to the tip. Don't wait for it to reach maximum temperature first. Remember that the base unit is not yet assembled in order for the iron to work at full power. The factory tip is only tinned and needs to be soldered as soon as possible to prevent premature pitting/corrosion. Just run the solder on the tip as soon as you plug it in and after a few sends it will melt on the tip. If you have a brass sponge, use it instead of a wet sponge, as a water sponge will cause heat stroke and remove most of the solder. After tinning the tip and rubbing it with a sponge, do it again. Then do this a third time, leaving the solder on the tip at that point. This will prevent the tin coating on the tip from boiling off. When you're ready to solder, wipe the tip again and apply some fresh solder to get the job done. Since the iron is connected directly to the wall, you need to make all the connections as quickly as possible, so get everything in order and get started quickly. Using this method will greatly increase the life of the iron and tip. Again, while this isn't the best iron, it's not junk. The picture shows an older version of this kit with a wire iron holder. This 2010 Rev-E kit comes with a new black-box style bracket that features multiple vents arranged horizontally along its longitudinal axis. Looks way better than those cheap wire holders. The tube of the box is made of metal and the portal for the iron is made of plastic. The paint appears to be at a high temperature and will not peel off the iron, and the plastic portal will not melt if accidentally touched when removing or inserting the iron. Seems like he got it right. The entire unit and included hardware fit easily in retail packaging and are made from nice thick cardboard making them easy to transport and store. Therefore, it is not the best choice for a main or secondary station. Again, try to get a secondary station that uses the same spikes and elements as the main station. It's good for using cheap irons, high temperature irons for art and woodworking, and working with lead-free solder for the price. It is protected from ESD if the iron connected to it is connected to an earth point. Many cheap import models only have a ground connection on the plug because they buy the plug in bulk and already have it. However, they don't use any delay. However, the Weller iron with this kit uses it. The small rubber feet are screwed on and don't come loose like many rubber feet.