Soldering Irons & Tools

Buy soldering irons and tools from Cromwell online. We stock a comprehensive selection of high-performance soldering equipment with minimum operating temperatures up to 600°C. Choose from an excellent choice of market-leading brands, like Dremel®, Weller®, Senator®, and our own brand, Kennedy®.

What are soldering irons & tools?

A soldering iron is an extremely useful tool designed to fuse metal components together using solder. Like welding, but on a much smaller scale, a soldering iron reaches the optimum heat to liquidise the solder around a joint, where it will flow into and around the gaps. Once set, the two components will be sufficiently bonded together.

Why buy soldering irons & tools?

The ability to solder opens the door to a wide range of metalworking and electronics tasks. A soldering iron allows for simple repairs and construction in a range of industries.

Soldering iron & tool types

• Cordless soldering iron   -   These battery-powered soldering irons feature a rechargeable Li-ion battery and a charging station.

• Hot knife   -   Designed for specific types of metalwork, we've included the hot knife in this list due to its ability to not only cut and shape metals but to seal them as well.

• Simple iron   -   This corded soldering iron is a basic model with no temperature control and is the type used by many to learn how to solder.

• Soldering station   -   This device can control the temperature of the soldering iron, maintaining a consistent heat for different types of solders and soldering tasks.

• Soldering tweezers   -   Designed specifically to remove solder, or desolder as its often known, these tweezers have heated tips which separate solder from metal.

• Temperature-controlled soldering iron   -   These mains operated soldering irons feature temperature thermostats that will maintain the heat the iron has been set to.

Considerations when choosing soldering irons & tools

• Accessories - a soldering iron set is often supplied with a range of tips. Check if the ones supplied are the type you need, or if you'll have to buy more.

• Operating temperature - for beginners, it's best to learn at lower temperatures.

• Safety - the tip and catalyst chamber of a soldering iron can get extremely hot. Heat-resistant safety gloves will reduce the risk of burns, but a safety stand for the soldering iron will ensure surfaces are protected against scorch marks.

FAQs

What is the best type of soldering tip?

The most common shape of soldering tips is the chisel tip or a D-series tip. Widely preferred by many, the chisel shape resembles that of a flat-head screwdriver, with the flat part of the tip used for evenly spreading heat and solder over a surface, while the thin end of the tip is excellent for sealing small joints.

What are soldering iron tips made from?

Soldering iron tips are typically made with a copper core, and then plated with iron. Copper is one of the most conductive metals around, and for this reason, is the ideal component for heat transfer in a soldering iron tip. The use of iron as a plating is because of its ability to spread liquid over a surface, otherwise known as its wettability.