Re: Soldering Iron Calibration
hello!
What I have done in the past is a simple performance check. Did it melt the solder-Yes/no? Really complicated.

I cringed documenting that check, but that's what the customer requested. I did not call it a calibration, but a go/no-go verification.
As far as a more sophisticated check, I have ran across two of them. The first was the use of an infrared thermometer. The second, and a little more preferred by me, was using certified thermocouple wire with a beaded tip. I would place the solder gun tip on the bead tip and measure temperature.
When you get into checking solder guns, you have to take into consideration the shape (and condition) of the tip, how clean it is, etc.
As you correctly stated, most solder guns/ solder stations are not really designed for verification/calibration type setups.