Soldering Iron/Station recomendations.

Orionaut

Orionaut

Orionaut

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There appear to be old threads on this but nothing recent so rather than bumping an old thread I decided to create a new one.

Anybody have an opinion on or have one of these?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07GQWSC5D/ref=psdc_1939419031_t4_B07M69YMSK

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07BFBL7PV/ref=psdc_1939419031_t2_B07M69YMSK

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Soldering-...CAR9KER41P3&psc=1&refRID=E585FFR3YCAR9KER41P3

Opinions seem to vary somewhat.

Like much Chinese stuff. Either the purchasers are very happy, or the item packs up within a couple of weeks! :p

(IE essentially a good product but with inconsistent manufacturing standards and poor QC, a bit like BL in the 70's! :D)
 
Unfortunately that is pretty much the case with those generic name far east offerings - find the one with the most good reviews and take your chances :s

I've been thinking of getting one of the cheaper hot air rework stations for awhile but with an impeding house move I'm waiting until after that before buying.
 
Can I ask why you want a massive station? I have one and since I got my TS100 I never use it any more.
Have a look at the TS100. It's a really amazing bit of kit. I power mine from either a laptop PSU or a LiPo battery depending on whether I need big power or not.

It's tiny and I use it for everything from PCB soldering through to putting massive 10AWG cables on XT90 connectors.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/GoBuying-P...?ie=UTF8&qid=1551793393&sr=8-2&keywords=ts100
 
TS100 doesn't replace hot air functionality though does it? which makes rework and BGA, etc. possible to do and makes stuff like SSOP far easier.
 
The 862D+ looks OK, for £65. It's appears to have a slightly larger iron @75W and 720W Hot air. (though you don't appear to get any additional nozzles) I would say for light work it would do the job. You can pay 3X that for a basic 55W Weller iron only.

My biggest worry would be where can you easily source additional iron tips to fit?
 
Back in the day. when we were a Sony repair centre. Sony insisted that in order to keep our Platinum status we had to buy a hot air soldering station. £3500 (cant remember the exact cost but it was bloody expensive) later and we were having trouble with some chips not lifting after being desoldered.

I called Sony technical to ask how they did it......Oh we dont have a desoldering station here we just cut the legs and clean up with solder mop and lift the chips with a knife............

WTF..
 
Rilot said:
This is true. Hence the question regarding why he needs a full station.
Click to expand...

I always like to have More Power! ;) :D

Just in case!

On occasion I have replaced rectifiers in car alternators and you need a ******** to do that! (You are, after all, trying to solder onto a heat-sink!)

As Adam Smith pointed out in "The Wealth of Nations"

It is better to over-specify/pay too much than under-specify/pay too little.

:p
 
Orionaut said:
I always like to have More Power! ;) :D

Just in case!

On occasion I have replaced rectifiers in car alternators and you need a ******** to do that! (You are, after all, trying to solder onto a heat-sink!)

As Adam Smith pointed out in "The Wealth of Nations"

It is better to over-specify/pay too much than under-specify/pay too little.

:p
Click to expand...

Well, only one of those irons is more powerful than the TS100. Believe me, I solder some serious connectors with it.
 
If you get seriously into electronics a used Metcal (OKi) RF soldering station is so good you will never regret the cost. You find them second-hand on Ebay from time to time, they use radio frequency to heat the tips and will do surface mount to soldering huge ground planes and big multi Ampere connectors just as quickly and easily. China now make compatible tips, so the running costs are quite modest. My Metcal station, iron and SMC tweezers have been the BEST things I have bought for my electronics hobby, once used anything else is antiquated. There are clones made by an ex employee of Metcal, the name of which I forget, but reviews seem good.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FS2NqyVDoqk
 
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