Soldering gear

Broadmonkey · 17 Jan 2013, 16:04

I am in the marked for a new soldering station, and found Hakko to be the most recommended, but seeing as it's both expensive and hard to find in EU, I was wondering what folks here at DT use?

Also if you can recommend anything to buy, that would also be pretty great

Mrinterface · 17 Jan 2013, 16:23

I use the ST081 solder unit.

I tried many, but this one still is my favorite. Especially if you do SMD.

http://www.google.com/imgres?hl=en&clie ... x=91&ty=57

Merijn · 17 Jan 2013, 17:27

Now that we are talking about soldering anyways, would you recommend me to use flux for soldering for things like the ergo dox? If you do, what flux do you recommend?

Icarium · 17 Jan 2013, 17:29

I like the pens. They're nice to use.
If you just build something new and use a good iron and solder you won't really need it, though.

dirge · 17 Jan 2013, 17:42

http://www.circuitspecialists.eu/csi-st ... on-station

I use that, if I were buying again I'd get one with a heat gun. But for that price it couldn't be beat when I was looking. Mine has a UK plug and safety standards etc. It's a hakko clone.

dirge · 17 Jan 2013, 17:46

wow, next site I visit has this linked if your in the UK
http://www.hotukdeals.com/deals/adjusta ... dl-1447385

Half-Saint · 17 Jan 2013, 21:55

I use a Weller WS 81 soldering station.

xbb · 17 Jan 2013, 22:18

This? http://www.dancap.co.uk/soldering/fx888.html
They have also the digital version.

I use a JBC AD2200. You can find them used also on eBay sometimes at decent price.

Acanthophis · 17 Jan 2013, 22:49

So, any recommendations for a soldering station <100€?
Still have a cheap 10€ solder iron which is..well, shit.

Anyone knows this cheap Weller station? Link

Parak · 17 Jan 2013, 23:22

I use a chinese thingy - Yihua 8786D. Cost me $60 or something with a bunch of tips and replacement parts when I did an order of 6 from the manufacturer to split up between friends. 995D is apparently the current newest version of that. Plenty of different tips to be had on ebay for cheap on these.

Another one I've been eying is Aoyue 701A++ which has a number of things not typically seen on the chinese stations - like a proper desoldering gun and a built in fumes intake. No hot air and pretty expensive though, but a desoldering gun in general is a life changer. I have a Hakko 808 myself, and I don't know how I lived before that. Nay, meagerly subsisted...

RC-1140 · 18 Jan 2013, 09:51

I use an Ersa Multitip, 15W. It's a fine tool, and the power is sufficient for most tasks. (Especially keyboard related)

Broadmonkey · 18 Jan 2013, 13:00

dirge wrote:wow, next site I visit has this linked if your in the UK
Link

My dad just bought one yesterday and it is not worth the price. The tips isn't tinned and when you apply solder it just dribs of for some reason.

Acanthophis wrote: Anyone knows this cheap Weller station? Link

We have those Weller stations at my school and I don't really like them. The station itself is fine, but the pens are bad, they loose heat really fast. They are the best we have, but i think you can do better for what they cost.

korne · 18 Jan 2013, 14:08

On my previous work i used those stations, they are awesome, but they cost arround 300€

http://www.jbctools.com/cd-2bc-solderin ... t-710.html

BimboBB · 18 Jan 2013, 14:48

Parak wrote: Another one I've been eying is Aoyue 701A++ which has a number of things not typically seen on the chinese stations - like a proper desoldering gun and a built in fumes intake. No hot air and pretty expensive though, but a desoldering gun in general is a life changer. I have a Hakko 808 myself, and I don't know how I lived before that. Nay, meagerly subsisted...

This Aoyue station looks really nice, even if its quite pricey. But having a soldering gun seems to be very handy. I have no experience with soldering, but looking for something to put the phantom stuff together.

Broadmonkey · 18 Jan 2013, 15:24

I actually tried on of those top of the line JBC at some expo last summer. They are not only one of the best soldering stations i saw/tried, but hands down some of the highest quality tech. Unfortunately they wouldn't give a large enough student rebate so I could afford it.

RC-1140 wrote:I use an Ersa Multitip, 15W. It's a fine tool, and the power is sufficient for most tasks. (Especially keyboard related)

I was actually looking at that one, but didn't know if it would have enough power.

dirge wrote:http://www.circuitspecialists.eu/csi-st ... on-station

Wow, that is cheap! How long have you got it?

RC-1140 · 18 Jan 2013, 17:24

I consider Ersa soldering tools to be at least on par with Weller, they are just not that common as it's a German company which never really expanded onto the international market.

I've soldered with multiple stations yet, most of them in the price range of about 100-200 €, and I would prefer my Multitip over most of them. I've only once experienced something I couldn't desolder, because the temperature was too low. But with ordinary lead-free solder I've never had any trouble.

And of course the low power is only a problem with the Multitip 15W. The Multitip C25 shouldn't have these problems (350°C compared to 450°C), and the other Ersa soldering irons neither.

Pby · 21 Jan 2013, 13:36

I have the Hakko fx951 and Weller WX1010.

Wish I hadn't bought the Hakko.

xbb · 21 Jan 2013, 14:42

Pby wrote:I have the Hakko fx951 and Weller WX1010. Wish I hadn't bought the Hakko.

From the specs of the Weller:

Multi-purpose USB port for parameter configuration and data logging

korne · 23 Jan 2013, 12:35

Help me to choose a new station

Aouye 701a++ for 123,80 € + 21% vat aprox 150€
-Poor quality compared with the JBC one
+Includes desolder gun
+price
http://www.satkit.com/b2c/index.php?pag ... ef=S020304

Or
JBC-CD-2BB 325€ vat included
-Price
+Quality
+Extras, tips, desolder station, tweezers (if u pay them)
http://todoelectronica.com/estacion-sol ... 336edaa224

BimboBB · 23 Jan 2013, 13:22

I bought this Aoyue 701A++ station, because it has a desolder gun (but no hot air). Hope it will be doing fine and not going broke after 10 minutes.

xbb · 24 Jan 2013, 13:56

korne wrote:Help me to choose a new station

Aouye 701a++ for 123,80 € + 21% vat aprox 150€
-Poor quality compared with the JBC one
+Includes desolder gun
+price
http://www.satkit.com/b2c/index.php?pag ... ef=S020304

Or
JBC-CD-2BB 325€ vat included
-Price
+Quality
+Extras, tips, desolder station, tweezers (if u pay them)
http://todoelectronica.com/estacion-sol ... 336edaa224

If you plan to use it a lot take the JBC, you probably seen already the other features like almost instant temperature control, quick/safe tip change etc.
If you buy it make sure you get the one with the T245 handpiece.

For the desoldering option I think you need to buy the modular stuff. A cheap chinese one will do the job anyway.

Acanthophis · 28 Jan 2013, 05:06

Well, I desoldered some switches on my Poker and I wasn't happy.
I always had to apply solder before I tried to desolder.
Seems my 10€ heat stick doesn't have enough power.
I just ordered a ERSA Multitip C25.
Thanks for the tip, RC-1140!

RC-1140 · 29 Jan 2013, 18:05

Always happy to help! I hope you enjoy it. I don't think one can do anything wrong at that price, and that is just one fine soldering iron imho. The "Ersadur" material they use is great!

Broadmonkey · 31 Jan 2013, 14:31

I think I am going to jump the Ersa train too and buy an Ersa Tip 260. Looks HQ, is relatively cheap and only heats up to 350 C which I think will be enough for most of the work I'm going to do (otherwise I will just borrow one from the school for more heat demanding jobs)