The tip being too fat was the real problem there, not the price. A $12 iron with a fine tip would've done that job fine, and a $60 station with a fat tip would've nicked the same wire.

What made week 8 the breaking point for you?

My roommate did the freezer thing on a WD drive and got most of his music back, but it only worked the one time before it was done for good. Make sure your buddy backs those photos up somewhere else now instead of hoping for a round two.