Straight from China, and therefore probably very cheaply made. Unfortunately, you get what you pay for when buying cheap tools. This Weller is the one the community recommends. If 40 bucks is out of your price range, PM me; I have one I'll sell to you for less.
@Kris It's pretty nice! I was so sick of my $5 pencil iron melting my table and setting stuff on fire that a big upgrade was a necessity. I'm sure we all can relate to that! :XD:
I have this beast, and can vouch for X-Tronic's quality. Of course, this one is really overpriced (I got mine used for cheaper) but it sure looks awesome! Definitely go Hakko or Weller for a starter iron, though.
Of course. If you want, you can always scour places like eBay and AliExpress for bare TFT modules and driver boards. You might find a combo that fits your needs better than the L7009. Or you could buy just an à la carte component-accepting driver board and wire up a 5 inch LCD. The options are...
Be sure to check the specs in the listing description. If you can find a model number, search up a datasheet; that's always helpful. I don't know of any common 5" screens that accept component, but the L7009 really is the go-to for 7".
Yes. Dear God, yes. I operate exactly the same way with regard to projects. Here's a short list of semi-finished and/or half-canceled projects:
At least 4 Raspi Retropie portables in various form factors:
-Raspi zero in tiny plastic case
-Raspi 3 in ps vita
-Raspi in diy...
I need one for a project, and also to be able play Seaman with my homies. B| They're on Fleabay occasionally, but mostly in auctions or they're expensive. If anyone has one they're willing to part with, please contact me.