Here's a good option for a cost-effective soldering station:
http://view.mcm-email.com/?j=f.....60047e771278&r=0

And...

This is a nice one-handed desoldering pump. I find the more common blue ones to be cumbersome.
http://www.mcmelectronics.com/product/TENMA-21-8235-/21-8235

Use discount code EMC135 to take advantage of sale prices.

I order from MCM regularly. For packages under 50 lbs, they generally charge $10 for shipping to Canada.

Corey

Thanks for the 'hot tip'!  

Seriously, thanks; it looks like a great deal.

For doing board work, what kind of solder does the general populace recommend?  I'm ordering this station, and want a good solder to go with it.  ANd, what kind of tip do people recommend?
Daniel

Quoted from cooke

Here's a good option for a cost-effective soldering station:
http://view.mcm-email.com/?j=f.....60047e771278&r=0

And...

This is a nice one-handed desoldering pump. I find the more common blue ones to be cumbersome.
http://www.mcmelectronics.com/product/TENMA-21-8235-/21-8235

Use discount code EMC135 to take advantage of sale prices.

I order from MCM regularly. For packages under 50 lbs, they generally charge $10 for shipping to Canada.

Corey

For best results with older boards, I personally think you should try to stick with lead/tin solder or lead/tin/silver solder (but that may just be voodoo).  It's not impossible to get good results with lead free solder but there is a possibility of a weak joint due to uneven melting point, mixing and flow of the two different alloys unless they are heated long enough.  Ideally, for a work station, you should stick with one or the other since it probably makes a difference to your tips in the long run.

Quoted from McMean

For doing board work, what kind of solder does the general populace recommend?  I'm ordering this station, and want a good solder to go with it.  ANd, what kind of tip do people recommend?
Daniel

This will last you into your elder years:
http://www.mcmelectronics.com/product/KESTER-SOLDER-24-6040-0027-/21-1840

That's what I use. It's a nice thin guage which is great for board work and has a non-corrosive flux so you don't need to clean the board when you're done. I have here a 1/4lb spool and it's lasted me for 3 years and still has lots on the roll. The above link is for a 1lb spool, so it should keep you going until you're in adult diapers.

As for a tip, I use the smallest tip possible for board work, the micro-point tip. Here's the one for the soldering station that's on sale:
http://www.mcmelectronics.com/product/21-7976

They're cheap, so you may want to get a couple of different tips to see what you like best. The station comes with the conical tip, which I find to be a little chubby for work with IC's.

Good luck.

Thanks for the heads up, Cooke.  I've been checking the site intermittently (after both you and Menace mentioned this station) but hadn't seen the sale yet.  
Just placed my order, should be here soon. Shipping was dirt cheap, too.  

Just an FYI for others, they won't ship the solder.  Apparently MSDS says it can't travel borders.  Bizarre-o!

Daniel

No problemo. You should sign up for their e-newsletter. You see all kinds of deals that aren't advertised on their site that way.

Quoted from McMean

Just an FYI for others, they won't ship the solder.  Apparently MSDS says it can't travel borders.  Bizarre-o!

That's interesting. I just placed an order with them last week for a bunch of things (including a spool of solder since it was on sale at the time) and according to the shipping invoice, the solder is in the package. I guess we'll see if it arrives or not. Should have that shipment tomorrow, I would think.

Quoted from cooke

I just placed an order with them last week for a bunch of things (including a spool of solder since it was on sale at the time) and according to the shipping invoice, the solder is in the package. I guess we'll see if it arrives or not. Should have that shipment tomorrow, I would think.

I thought it was a funny thing that they wouldn't ship it..... maybe good ol' Nancy is new to the job.  Oh well, I'm sure I can source solder locally without too much difficulty.  

Thanks, i just hit the order button as well !

We'll see what happens with my solder..  

I received my package from MCM today. The package took longer to arrive than I'm used to from MCM, but I did get the solder I ordered.

In other news, the package I ordered was fairly large. They charged me $10 for shipping even though the actual shipping charge was $27! I had to pay $5 for tax on $30 worth of goods and the $5 Canada Post "handling fee" which is still way better than the UPS rape fest.

Considering how much money they lost on the shipping, I estimate they sold me $30 worth of stuff for $13. MCM rocks.

My order is still "waiting to ship" since last week, how long does it take to leave their warehouse usually ?

Quoted from Azatotht

My order is still "waiting to ship" since last week, how long does it take to leave their warehouse usually ?

Is anything your ordered on backorder?

Quoted from cooke

Is anything your ordered on backorder?

It doesnt say so in the "view order" form...

I also clicked on each items individually and they are all "in stock2 according to the website.

Order Status:
Waiting to ship
Order Date:
11/24/2009 1:10:35 PM

Oh boy oh boy!  Hope mine's here today, too.  

Still haven't sourced out that solder, though.  Anyone know if the Source sells something comparable?  Damned Nancy, not letting me buy it.    

I recently bought quite a few 1 lb spools of Kester 60/40 rosin-core solder spools,
of various gauges (between 0.020 and 0.090 if I recall), thru eBay...
No issue with shipping...

Cheers,
- Sylvain.

Quoted from McMean

Oh boy oh boy!  Hope mine's here today, too.  

Still haven't sourced out that solder, though.  Anyone know if the Source sells something comparable?  Damned Nancy, not letting me buy it.    

It's not cheap for the amount you get:
http://www.thesource.ca/estore.....&product=6400005

Victory!  Looks great, too bad I won't have time tonight to use it.. damn!

I did get dinked at the border for $18.. ;(  cold have been worse, I guess.

Thanks again for the heads up, Cooke.

I received my order today,spent about $70 so had to pay tax,shipping was $30,I payed $13.99. Still a great deal

My order was finally shipped yesterday as well.

From the pdf they sent me, they included the solder in my package.

I'm not sure why you didnt get yours McMean, are you on a terrorist list ?  

Quoted from Azatotht

From the pdf they sent me, they included the solder in my package.

I'm not sure why you didnt get yours McMean, are you on a terrorist list ?  

The only thing I can think of is that I called and made my order, you guys used the online order.  Maybe online, they let it by?  All I know is that Nancy who I ordered with was apologetic and told me that no, the MSDS for the solder said that it couldn't be shipped internationally.  Very bizarre!

Received my package today as well.. no tax or anything, i got  lucky.

I just finished my first job with my station... I think I had a chubby the entire time I was using it.    

I repaired an acid damaged MPU-100 for my Stern Trident.  The desoldering was SOOOO much easier with variable temp... and the soldering was SOOOOO much easier as well.  I also repaired the lamp driver and solenoid driver boards (just replaced some transistors) and it really makes the job more enjoyable and easier.

If you don't have a soldering station, and you do just occasional repairs, it's worth it to get one.  You'll be surprised at how much easier and more professional your work is in the end.  

That's the end of my Pinball Public Service Announcement.