Cost to get started soldering?

[SkidMarkKing]

Hi guys,

can someone from experience provide a cost for the equipment to get started in soldering? More micro soldering PCB boards, computer motherboards etc etc?

Been looking at getting into it for a while now to expand my businesses services. Currently have a soldering iron itself with flux, solder sucker tool but I need things like fume extractor (I know some cheap ones don't work at all apparently) and a good microscope. Possibly a heat gun also?

I've sat on the fence for a while now as in the back of my mind I think do people not just replace the whole item now as we seem to be in a bit of a throw away society rather than getting there electronic device fixed?

Cheers

 

[SkidMarkKing]

You can spend a lot on a solder station that does it all but I find that having seperate tools for each job is best. For through-hole stuff any decent temperature controlled iron is where you want to start. Around £100 for an entry level one. Or you could get a good battery powered one such as the Pinecil. I use the Pinecil for pretty much everything these days as it's so convenient.
For SMD stuff and point reflowing you will want a hot-air iron. Around £100 again buys you something useful. You don't need to go mad with this.
I'd also invest in a heat plate as these can be useful when soldering things that have a large thermal mass.
An electric solder sucker is a lifesaver when desoldering ICs.
If you want to go crazy you can invest in a reflow oven.

What do you do for a microscope and fume extractor?

Cheers