Desoldering gun advice - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: tony359
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 10, 2023, 02:10:36 pm
content: Hi all,I've recently purchased an AIXUN T245 soldering iron. My old iron is an AOYUE which is a Hakko 888 knockoff (I am actually using genuine Hakko tips as the AOYUE ones are useless).I am blown away by the jump in performance as you might expect. Also the ability to change the tip in 5 seconds is amazing.My AOYUE station (701A++) also features a de-soldering gun which is "meh" but works ok. Usual one with diaphragm pump. As this is also very old, I was wondering whether in 2023 there is a better one which would give me the same "wow" feeling when upgrading from the AOYUE one?It might be the moment to throw away the AOYUE altogether!Thanks!

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 10, 2023, 05:50:16 pm
content: Maybe do a search first, as this has been discussed numerous times in recent months.

author: tony359
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 10, 2023, 06:54:07 pm
content: I have now thanks.It's always good advice, however my question is for a desoldering station which can improve on my Aoyue - not for "a desoldering station".I found a post where kikook compares the Quick to my own station and found it very similar - that helps as the quick is £245 and the last thing I want to do is to spend £245 and not getting much improvements.From where I am I don't see a "wow" improvement unless I go with very expensive ones so maybe I should live with the Aoyue? Happy to be proven wrong of course.ThanksTony

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 11, 2023, 12:37:45 am
content: For what it’s worth, with patience you may be able to get a top quality used one for peanuts.It took me 3 years of checking the local classified ads, but I eventually got a Pace ST-75/SX-90 desoldering station for $115 shipped (a model that was still sold new at the time for over $900!), and it came with almost $100 worth of brand new tips and supplies. It needed $15 of parts (a new button and a rubber seal) to return it to like-new condition.

author: tony359
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 11, 2023, 03:33:04 pm
content: I do that sometimes. I can try to keep an eye on Ebay for one.I was hoping that with technical advancement there was an "aliexpress" one which was as good as the JBC at a fraction of the price

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 11, 2023, 10:38:24 pm
content: Quote from: tony359 on September 11, 2023, 03:33:04 pmNot really. It’s harder (though not impossible) to make a cartridge-style desoldering tip, so few of the name brand manufacturers have attempted it, never mind the cheap clones.With that said, the cheap clones haven’t even really caught up with what name brands came out with 20 years ago when it comes to desoldering. Pace’s design hasn’t changed significantly in that time, and it’s still among the very best. Desoldering tools are inherently more fickle, so even a name brand desoldering tool requires a certain amount of babying and operator skill.

author: tony359
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 11, 2023, 10:45:44 pm
content: Of course I wasn't expecting a cartridge-style one. Just one that has better suction and doesn't clog so often. A better design of the handle etc.I'll keep an eye on the second hand, maybe you're right. Let me take a look at the Pace to understand what the benchmark is!Thank you!

author: Jackster
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 12, 2023, 09:02:42 am
content: I bought the AliExpress SS-331H desoldering gun back in February and have been using it weekly ever since.For just under £100, it is actually very good.It has been blocked about 2-3 times but that was just a poor technique/overloading it.I am sure the more fancy ones have better-feeling handles and don't make as much noise but I can't fault it for anything other than looking slightly out of place when it sits next to a £600 Hakko station and £250 hot air stationBought it from this sellerhttps://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005003458555245.html

author: Shock
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 12, 2023, 11:03:20 am
content: Here is a Pace video shows how their design works.

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 12, 2023, 01:14:20 pm
content: Quote from: tony359 on September 11, 2023, 10:45:44 pmGun or pencil style is a matter of personal preference.As for suction and clogging:The effective suction is a result of all the following:— Pump type and strength (membrane, vane, venturi, etc)— Vacuum system design (directly pump driven, or valved vacuum chamber that is pumped down periodically)— Pump drive style (Pace’s overdrive-briefly-then-drive-continuously, most brands’ simple continuous, or the periodic pumping of a vacuum chamber)— Good sealing of the entire system— Filter cleanliness— Waste solder receptacle cleanliness— Proper match of desoldering tip to pad and component lead— Cleanliness of the entire solder suction path (the inside of the nozzle all the way into the waste receptacle)In my experience with novice desolderers, people don’t clean the system nearly enough. You should run a cleaning rod through the nozzle periodically during use, before it clogs. Inspect and replace air filters regularly: flux vapor settles on them and reduces airflowdramatically. Different models have different filter configurations, but it’s common for there to be two air filters: the primary air filter just inside or behind the waste solder receptacle, and a secondary filter just ahead of the vacuum pump.And of course technique matters a lot. Running the vacuum too long uninterrupted can let the tip cool off too much, causing the solder to solidify prematurely, before exiting into the waste receptacle. But conversely, not running the vacuum long enough can also cause clogs, because the “plug” of solder and flux doesn’t have time to make it into the waste receptacle, so it sits inside the tip, oxidizing away (and charring, in the case of the flux). Pace models automatically run for about two seconds, but that’s not enough for anything but the tiniest joints.Finally, make sure you tin your desoldering tip thoroughly and frequently. Again in my experience with novices, people tend to leave desoldering irons idle, oxidizing away, and then don’t re-tin them, neither before starting, nor when they’re done. The oxidized tip reduces thermal transfer drastically, which then leads users to turn up the temperature, which then means oxidation occurs even faster, as does charring of flux residues inside the tip. (Novices also tend to just use whatever tip was already installed, rather than selecting the appropriate one for the joint.)As I said, desoldering tools are kinda needy, so you’ll never have one that is anywhere near as low-maintenance as a regular soldering iron.

author: tony359
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 12, 2023, 02:06:34 pm
content: @tooki.all good points and I agree. However, my handpiece has a metal "cone" in it and at the end as a "filter" I have a "sponge" - the yellow one - which I don't know how it can possibly act as a filter, particularly as I am supposed to keep wet??Yes I do clean the tip very often while using. I just feel the whole design of my station is pretty cartonney - I'll see if I can post some pictures. I watched the instructional video from Pace and the design makes more sense to me.