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If you're going to run straight beads, your work must be steady.
If your jobs are decoupled or small, you need to deal with stability issues.
You can't hold it because it's very hot and has electricity in it.
You need something to clamp it to, something that can withstand the abuse of the toughest welder.
We've listed some of the best soldering stations around. Below is a quick comparison table, followed by reviews.
Don't forget to check out the buying guide for soldering station information at the bottom of the review.
quick comparison
product | |||
---|---|---|---|
image | product | detail | |
Senior Workshop Featured |
BuildPro Modular |
industrial grade owns two tons unlimited potential |
check prices |
Great value portable option |
eastwood adjustable |
Popular models easy to move adjustable angle |
check prices |
Ideal for compact workshops |
Krutch 2×3 |
Holds 600 lbs desktop available including fixtures |
check prices |
Advanced Portable Pickaxe |
DeWalt Adjustable |
1000 lb capacity folded legs handle |
check prices |
|
Strong Hand Nomad |
Bond with other nomads Holds 350 lbs Strong mobility |
check prices |
plasma cutting table |
Eastwood Plasma |
solid structure replaceable slats 250 lb capacity |
check prices |
Here's our list of the best soldering stations we found on the market:
1. BuildPro Modular Soldering Station
- 78 inches long by 36 inches high
- 38 inches wide, can be widened
- 5/8" steel top plate
- 5/8" hole, 1-3/4" slot
- 4400 lb capacity
advantage
- Top plate is precision ground
- Advanced Fixture Kit Available
- The top can be adjusted wider
- leveling feet
- heavy steel structure
shortcoming
overview
The BuildPro Modular Soldering Station is an extra heavy duty industrial grade welding station designed for the busy fabrication shop. It is made of heavy gauge welded steel with adjustable leveling legs. The top is precision-ground 5/8-inch thick steel plate, secured to four heavy-duty steel beams. Plates can be reset to make the table wider. The top plate on the table has 5/8" holes drilled in a 2" grid pattern.
The plates on the BuildPro Modular Soldering Station are spaced 1-3/4 inches apart to create slots that provide more gripping edges for your fixtures. The ends of the boards are also drilled to allow for attachment of BuildPro fixtures from the ends. It offers enormous flexibility, allowing virtually unlimited fixings, especially given the amazing assortment of BuildPro Modular Fixings, available separately. This design allows you to create a line that fits any space by combining parts in different ways.
The downside of the BuildPro Modular Soldering Station is the price range and weight. The price range is manageable for a workshop that requires a lot of fabrication work. The table weighs 680 pounds, so a forklift or power tailgate is required to remove it from the truck.
2. Eastwood Adjustable Cheap Portable Soldering Station
- 14 gauge steel surface
- 30 x 20 inch work area
- 33 inches tall
- Holds 350 lbs
- weighs only 30 lbs
advantage
- All steel structure
- Adjustable top angle
- Versatile slotting for fixtures
- foldable for storage
- Galvanized work surface
shortcoming
- volume work too light
- no height adjustment
overview
The Eastwood Adjustable Portable Soldering Table is a convenient and sturdy table that packs a nice amount of features at an affordable price. Top measures 30 x 20 inches. Table is made of 14 gauge steel, galvanized to prevent heat damage and rust. There are four slots, two long and two short, each one inch wide. Eastwood designed the slots for the C-clamps so they can be installed and welded quickly.
The Eastwood Adjustable Mobile Welding Station holds up to 350 lbs, enough for the home DIYer or rancher who can't reach the tailgate of a pickup truck. You can place a stripped down V-8 engine block on this bracket. Yet it weighs only 30 pounds and is foldable for easy storage and transport. The top is adjustable to three angles.
For such an affordable table, the Eastwood Adjustable Portable Soldering Station is well designed and very sturdy. It might not be suitable for day-to-day productive work, but it can tide you over for a while. The only other thing we would like to see is the ability to adjust height.
3. Klutch 2×3 Soldering Station
- 36 x 24 inches top
- 33.25 inches tall
- Top thickness is 4mm
- Frame thickness is 2mm
- weighs 70 lbs
advantage
- 16mm holes in a 2" grid
- Can be used on the workbench
- 24 piece clamp kit
- put feet on legs
- 600 lb capacity
shortcoming
- ungalvanized
- cheap fixtures
overview
The Klutch 2×3 Soldering Station is a heavy-duty, inexpensive soldering station designed for advanced DIY shops and low-volume fabrication. The top is made of heavy 4mm steel, the frame is made of 2mm steel, it weighs 70 lbs and has a load capacity of 600 lbs. The top is 36" x 24" with 16mm holes (3/4") in the top in a standard 2" grid pattern.
