Do you trust a $15 soldering iron or a $150 one for that vintage stereo fix?

I keep seeing people swear by cheap irons for old gear, but my $15 one desoldered a trace on a 1978 receiver in Austin last month. Then again, my buddy's $150 station left a cold joint on his amp board. Is it the tool or the technique, and has anyone else ruined something fancy with budget gear?

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kevin_sullivan9d ago

Used to be all about the price tag myself. Figured dropping real money on a station meant I was doing it right, but then I borrowed a cheap iron from a neighbor to fix a speaker wire and it worked fine. That made me go back and look at my own setup, realized the expensive one was running too hot because I never calibrated it. Technique is most of it, but having a tip that fits the joint and knowing when to walk away beats any dollar amount. That $15 iron cost you a trace, but a $150 one can cost you the same if you're rushing.