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ming.geekhackers.org>introductory kit that you will be able to rely on to perform flawlessly for the rest of your life?
Full Definition of INTRODUCTORY
: of, relating to, or being a first step that sets something going or in proper perspective <an introductory course in calculus> http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/introductory
Notice the part where it says first step. That is what an introductory kit should be, not something that you will be using for the rest of your life. Just tools that are of a suitable quality for you to do beginner work with, without having to spend much money on a hobby you don't even know if you will like. Then when you know you enjoy soldering and are ready to move onto more advanced stuff that requires it you can invest in higher quality equipment.
Do stay away from those $3-5 solder suckers that look like this: http://www.amazon.com/Parts-Express-Solder-Sucker-desoldering/dp/B0002KRAAG They are completely useless. If you really don't want to spend the money on a soldapullt or something similar, in my experience the bulb style solder suckers work better.
Notice the part where it says first step. That is what an introductory kit should be, not something that you will be using for the rest of your life. Just tools that are of a suitable quality for you to do beginner work with, without having to spend much money on a hobby you don't even know if you will like. Then when you know you enjoy soldering and are ready to move onto more advanced stuff that requires it you can invest in higher quality equipment.
Do stay away from those $3-5 solder suckers that look like this: http://www.amazon.com/Parts-Express-Solder-Sucker-desoldering/dp/B0002KRAAG They are completely useless. If you really don't want to spend the money on a soldapullt or something similar, in my experience the bulb style solder suckers work better.
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Over the years, I've purchased a lot of tools, for constructing electronics, machining, plastic extrusion, smashing things (my favorite, to be honest), etc. and in the particular case of soldering, what i've found is that, although i now have every bizarre type of specialty tool one can find, including a number I've made myself, 90% of my work can be and is done with a simple fixed temperature iron: the cl1481.
Similarly, I have a Hakko 808D self-contained desoldering gun which costs no less than 12x the cost of the Soldapullt contained in this kit (and that's without the tips that are constantly clogging, the disposable prefilters, filters and chambers), and I still use a Soldapullt for 90% of my desoldering tasks.
Finally, my Larsen hand tools literally caused me to give away pretty much all of the rest of my cutters and pliers. They are completely unparalleled. Prior to discovering the joy of Swedish hand tools, I bought a large number of Wiha's various lines. As it turned out, the few of those tools that were actually made in Germany are the only ones that I still use, and even then, they are starting to show their age in ways that are unrepairable.
During that same period, I've abused my Larsens in the most ridiculous ways you can imagine. Once, after chewing through stainless steel air conditioning hard-line in my car with ia 955 series Larsen cutter (recommended for up to 16ga soft copper wire!), I left it on top of my engine, and then, in my infinite wisdom, I started the car and went for a test drive.
After tooling around for a few miles to make sure the AC compressor wouldn't lock up on me, I came back to the garage, opened my hood and "OH MY GOD, THAT IS A VERY VERY HOT PAIR OF CUTTERS OW OW OW OW" etc.
I still use that tool daily, and have resharpened it after cutting things that, frankly, it just shouldn't, about half a dozen times. Despite being heated to 3-400F, the hinge is still perfectly smooth, and it still cuts things that, well, i shouldn't cut with it. In my lifetime, I've probably chewed through and tossed out a couple dozen pairs of cheaper snippers, adding up to 4 or 5 times the cost of the Larsen _easily_.
Again, are these the only tools in the world? no. Do I swear by these tools as the ones I use day in and day out and recommend as highly as possible as an introductory kit that you will be able to rely on to perform flawlessly for the rest of your life? absolutely.