The Professional's Iron
I have been employed in the Electronics industry since 1978. In any of those capacities where I was performing solder work on components and PC boards, the Weller P35 was there - supplied by the company for whom I worked. Thus, the iron has an excellent pedigree as far as I am concerned. The mass of the iron itself means that it is a little slower to heat up, however, that same mass means that it maintains the heat when thermal challenges arise. For more delicate printed circuit board work, the P25 is probably a better choice, except for the most experienced hand. The tips (when you have Weller tips) last a very, very long time before needing changed. Simply put, you can go through at least 10 or more of the "Super Store" soldering irons and in the same time, the Weller will still be going strong (and probably on the same tip - if appropriate care is taken)..
I bought this one for my home shop, It is decidely worth the $$!
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