Grrr... I am still a suckass solderer

[DrewKaree]

Also use a fine pointed tip. They are easier to control (at least for me)

http://www.kitsusa.net/phpstore/html/WELLER-WLC100-SOLDERING-STATION.html

This is the iron I have been using for the last 4 or 5 years.

http://www.action-electronics.com/wept1.htm

Of these tips I use a pth usually.

Hey, wanted to tell ya thanks for those links.  That Weller station sells EVERYWHERE else for like $45, and I was hoping the wife was gonna get it for me for Christmas.  Now I told her to get me something else and I'll order that thing tomorrow.

[Jess--]

Have tried many different types of soldering iron over the years, Avoid the weller Microtip irons, the screw that holds the tip jams and breaks leaving you no way of replacing the tip

current favourite is an Antex XS 25, only a 25 watt iron but excellent quality, Tips last me about a year each (gets used about 15 hours per week) if you decide to get yourself one of these irons do NOT clean the tip with emery etc as they are coated, once the coating goes the tip goes hollow and fails quickly.

as others have noted I have never used a damp sponge or similar to clean the tip. (nice to read that I am not the only person that sometimes wipes the tip on the leg of my jeans)

[DrewKaree]

Avoid the weller Microtip irons, the screw that holds the tip jams and breaks leaving you no way of replacing the tip

Maybe it's just the language difference or you're describing something floopy, but how the heck do you BREAK a SCREW

I'm interpreting your "jam" of the screw as cross-threading it and being unable to back it out. 

Am I making sense, and are these descriptions accurate?  If so, those are both easily remedied, and not worthy of throwing those irons under the bus.

[Jess--]

No the grub screw is made out of some rubbish metal (suspect cheap casting) and does not react well to heat, it ends up fusing with the metal that it screws into and the crumbles at the end when you try and undo it leaving you with half a screw holding the tip in and no way of getting it out without destroying the element.

under the bus is the perfect place for these irons.

if I need micro tips I just wrap some Thick solid copper wire (14 gauge?) around my regular iron and shape the end of that to a tip (works perfectly in case you were wondering) also have a couple of these that are forked at the end for removing / fitting SMT components easily (solder both ends at once)

If you can afford it when you go for a soldering iron go for the one with a silicone mains lead, they pull the iron around a lot less than regular mains lead (and will survive having the soldering iron dropped on it)

[vader]

as others have noted I have never used a damp sponge or similar to clean the tip. (nice to read that I am not the only person that sometimes wipes the tip on the leg of my jeans)

So true....I have used my jean legs, desk edges and ( stupid hat on ) came about 1 inch from wiping on my jean leg before I realized I had shorts on 

Tim