Thread Closed - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: drummerdimitri
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 27, 2016, 09:12:20 pm
content: Hey guys,I'm a hobbyist who's been using cheap soldering irons that have been working great so far (Goot) but now want to buy a proper soldering station.I initially purchased a Weller WT 1010 Set that worked for a while but had a defective iron so I got a refund for it.Wasn't able to use it much but loved the small footprint and the looks of the unit but comparing it to a WX2, it just seemed lacking in features.I am not sure what to buy now, I would like to stick to Weller since I love their product design and quality but a lot of people seem to recommend JBC stations. I like their features and the quick tip change but I am not sure if it suits my needs:I need a versatile station capable to soldering small electrical components to boards but at the same time solder large copper bars together so high heat capacity is needed as well.My ideal scenario would be having a WX2 with two pens, one for basic every day soldering and the other for heavy duty stuff as mentioned above. Not sure if a JBC would allow me to do this since it lacks the power output (200W) of the Weller and from what I see tip size is pretty restricted.I was thinking a WX2 with a 90 W or 120 W pencil to start with and eventually purchase the WXP 200 W iron.What do you guys recommend? Is Weller releasing a new WX version anytime soon since the new WT series has come up?Let me know what you think.Thanks!

author: nanofrog
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 27, 2016, 09:40:19 pm
content: A few questions...1. Where are you located (you can set this in your profile so we don't have to ask; helps get you answers faster)?2. Budget?3. What do you need it to do, specifically?I ask, as market availability & pricing vary drastically, depending on where you life. For example, Hakko tends to be on the expensive side in the UK/EU, while is a bargain in the US vs. other brands.In regards to JBC, their irons have an excellent tip selection, particularly for the T245 iron (C245 cartridge series). Weller's tip selection is generally decent as well, but you should always take a look at what's available for the specific iron's you're interested in IME, regardless of manufacturer (i.e. newer products may not have much of a tip selection, as they've not had a chance to respond to customer requests).For general purpose work, ~70 - 90W is usually enough as a general rule IME (tip technology varies & certainly plays a notable role); this also assumes the tip is properly sized to the hole/pad (quite important).

author: drummerdimitri
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 27, 2016, 10:07:39 pm
content: Quote from: nanofrog on October 27, 2016, 09:40:19 pmThanks for the reply,I am currently located in Germany as now visible on my profile.No specific budget really, just want to get the best station for my needs.That was answered in detail, I love tinkering with stuff and don't really need what I am saying that I need but I general like buying the best out there when it comes to tools.Also, I've been using a 20/200 W Goot iron that goes to max power when pressing a button and I've used 200W on many occasions when filling a hole with Solder or soldering 50 mm2 copper wire to battery clamps for example.Again, I want to be able to do everything from soldering tiny components on motherboards and do as mentioned above.Hope this helps.

author: nanofrog
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 27, 2016, 11:10:18 pm
content: Quote from: drummerdimitri on October 27, 2016, 10:07:39 pmFWIW, the German flag is not displayed beneath your userID, but rather an error message (polaroid image with an X in it, followed by a space & 00). This is usually seen from those that don't want to reveal their location (at least from what I see when on the forum).As per the stations, both are excellent and would serve you well. Weller should be less expensive on tips as they're just plated copper rather than cartridge types (tip + heater + sensor), but you should check into that before making a decision.Availability should be decent given your location. So I'd recommend looking at the tip cost (consumables) as well as the cost of the station (TCO). For general purpose, you'd want a T245 iron for JBC, and the WXP120 (they have recently released an 80W iron for the WX series as well). If you need micro irons, they both offer those as well. Big stuff too, should you actually need that (i.e. ~150 - 200W range).FWIW, I've a WD series setup (WD1 + WSP80 & WMP irons + WDH20T Stop-N-Go stand, which allows me to use all of the setback features). It's a very decent station, but if things had turned out differently, namely pricing and availability, I'd have gone a different way. In particular, had JBC been cheaper at the time I'd purchased, I'd have gone with that. Or had the Hakko FX-951 been released at that time, I'd have probably ended up with that instead based on it's value proposition in the US (uses cartridge tips, and is less expensive than either the Weller or JBC stations).

author: drummerdimitri
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 28, 2016, 06:39:38 am
content: Quote from: nanofrog on October 27, 2016, 11:10:18 pmI have access to both stations here but I am leaning toward the Weller since I much prefer the looks and interface of the whole system.Still having problems identifying which iron/irons I will need with what tips to get. Weller's website is terribly laid out for such purposes.I don't want to end up with 3 irons that's for sure so not sure if a WXP120 and a WXP200 is what I need since I am not sure if the first offers tips that are small enough for soldering tiny components.Another important question you missed is if the WX is becoming outdated and due for a refresh. I'd like to take that into consideration as well.Thanks!

author: drummerdimitri
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 28, 2016, 06:42:58 am
content: Also, I forgot to add will a 120W iron make use of the 200W power or is it limited to 120W electronically?If so that changes the situation a little bit.Weller has 3 different heating technologies so how do I factor that into my decision making?

