13-08-2014, 10:31 AM
Indeed, there are the rare occasions when I resort to using my 200-watt iron. But compared to a Metcal with a wide bit, the following differences encountered during such a soldering operation are:
1. The 200-watt iron is much heavier than the Metcal; the 200-watt iron is much bulkier than the Metcal. Hence, the Metcal is far easier to use for a given 'heavyweight' soldering operation and more precise control is possible to determine just where the heat flows.
2. By definition, a 40-watt Metcal will use less electricity than a 200-watt iron. (Agreed, this is a debatably minor issue).
3. A 200-watt iron can easily cause nasty accidents, including burns to your fingers, etc., and various non-human parts.
With a 40-watt iron that uses any technology, those risks are substantially reduced.
4. A conventionally-heated 200-watt iron with its huge copper bit will occasionally require that bit to be filed to ensure an even flow of heat. This re-forming of the bit is not applicable to a Metcal.
5. There is a huge range of bits of different types & shapes for a Metcal. (More than any other iron that I know of). That provides maximum versatility in any iron, from precise soldering to heavyweight tasks.
However, the downside to owning a Metcal are:
1. Initial cost of acquisition. (Mind you, Weller TCP 'soldering stations' aren't particularly cheap, either!)
2. Cost of replacement elements. (And Weller TCP parts are not cheap either).
3. The control unit for a Metcal is complex; there is no control unit for a conventional iron. Therefore, one would expect the long-term reliability of a conventional iron to be greater. But I have owned my Metcal control unit for several years now without any failures within it. (For the same period, I have had to make several repairs to my two Weller TCP irons).
3. A Metcal uses R.F heating: mine puts out several strong signal in VHF Band 2. Fortunately, those 'signals' do not clash with stations I listen to. But I do not know the other freqs. it generates - and radiates. However, that unwanted radiation from my Metcal does not cause me any problems: it's a trivial issue.
The main difference between any conventional iron (including irons like the Weller TCP) and a Metcal is that the Metcal uses R.F heating. That approach - together with its control unit - ensures that the rate of flow of heat is not determined solely by the heat capacity of the bit. If the workpiece demands more heat, the Metcal iron controller simply says "O.K.: I've got that request: here it comes!" A conventional 'open-loop control' iron can't do that. And R.F heating is much more efficient at supplying that demand than by conventional methodology. And even a temperature-controlled iron like the Weller doesn't cope very well with heavyweight soldering, in comparison.
My conclusions.
Simply have several soldering irons available - including a Metcal. Then you can choose the appropriate iron (plus bit) for any given task - based on personal experience. For me, my Metcal is my 'everyday' iron - but that is simply a reflection of the type of soldering that I generally do.
Al.
1. The 200-watt iron is much heavier than the Metcal; the 200-watt iron is much bulkier than the Metcal. Hence, the Metcal is far easier to use for a given 'heavyweight' soldering operation and more precise control is possible to determine just where the heat flows.
2. By definition, a 40-watt Metcal will use less electricity than a 200-watt iron. (Agreed, this is a debatably minor issue).
3. A 200-watt iron can easily cause nasty accidents, including burns to your fingers, etc., and various non-human parts.
With a 40-watt iron that uses any technology, those risks are substantially reduced.4. A conventionally-heated 200-watt iron with its huge copper bit will occasionally require that bit to be filed to ensure an even flow of heat. This re-forming of the bit is not applicable to a Metcal.
5. There is a huge range of bits of different types & shapes for a Metcal. (More than any other iron that I know of). That provides maximum versatility in any iron, from precise soldering to heavyweight tasks.
However, the downside to owning a Metcal are:
1. Initial cost of acquisition. (Mind you, Weller TCP 'soldering stations' aren't particularly cheap, either!)
2. Cost of replacement elements. (And Weller TCP parts are not cheap either).
3. The control unit for a Metcal is complex; there is no control unit for a conventional iron. Therefore, one would expect the long-term reliability of a conventional iron to be greater. But I have owned my Metcal control unit for several years now without any failures within it. (For the same period, I have had to make several repairs to my two Weller TCP irons).
3. A Metcal uses R.F heating: mine puts out several strong signal in VHF Band 2. Fortunately, those 'signals' do not clash with stations I listen to. But I do not know the other freqs. it generates - and radiates. However, that unwanted radiation from my Metcal does not cause me any problems: it's a trivial issue.
The main difference between any conventional iron (including irons like the Weller TCP) and a Metcal is that the Metcal uses R.F heating. That approach - together with its control unit - ensures that the rate of flow of heat is not determined solely by the heat capacity of the bit. If the workpiece demands more heat, the Metcal iron controller simply says "O.K.: I've got that request: here it comes!" A conventional 'open-loop control' iron can't do that. And R.F heating is much more efficient at supplying that demand than by conventional methodology. And even a temperature-controlled iron like the Weller doesn't cope very well with heavyweight soldering, in comparison.
My conclusions.
Simply have several soldering irons available - including a Metcal. Then you can choose the appropriate iron (plus bit) for any given task - based on personal experience. For me, my Metcal is my 'everyday' iron - but that is simply a reflection of the type of soldering that I generally do.
Al.
