Your favorite soldering irons/stations.
- matt239
- Solder Soldier
What are some of your favorite soldering irons/stations?
Tools, tips?
I'm looking for an inexpensive upgrade to my Weller 40W pencil.
It's been great for through hole boards, and using sockets for ICs,
- but replacement tips seem a little hard to find, and I need something smaller with more kinds of tips to do occasional SMDs.
Tools, tips?
I'm looking for an inexpensive upgrade to my Weller 40W pencil.
It's been great for through hole boards, and using sockets for ICs,
- but replacement tips seem a little hard to find, and I need something smaller with more kinds of tips to do occasional SMDs.
I like the Hakko FX-888D and the Weller WES51. Each around 100 in American dollars. Lots of tips availiable. I use mainly chisel style tips in the 1.5 to 2.5mm for my pedal stuff. I don't know much about SMD though. All my projects are turret board or thru hole.
I usually recommend the Hakko. My preference would be the 936/FX-888 (though I hate the FX-888 doesn't stack). FX-888D if you can't find the other two. I'd say to be very careful and only buy from a reputable source because there are tons of fake Hakkos clones out there floating around. Personally, I have an older FP-101 that I love, and more recently a JBC station. The JBC is pricey, but it's the best I've ever used at any price, including Metcal.
- Dirk_Hendrik
- Old Solderhand
Information
Pewsonal favourite is Metcal. However my bench has 2 Weller WECP20 which are cheaper and replacement tips are more widely available at this global location.
And from that perspective,
Giving you global location "could" influence the suggestion for a best choice. I have never seen a "hakko" here.
And from that perspective,
Giving you global location "could" influence the suggestion for a best choice. I have never seen a "hakko" here.
I have a couple of Weller PS3/TCP soldering stations which I bought off an old employer for £5 each when they changed over to Metcal soldering stations.
The Wellers are great; simple to use, easy to repair and generally dependable. The Metcals were amazing though, a quantum leap over anything else I have used. I had one of the desolder guns too, which was an absolute joy to use.
The Wellers are great; simple to use, easy to repair and generally dependable. The Metcals were amazing though, a quantum leap over anything else I have used. I had one of the desolder guns too, which was an absolute joy to use.
- Ice-9
- Degoop Doctor
Information
The mention of Weller irons reminds me I have hiding in a cupboard I have a Weller AG700 hot air Iron and a EH1000 hot plate repair station. Must dig them out and see if they still work.
At the moment I have been using an Antex 660TC, cheap and reliable and fits on my bench.
At the moment I have been using an Antex 660TC, cheap and reliable and fits on my bench.
It's fairly straight forward, if you want to start it , press start. You can work out the rest of the controls for yourself !
No silicon heaven ? preposterous ! Where would all the calculators go ?
No silicon heaven ? preposterous ! Where would all the calculators go ?