For decades I used a very cheap soldering iron without any temperature control. When it was time to replace it, I went for a TS80 - a tiny soldering iron powered by USB-C. It was great, but the display died after just a few uses. So I replaced it with a Pinecil - basically the same but more open. That one died even faster, failing to regulate the temperature and heating the tip to glowing red.

So I gave up on the tiny irons and instead went for a “proper” soldering station. A YIHUA 939D+.

Of course this was too big to just throw into a drawer. For a while it was living on one of my work surfaces. But I don't solder often enough to warrant that and it got quite dusty. It was time to build a proper storage solution.

I wanted something that was somewhat self contained, that could be simply pulled out of the shelf, opened and be ready to use without any setup. And I think I pulled it off nicely.

The box opens in two stages. The top flips over thanks to two simple hinges, the front then flips down on a leather hinge to reveal a silicone mat work surface. The soldering station itself sits on a compartment containing the power plug and cord. A glas jar holds my cleaning brush and a little drawer contains extras. I reused the soldering iron and solder holder that came with the station.

The whole box is constructed from various plywood leftovers.

Check the pictures below for a better idea and build process.

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