Homebrew PCBs

Hi,

(For those of us still stuck with manual soldering)

I've just been trying out a cheap (USD$18) gas-powered soldering iron
(actually USD$14.50 with trade discount).

First impressions are excellent - beats the hell out of my mains
electric iron. Goes even better after filing the tip to a sharp fine
point. Surprisingly, it easily gets enough heat to the very tip to melt
solder quickly and make a fine clean joint. I'm getting performance
comparable to or better than the Weller stations I've used in the past.

This kicks down another barrier to my eventual move to SMD.

The only downside I've seen so far is the need to be aware of where the
exhaust hole is pointing :P

Cheers
David