Recommendation on a high quality and powerful desoldering gun? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / testgear

author: Fusion916
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 08, 2018, 11:54:33 pm
content: I am looking for a recommendation on a high quality soldering gun with an integrated pump that works really well on desoldering through hole parts from older equipment (20+ years). I bought a cheap chinese one on ebay it was a piece of shit that didn't work at all. I am looking for a real one now.

author: james_s
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 09, 2018, 01:00:03 am
content: I have a Hakko 808 that I absolutely love. I've had it for years and use it constantly. It makes pulling dips from double sided pcbs a piece of cake.

author: particleman
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 09, 2018, 02:00:18 am
content: Quote from: james_s on October 09, 2018, 01:00:03 amI agree. Hakko 808 is the best thing next to sliced bread. Just ordered a 2.3mm tip for mine today. I'm getting ready to do some filter caps on a scope. I have the 1mm and the 1.6mm tips and have always used braid for the big caps. This time I'm going to try the 808.

author: james_s
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 09, 2018, 04:33:06 am
content: I've used the 1.6mm tip to desolder big caps before, even when the solder joint is the size of my fingernail. If I need more heat I put my soldering iron on the other side of the joint to get it all nice and molten, then vacuum up the solder with the 808. You don't always have to fit the tip over the component lead being desoldered once it's large enough.

author: macboy
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 09, 2018, 02:04:05 pm
content: I have a Hakko 470. I suppose it is similar to the 808 that others are recommending, except that it has a separate pump/power brick and a compact handle with power and vacuum hoses leading to it. It works well, certainly far better than any spring action pump. I really believed it was about as good as it gets...Then I got a Metcal MX-DS1. WOW. That thing is just fantastic. The Hakko doesn't compare on any level. Heating power? The Hakkocanbe turned up to stupid hot, but then the tip oxidizes quickly and you can overheat the board if not careful. The Metcal doesn't need to be stupid hot, it runs at a normal temperature and just cranks heat into the board until it reaches that temperature. The heater is built into the tip cartridge, so there is no air gap to obstruct heat transfer, plus the heater's innate temperature control is faster than any electronic thermostat/PID control system. The vacuum system is also WOW-worthy itself. It uses a venturi (powered by compressed air) to create vacuum close to the tip, rather than a pump located at the far end of a hose. The result is instantaneous, powerful suction, with no need to wait for a pump to spin up and evacuate a hose. I've only ever clogged the Metcal tip once or twice in many hundreds of joints, and it was easy to clean. The Hakko clogs frequently and is a pain to clean. Finally, the Metcal is very quiet as there is no pump.If you already have a compatible Metcal soldering power supply and an air compressor, then deciding to get the Metcal desoldering gun should be a "no-brainer". Just do it. If you don't have either, then the decision is not so simple, as the investment to entry becomes far higher. Consider though that the same power supply will handle the desoldering gun and a soldering iron, so you will be set up with top-tier desoldering and soldering tools.

author: PaulAm
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 09, 2018, 02:13:43 pm
content: +1 on the MetcalIf you're in the US you can get a cheap compressor with a 1 gallon air tank from HF that works fine for running it. Turns out that it's kind of handy having compressed air available around the bench anyway.

author: particleman
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 09, 2018, 02:25:57 pm
content: Quote from: macboy on October 09, 2018, 02:04:05 pmI personally have done thousands of joints with my 808 and have not clogged it once (except with snipped leads) but I also keep my stuff really clean. I had planned on getting a Metcal when my station dies. But I'm starting to think my Edsyn 951sx will outlast me.

author: james_s
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 09, 2018, 03:58:51 pm
content: I frequently take my 808 with me somewhere, no way I'd want to have to drag around an air compressor. If I were setting up a company lab or something where portability was not a concern then I'd consider the Metcal but otherwise no way. Portability is a huge feature.

author: LaurentR
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 10, 2018, 05:36:47 pm
content: Quote from: PaulAm on October 09, 2018, 02:13:43 pm+2 on the Metcal. Expensive stuff but it's been around for so long that you can acquire a whole setup for a reasonable price on EBay.As mentioned above, you do need a 80psi compressed air source, which can be had for really cheap if you don't mind the noise.The desoldering cartridges take a good 10 sec to get to temperature from cold (an eternity for a Metcal tip - but they're big) and the rest is extremely uneventful, it just works. The guns are mechanically extremely simple, so not much can go wrong.

author: IDEngineer
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 11, 2018, 11:37:40 pm
content: I have a Hakko FR-300 on the bench. My teenage son worships it almost daily for work on his competitive quadracopters, which include lots of both SMT and throughhole components. I suffered with solder wick and spring-loaded solder suckers for a couple of decades and now wish I would have spent this money years and years ago. Has everything you asked for:* high quality* soldering gun* integrated pump* works really well on desoldering through hole partsIt includes a handy hard carrying case, has interchangeable tips in a variety of sizes, is made by the very well respected Hakko company, replacement filters/tips/etc. are available from lots of places (including several that offer an EEVblog discount), and so forth.Highly, highly recommended. I'm sure the Metcal is awesome but don't buy anything before looking at the FR-300.EDIT: Looks like it's been upgraded to the FR-301. $265 at TEquipment.net before the EEVblog discount, and that's just the first site I checked.

