A DIY Soldering Station Perfect for Learning (Floppy Soldering Station 3.0)

Have you ever thought about building your own soldering station? With the Floppy Soldering Station, you not only get a reliable tool for your lab but also learn a ton during the process!

How I got the idea

The project began over five years ago when I was still in school, struggling with the limitations of budget soldering stations. After a couple of them wore out quickly, I decided to design my own. Starting with minimal knowledge, I created the first version using an Arduino Nano, a 7-segment display, and a handmade circuit on perfboard. It wasn’t perfect, but it worked.

Over time, the project evolved. The second version introduced a custom PCB and an improved firmware, though temperature-reading issues persisted. Today, we’ve reached version 3, a completely revamped design made to be open-source and replicable, with all files available on GitHub.

Key feature & specs

Some key features of this new version include:

• A STM32G070CBT6 microcontroller chosen for its conspicuous amount of FLASH memory and all its internal modules useful for this project.
• A MAX6675 sensor for reliable temperature readings from a K type thermocouple.
• A step-down converter to reduce the supply voltage from 24V to 3.3V for all logic electronics.
• A powerful backlit graphical display, to make easier to see all the graphics even in a very bright environment.
• A 3D-printed case that can be 3D printed with all the standard 3D printer to make it easier to replicate.

Stand-by & temperature sensor

The station also offers usefull features like a stand-by mode to reduce wear on the soldering iron while unused. There is an NTC temperature sensor on the soldering iron holder that senses the heat from the tip. If the soldering iron is left on the holder for a long time, the soldering station reduces the set temperature to a lower level (not implemented on the firmware yet).

Soldering iron of your choice

The Floppy Soldering Station 3.0 can be used with a variety of soldering irons, it only requires a k-type thermocouple to sense the tip temperature. So it can be changed according to your needs.

I've installed a 48W soldering iron that works on 24V, it's pretty cheap infact the temperature reading form it isn't accurate but it's still good enough for now. It should be capable to handle more power.

There is also a small fan that pushes air through the electronics to keep them cool. This allows more power to be used and all the heat to be dissipated. The fan speed can be changed as it is controlled by a PWM signal.

PCBs

To maintain retro-compatibility with the older stainless steel case, the PCB is not really optimised in terms of dimensions, but this allowed me to make it faster because I had all the space I needed for all the tracks.

Conclusions

The Floppy Soldering Station is designed to be easily upgraded you can tweak both the firmware and hardware to suit your needs.

Building the Floppy Soldering Station is an educational and rewarding experience. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced maker, this project will let you learn, create, and have fun! I use it for all my projects, it works perfectly!

You’ll find everything you need in the project file.

I have also made a YouTube video explaining in more detail all the parts of this soldering station: