View Full Version : recomend me a soldering station
oceanobsession
05-02-2017, 14:01
My weller pu3d has just burnt out the element £25 ish but everything they seem to make is expensive , is there better or cheaper any recomendations or should i
stick with weller . cheers phil.
My weller pu3d has just burnt out the element £25 ish but everything they seem to make is expensive , is there better or cheaper any recomendations or should i
stick with weller . cheers phil.
The Hakko FX888D is pretty good. I had two Wellers burn out in a year after having one last for 20. The Hakko looks like it's made by Fisher Price but it works great, and gets back to temperature fast. I've been using it for about a year and a half now with no issues, and I solder a lot.
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http://www.okinternational.com/hand-soldering-systems/id-PS-900/Production_Soldering_System_-_Tip_Hand-piece
Expensive, but ultra reliable. Used all day every day without missing a beat. If I could afford one at home I wouldn't hesitate.
Use this at home.........
http://www.atten.com/Soldering%20station/at938d.html
The Handles crack because of the heat :scratch: but they do keep going !!
oceanobsession
05-02-2017, 15:11
yes i was looking at this one , plus you can buy a complete new pencil £12 , where weller would be £90 , some companys are just living off there name and there production is
probably china anyway ,
yes i was looking at this one , plus you can buy a complete new pencil £12 , where weller would be £90 , some companys are just living off there name and there production is
probably china anyway ,
Weller used to be a good brand. They have a lot of QC issues now.
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Arkless Electronics
05-02-2017, 15:51
I'd stick with the Weller.. tried and tested and parts always available, if not cheaply....
Personally I don't use a soldering station but instead use Antex standard, non temp controlled irons and have done for decades.
I've been tempted to try one of the many el cheapo Chinese soldering stations available nowadays but the thing that put's me off is the likelihood of being unable to obtain new bits, elements etc in maybe only 2 years time...
The el cheapo Chinese ones are crap. I do have a Chinese rework blower that is good for desoldering. They all have 858D on them, but there are a bunch of different brands. It's really handy for a $30 tool.
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Have this one earmarked for if ever i fancy one
https://www.reichelt.com/?LANGUAGE=EN&CTYPE=0&MWSTFREE=0&CCOUNTRY=447&ARTICLE=90909&PROVID=2788&wt_guka=22596852017_79177431617&PROVID=2788&gclid=Cj0KEQiAt9vEBRDQmPSow-q5gs8BEiQAaWSEDpcK7VXU8ZmqjFqi1LTzE5NW4B1yaZ9wJbcy BlTffVYaAl7m8P8HAQ
Arkless Electronics
05-02-2017, 16:33
I have a Chinese de-soldering machine which has worked fine... so far... Yes they come in many brands which are all the same model... I have been planing to get a hot air smd re-work gun for a while but it's something I would use so rarely that I've not got round to it..
I use a Weller soldering station and its fine. Also have an Antex for fine work and an ancient Henley Soloniron for heavy soldering duties. But most of the time I use the Weller. We used them at work and they were/are reliable.
ok what wattage/temperature is best for soldering? ie crossover work,changing caps etc?
I'd stick with Weller. I use the bomb-proof 50 Watt WTCP 51 soldering station with a massive choice of relatively cheap tips (RS components sell them). The tip choice changes the temperature using a magnetic strength system (as the tip heats up and reaches temperature, the magnetism decreases so shutting off the magnetic switch in the iron and killing the electric supply until it cools slightly). It's a clever and reliable system.
The elements rarely go on these. I know someone who has used one for donkeys years without any failures. I had an issue with mine which I traced to a wiring fault. 10 minutes later it was repaired and working again.
50 watts is a good tip to use as it ensures sufficient heat availability even with large truncated conical tips, without excessive heat loss through heat sinking into work. It means shorter contact time for more rapid soldering which can be important on some delicate jobs. You can get away with much less though and even a 20 or 25 watt iron will do mostly what you need.
It depends on the components and size of solder you are using.
I use .5mm for most board work, 1mm or bigger for things like big wires, tabs and turrets. I used to run my iron cooler than I do now, I tend to crank it up as far as I can without the flux going poof. Everyone figures out what works for them over time.
I'm waiting for my Chinese rework tool to electrocute me too.
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killie99
05-02-2017, 22:29
I've used metcals for 30 years ad never once had an issue
spendorman
06-02-2017, 14:13
bigclive thoughts
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aIab66EgfHM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XrUjhFUm8OM
RothwellAudio
06-02-2017, 15:21
It means shorter contact time for more rapid soldering which can be important on some delicate jobs.
This true and often overlooked. A hot tip with good thermal mass is less likely to damage delicate components because it gets the joint up to temperature quickly and allows the solder joint to be completed quickly. A lukewarm tip held in contact with the joint for ages just gets the component's innards hotter and hotter. Not a good idea.
bigclive thoughts
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aIab66EgfHM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XrUjhFUm8OM
cheers for the links,he's done a load of videos which explain things the novice will understand (me)
i liked the one on components,ie diodes capacitors etc
spendorman
06-02-2017, 18:50
cheers for the links,he's done a load of videos which explain things the novice will understand (me)
i liked the one on components,ie diodes capacitors etc
And strangely entertaining.
yes,i was compelled to watch both vids on the soldering stations :)
dimkasta
06-02-2017, 20:21
The station I used for the past 5 or so years is an ERSA RDS 80.
Nice quality, and it's still going strong. It has some cut corners though.
It feels a bit more boutique than a solid workhorse tool. For example, the DIN connector is not a metal locking one and has become a bit loose, losing connection sometimes.
The tips go at a rate of about one every 3-4 months using daily both leaded and ROHS solder, but with proper cleaning and solder application between uses.
They cost about 20 euros.
The replacement iron is about 50 euros, but I have not needed one yet.
A few months ago I also pulled the trigger on a Chinese one because I also wanted a desoldering gun. So I went for the ZD-917 (there is a newer version now available).
I am using it exclusively since I bought it and I have no problems with it so far.
Tips are 20 euros for 10 (yes 10 :) ) and the one I am using now is like new after a couple of months of use.
Replacement gun is about 40 euros and replacement iron is about 20euros.
And parts seem to be available in big quantities from many vendors both on ebay and locally (Athens Greece)
And the desoldering gun is a gift from God if you do frequent part replacing. I will never go back to manual pump ever again :D
Now there are two things I do not like. The one is that temperature overshoots during startup in a non-obvious way. You have to push up-down to see the actual temperature which can be 100C+ during initial warm-up. Like in the 858D hot air station.
The second thing I do not like is that the desoldering gun can get clogged because the back end of the heating tube is thin and does not have enough mass to maintain a high temperature to keep solder liquid if an amount is not properly sucked into the waste chamber. It can easily be unclogged though by removing the waste chamber, removing any excess solder with the soldering iron and increasing the gun's temp to around 450C to melt any residue inside the tube. Takes ~1-2 minutes but it is annoying when it happens. I've never used the included files. I never liked such invasive maintenance on my soldering tools.
Overall I am very happy with both.
I also thought of getting a Hakko because of all the good reviews, but because of all that popularity they are almost double the price here and I do not like buying such devices from abroad.
I prefer to have local and easy support.
I've been tempted to try one of the many el cheapo Chinese soldering stations available nowadays but the thing that put's me off is the likelihood of being unable to obtain new bits, elements etc in maybe only 2 years time...
I bought one of the Chinese copies of the hakko soldering stations, it didn't see the first day out :(
I'd stick with Weller. I use the bomb-proof 50 Watt WTCP 51 soldering station with a massive choice of relatively cheap tips (RS components sell them). The tip choice changes the temperature using a magnetic strength system (as the tip heats up and reaches temperature, the magnetism decreases so shutting off the magnetic switch in the iron and killing the electric supply until it cools slightly). It's a clever and reliable system.
The elements rarely go on these. I know someone who has used one for donkeys years without any failures. I had an issue with mine which I traced to a wiring fault. 10 minutes later it was repaired and working again.
50 watts is a good tip to use as it ensures sufficient heat availability even with large truncated conical tips, without excessive heat loss through heat sinking into work. It means shorter contact time for more rapid soldering which can be important on some delicate jobs. You can get away with much less though and even a 20 or 25 watt iron will do mostly what you need.
What he said [emoji1]
I used cheap Antex for years but the switch to Weller has been stunning, especially with lead free solder.
I used to love Weller stations. The one I used for years died. The next two didn't didn't survive a year between them. That's what finally pushed me to the Hakko.
I never use lead free solder. There are people that do board work with a gun. Having a nice tool makes it easier, but practice makes you good at it.
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dimkasta
07-02-2017, 01:54
Yep
Practice, a clean 2-3mm chisel tip at the right temperature and .5mm leaded solder
That's where I ended up after years of trial and error.
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Blueflash
09-02-2017, 09:13
Another vote to stay with Weller, spares will always be ready available.
oceanobsession
16-04-2017, 17:10
After much consideration I purchased the hakko 888d , I had a go at tinning the ends of some klotz mc5000 wires, set temp to 250c and I managed to
do this without melting the insulation which has been a problem in the past unless ive used wire with ptfe insulation , this has put me off making interconnects , hopefully with a bit practice I can improve . phil.
dimkasta
20-04-2017, 07:52
Solid choice
What tips did you buy?
brucew268
22-04-2017, 21:11
Last week I was reading some good reviews on the Antex 50w TCS (http://cpc.farnell.com/antex/t48jj70/tcs50-temp-controlled-iron-silicon/dp/SD02054)variable and beginning to think about giving it a go.
Lusted after a decent Weller station for years.
Always thinking that I don't /won't do enough solder melting to bother/need one.
So I keep using my 45 yr old Weller Craftsman 25 watt pencil. Last week had to solder some TINY smd bits: an IC, resistors and Leds about the size of a speck of Dandruff onto an 8mm square PCB.
Had to use 2 pair of glasses and a light/work lens just to see the damned things. A tough slog.
Weller worked Fine though.. Fairly neat job of it too... mercifully.
brucew268
22-04-2017, 21:45
Yeah, 4.00 reading glasses are becoming required soldering kit for me!
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oceanobsession
23-04-2017, 19:31
looks good and the tips are cheap , temp controlled good price , check out the reviews , phil.
I have just bought a WEP 60W temp controlled from Ebay. Chinese and it looks old fashioned and British, and although I haven't used it a lot it seems very good. Bit are steel which means longer life.
My friend also bought one and think it good, even for thicker speaker cables.
Just bought a Hakko FX-888D like this:
https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/61lBY83UU8L._SX425_.jpg
Bought it from www.dancap.co.uk
Maplins stock some of the Hakko models now, but Dancap do the whole range, + spares, bits etc and are a keener price and delivered next day.
I looked at Weller, but for a similar model they are much dearer, if you can find the latest models in the UK. Word in the States is quality has dropped in recent years.
The Hakko heats up fast (23 sec) and recovers very fast after a heat drain (65w).
Well made and robust, with nice touches like a silicon iron lead that doesn't restrict you in use + around 27 different bits available.
I plan on getting a second iron, to use with the transformer/control unit and fitting one with a large bit and the other with a fine one, to save on bit change overs.
There are a lot of fake and rubbish Hakko products on ebay/amazon but the Dancap and Maplins are genuine.
Highly recommended. ;)
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