Speaking of jigs, the Klutch 2×3 Soldering Station comes with a 24-piece set for round or square stock, including:
- 4 thread adapters
- 4 docking bases
- 4 Magnetic Rests
- 8 V blocks
- 4 insert clips
While the height of the table is not adjustable, the legs can be shortened for use on a workbench and in standard floor configurations. The legs have adjustable leveling feet that can be replaced with threaded casters. The supplied fixtures are a bit cheap, but considering they're even included in this price, the Klutch 2×3 Welding Station is an excellent choice for the casual home welder, although we'd like to see an angle-adjustable top.
4. Dewalt Adjustable Portable Steel Soldering Station
- Capacity 1000 lbs
- Can be used on the workbench
- 18 x 46 inch surface
- 36 inches tall
- weighs 40 lbs
advantage
- folded legs
- Wire Butler
- ground bolt
- tool ring
- handle
shortcoming
- Tool loop interferes with storage
- Giant stickers in the installation way
overview
The Dewalt Adjustable Portable Steel Welding Station has a perforated long rectangular table top, 18 x 46 inches. It's made of heavy-duty 14-gauge steel and has a 1000-lb capacity. The legs fold away for easy storage and feature a double locking system. It's designed for use on the bench or as a leg extension, and the height is adjustable from 28-36 inches in 1-inch increments.
This desk weighs 40 pounds and has a built-in carry handle. The Dewalt Adjustable Portable Steel Welding Station has a tool loop built into one end to secure a welding torch, hammer, or other tool while you work. Dewalt also includes a ground stud at the end of the table. Some owners have pointed out that the tool loop and ground stud interfere with storing the table upright. Another slightly odd complaint was a giant sticker covering most of the tables. Several owners said it took longer to remove the stickers than it took to assemble the table.
The Dewalt Adjustable Portable Steel Welding Station has a series of slots and 3/4" holes in its surface, perfect for clamping down on your work. This is a thoughtfully designed, high-quality tool.
5. Strong Hands Nomad Portable Soldering Station
- 30 x 20 inches
- 26-32 inches tall
- Three 1.1-inch slots
- Adjustable top angle
- Thick 14 gauge steel
advantage
- weighs only 43 lbs
- 350 lb capacity
- Join to other Nomad tables
- folded for storage
- Easy to move on casters
shortcoming
- small hardware problem
- only one leg straightener
overview
The Strong Hand Nomad Portable Soldering Station offers thoughtful design and useful features, such as the ability to connect the station to other Nomad welding stations. They're designed to use a central tabletop piece that connects to a Nomad at each end, creating an 80-inch-long table.
The table has three clamping slots that are just over an inch wide. Its work surface measures 30 inches long by 20 inches wide and is made of sturdy 14-gauge steel. The Strong Hand Nomad Portable Soldering Station is height adjustable from 26 to 32 inches. It also has a top that can be tilted at 30 degrees or folded for storage. Has two casters for easy positioning.
The Strong Hand Nomad Portable Soldering Table has an adjustable foot to help level the table, but there should probably be two. It's very strong, weighing only 42 lbs, but capable of supporting up to 350 lbs. Some car owners complain about faulty fasteners, but these complaints are uncommon. This table has no fixture hardware, but it is compatible with very high quality BuildPro fixtures, also made by Strong Hand. This is a great option for putting an inexpensive table on the truck for field repairs.
6. Eastwood Plasma Cutting Table
- 30 x 21 inch work surface
- 32 inches tall
- Work area with 23 slats
- made of carbon steel
- Holds 250 lbs
advantage
- For plasma cutting machine
- slats replaceable
- 1/8 steel structure
- Weighs only 38 lbs
- Suitable for oxyacetylene cutting
shortcoming
- not folded
- without casters
overview
With the recent explosion of plasma cutters in the DIY space, we feel like at least one plasma cutter table belongs in this lineup. Eastwood plasma cutting tables can also double as welding stations. It is capable of supporting 250 lbs and is made of 1/8 inch thick carbon steel. Even with the thick construction and sturdy legs that surround all four legs, this desk weighs only 38 lbs.
The Eastwood plasma cutting table features 23 replaceable 1-inch wide carbon steel slats on its 30 x 21-inch work surface, providing space for the plasma torch to blow scum and sparks across the surface. The slats can be flipped over once damaged and last longer until they need to be replaced. Replacement kits are available through Eastwood's website.
Eastwood has a solid reputation in the automotive restoration industry, and the Eastwood plasma cutting table is a perfect example. Designed specifically for plasma cutting, this 32-inch-high table offers thoughtful features and sturdy construction, and can also be used with oxyacetylene torches. Tools and fixtures that solve specific problems for craftsmen are where Eastwood makes its money.
About Jeff Grill
Jeff Grill hails from Long Island, a 118-mile stretch of land that stretches from the shores of Manhattan to the depths of the Atlantic Ocean. He was interested in welding from an early age, as evidenced by the scars on his body when he started working with various metals.