Help: Purchasing a Digital Multimeter and Soldering Iron

[awak3n]

Hi,

I'm a grade 9 student and I'm taking an electronics course and it has started to interest me in electronics very much and I've been starting to do projects out of class and would like to purchase a decent multimeter.  I know you can get pretty pricey with them but I'm looking at about $25-$30.  Any suggestions would be great.

I'm also trying to buy an alright soldering iron and I was looking into the Weller's WP series but didn't know which one.  There is a 25W, 30W, 35W.  I have been doing mostly PCB work but would also like it for other things too.  An ideal price for one for me would me about $40

Thanks so much,
You guys are awesome

[Virus]

Hi

Something interesting I came across the other day.

Might just do it for you.

Virus

lab1_info.pdf

[ante]

Hi Guys,

You could call this “compact living” on your workbench, looks very nice! ;D

[audioguru]

At the 1st job I had, I found a Weller temperature-controlled WTCP iron in the garbage. I bought a new switch and tip for it and have used it with an old transformer I had for more than 40 years. I would never use a soldering iron without temperature control.

A while ago, I bought an expensive Fluke DMM with an accurate frequency counter. It is very accurate and reliable. A colleage bought a cheap one that is not reliable. I also bought a cheap DMM for my toolkit when I take it out. I hardly use it but so far it is accurate and reliable.

[jstevenperry]

A 15W soldering iron is fine for most PCB applications. I have one from Radio Shack I bought for about 8 bucks. I've replaced the tip once. It's been a good soldering iron.