author: bson
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: October 12, 2018, 02:55:23 am
content: I too have the FR-300 (or FR-301, not sure and I'm too lazy to go check) and think it's great. Not only does it get TH parts off cleanly, but it also vacuums up solder off SMT pads nicely, for a nice flat surface to paste and position replacements when you accidentally fried something. I'm sure the Metcals are superior, but this does the job really nicely. But I don't do power electronics or 2mm pin board mount transformers, or anything like that. So, for a basic desolder gun it's awesome, but I can't really speak for heavy-duty uses.Edit: oh, and if you get the FR-301, get the matching stand. Oddly, it doesn't come with one.

author: james_s
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 12, 2018, 05:38:30 pm
content: The FR-300 looks like it replaced the 808. Same basic design, new fugly Fisher Price toy color scheme, I'm sure it works at least as well.

author: usagi
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 13, 2018, 01:32:16 am
content: I have no idea why I waited to long to get a Hakko FR300, but I'm glad I have one now.

author: rx8pilot
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 03, 2018, 12:00:50 am
content: I just ordered an FR-301 from TEquipement - not sure how it is different from the earlier model but I am happy to see that most people like them. It is my first real desoldering tool so no matter what it is leaps and bounds better than solder wick and sold-a-pults.My heart really wanted to go with the more big-time JBC system, but my wallet made the final call.The immediate need to de-solder BNC connectors from 8-16 layer PCBs. My expectation is that I will need to pre-heat the boards and perhaps add a little more heat with my iron. If it needs none of that - I will be ecstatic.

author: james_s
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 03, 2018, 05:47:32 pm
content: For heavy boards like that, get a selection of tips. Use one that is small enough that the nose makes good contact with the pad all the way around the pin. I doubt you'll have to preheat the board.

author: rx8pilot
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 03, 2018, 06:03:33 pm
content: Quote from: james_s on November 03, 2018, 05:47:32 pmExcellent - I got 4 tips to start with. Really hoping for a good result.My first project is working on a PCB that is $2k replacement value and may not even be available at all. Just need access to a pair of IC's..... Hakko you are my only hope.

author: james_s
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 03, 2018, 06:40:59 pm
content: Well practice on something else first, find an old motherboard or video card or something and try desoldering through-hole parts. If the board has huge ground and power plains you might need to preheat, it occurred to me that BNCs probably go to a big ground plain.

author: rx8pilot
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 03, 2018, 07:07:05 pm
content: Yes, they are indeed connected to 2-3 ground planes...... and it's lead-free solder.Some considerable patience will be a good thing. I do have a nice SMT convection oven and a hot air system to provide a helping hand.Short and misplld from my mobile......

author: T3sl4co1l
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 03, 2018, 08:26:25 pm
content: FYI, don't forget to add solder as needed.I've seen techs confused by my use: "What are you doing adding solder? You're trying to remove it!" Well, you can't remove jack until the joint is melted, and that's not going to happen if the tip is dirty and the joint isn't fluxed. Or if the joint is lead-free and taking forever to melt (and burning up your tip).Tim

author: james_s
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 03, 2018, 09:05:54 pm
content: Something else I'll mention which doesn't apply to someone who just bought a new one, if you find it isn't working well, check the condition of the tip. I was recently having problems with my 808, it just didn't seem to be heating the joints properly. The tip looked ok but I replaced it and the difference was night and day. Looking closer, the end of the tip was just fine but the interior mating surface where it contacts the heating element barrel was badly pitted and this prevented good heat transfer. I think it was the tip I originally got with it years ago so I got a good amount of use out of it, I was just surprised that the deterioration was there rather than on the nose where the tips of my old desoldering iron would wear out.

author: TheSteve
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: November 04, 2018, 02:04:17 am
content: Quote from: macboy on October 09, 2018, 02:04:05 pmJust as an FYI your Hakko 470 had maybe 10% of the suction it was designed to have. The piston was barely able to move because of the rust and the pump seals were in pieces. With the rust cleaned up/piston polished and new seals installed it is very quiet(a factor of 10 quieter) and will suck the solder out of anything with the heat at 2.5.So a properly functioning Hakko 470 is still a great tool.

author: Gandalf_Sr
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 04, 2018, 01:57:39 pm
content: Having messed around with solder wick for years, I just ordered a Hakko 301 kit that includes 4 extra nozzles and a stand from Tequipment.net along with the 6% eevblog discount. I think I'm gonna dig it!

author: bson
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: November 04, 2018, 10:23:57 pm
content: Coming from wick and manual solder suckers, it's going to feel like the pinnacle of convenience and luxury!

author: rx8pilot
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 05, 2018, 02:53:02 am
content: I am pretty excited to receive mine next week. I have suffered long enough. :-)Short and misplld from my mobile......