Around the time of wanting to up my game a bit, I started to read this fantastic blog by a chap called Melx:
Melx: Adventures in Effectors
In his blogs he has many how to guides, done much better than I could hope to, so read that wisely.
Anyway, one of his posts mentioned a great source for tools on eBay. With haste I took his recommendation and invested in a Xytronics soldering iron, stand, and special metal sponge.
Basically, without boring people to tears, this was £30 of the best spent money of 2011 for me.
This tool is instrumental in being able to solder accurately, fast, and cleanly. I love it.
Its helped me more than anything. People, get a good soldering iron.
As well as this, I also invested in some nice Ti HSS drill bits, so I could properly drill boxes.
Using these upgrades, I have gone on to build the aforementioned “pro” SHO (just a joke for me really, I know its not pro, but its “my” pro version of the 4 Ive built) and also now a Fuxz Faxtory clone (all Silicon, socketed to maybe try Germanium later) and a Woolly Mammoth. These will be documented in upcoming blogs.
If you want a good iron, here you go.
The Solderman, on eBay