Normally sparkfun seems rather pricecy but I found this https://www.sparkfun.com/products/10707 and thought it was looking like a pretty good deal. It's 50W which seems better than the 35W AOYUE but it's also not very expensive. Anything I'm missing or is this a good deal?
Best to skip it IMHO. Here in the US, an entry level station from a name brand company is possible for a bit under $100 (Hakko FX-888D or Weller WES51). They're better built as a general rule (reliable), and the details in particular, is what can really help them stand apart. Things like the iron doesn't get too hot to hold when using it for hours on end, and a silicone insulated cable that connects the iron to the station to help resist damage from accidental burns from the tip. Then there's tip selection and tip quality (Hakko's tips are very long lasting IME).
Tack on the performance improvements that happens to come with them, and you'd be a fool not to get a quality entry level station here in the US.
FWIW, I run nearly an identical setup as
VK5RC (WD1 + WSP80). Tossed on a WMP iron for SMD work, which lets me do most anything I run into.
If anyone has any opinions on a pair of "helper hands" I need to get one of those too. I saw one for $2.99 but am I worried it'll show up and be flimsy or somehow cheap.
Worthless IME (fall over if you breath on it, and cut into wire insulation), but at $3, you're not out much if you go for it. YMMV, so maybe your luck will be better than mine. Even if it isn't, the base may be useful for some DIY holder project later.
Check
this thread, as there are links to DIY helping hand projects using Loc-Line (or equivalent) that really work, as well as mention of PanaVise models, which are also highly useful and do things helping hands don't (not cheap, but worth it).