author: Psi
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 28, 2016, 07:15:04 am
content: Thermaltronics TMT-9000SNuff said

author: cowana
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 28, 2016, 07:51:35 am
content: Having used both, I would rank an Ersa i-CON 2 over a JBC station.The tips are very cheap, last forever, and have some of the best thermal transfer and ease-of-wetting of any I've used. They do a 10mm chisel tip which would happily solder 50mm2 battery cables all day every day.

author: 2N3055
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 28, 2016, 08:00:57 am
content: In Germany, Weller or Ersa.. I prefer Weller, tips are not expensive, in 30 years never had problem with it..For soldering stations, to me, availability of tips is most important thing..

author: sainter
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 28, 2016, 10:05:53 am
content: +1 For ersa. If money not a concern , I would say ERSA I-CON2 V at least. You can buy additional smd tweezers. If you have some extra $, look at there model with desoldering capabilities.

author: wraper
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: October 28, 2016, 10:16:21 am
content: +1 Ersa, I wouldn't buy that weller.

author: drummerdimitri
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 28, 2016, 10:46:15 am
content: Guys, I've decided to go with Weller since I place a huge importance on looks and features when it comes to tools and the competition looks 10 years behind in that respect.I you want to help, please suggest 2 soldering pencils with what tips to buy for all types of soldering. Thanks!

author: Psi
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 28, 2016, 10:51:33 am
content: Quote from: drummerdimitri on October 28, 2016, 10:46:15 am

author: cowana
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 28, 2016, 11:02:25 am
content: Quote from: drummerdimitri on October 28, 2016, 10:46:15 amI think Psi's comment sums up that pretty well.... If it's mainly the look you're after, maybe Hakko's brightly coloured offerings might appeal to you?I've not used it myself, but apparently the UI on that Weller station is fairly unpleasant and un-intuitive to use, so I wouldn't get it because of the touch screen. For me the Ersa Icon stations have every feature you could want on a soldering station - auto sleep/wakeup, configurable overshoot/ramp time, calibration, operator lockout etc etc.

author: nctnico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 28, 2016, 01:29:45 pm
content: Quote from: drummerdimitri on October 27, 2016, 10:07:39 pmLook at Ersa!edit: Oh I see you rather look at a soldering station than having a soldering station/iron which works well

author: nanofrog
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 28, 2016, 02:12:16 pm
content: Quote from: drummerdimitri on October 28, 2016, 10:46:15 amPerformance, usability, and availability of spares should be the your primary concerns; not looks. Granted Weller's been in the soldering iron business, but they're not perfect; not by a long shot. Regarding the WT, it looks to me like a hybrid of a WD & WX series with some of the issues having been addressed on the irons (tips). So far more likely it's going to replace the WD series. They blew too much money on the WX series, so it's not going away anytime soon.As per irons, start with a general purpose so look for 80-90W models. Don't go any higher than the 120W, but it's a bit overkill IMHO. You can always just get a 200W wall iron should you find it necessary for bus bars (JBC, Weller, ...).All of this ^ said, I never mentioned Ersa as you never asked, but they do make excellent stations.As per tips, since you've not given any real specifics, there's a set of 5 tips that can do quite a bit IME; a general purpose kit if you will.chisels: 1.6mm, 2.4mm, & 3.2mm (can do SMD or PTH)bent conical with a fine point (excellent for SMD)hoof (tined face only) or specialized drag soldering tip (hoof is able to do more, but not quite as easy for drag soldering as a dedicated tip, which has a spoon/hollow in the face to hold a ball of solder)For more information on what tips to use for a particular task/s, take a look atHakko's Tip Selection Page. I highly recommend you take the time to look this over.

author: GreyWoolfe
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: October 28, 2016, 04:07:20 pm
content: Never thought I would see someone on this forum interested in looks more than function. SWMBO is a form over function person. To follow up on something that Nanofrog said, I have the Hakko FX-951 because I couldn't justify the expense of the JBC. Yes, it looks like a toy, especially sitting next to my Metcal MX-500, but it WORKS! I don't worry about the awkward UI as I leave it set at 650F. Features have some weight, but function should be the most important thing to look at. Features that are important are, to me, heater in tip and tip to grip distance, everything else is meh. I have .8mm, 1.6mm, 2.4mm and 3.2mm chisel tips for both. At some point, I will also get a bent conical and maybe a hoof. For the soldering I do now, what I have is adequate.Try to find someone that has what you are interested in buying and see if they will let you take a test drive.

author: P90
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 29, 2016, 07:43:50 am
content: ersa i-CON NANO

author: drummerdimitri
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 29, 2016, 11:33:07 am
content: So I've decided to go the WX2 way since it's like 40 Euros more expensive than the WX1.The choice of the pencils is driving me nuts though. I love the WTP90 iron but I am not sure if it works with the WX2 and the WDH rest.If not, How would the WXP120 compare? looks a lot bigger, heavier with a longer tip-grip distance. Any more info here is appreciated.For the second Iron I might go with a WXP200 to make the most use of the WX2's power.What do you think?

author: Psi
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 29, 2016, 11:43:31 am
content: ive head you get damn good results with a cheap china clone station that accepts genuine hakko T12 tips.Its cheap too. like $40 for the station and then $30 for a genuine hakko T12 tip

author: P90
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 29, 2016, 01:04:44 pm
content: I get great results from my modified Yihua 937d using genuine Hakko 930m tips... of course it's only for home hobby, not day in and day out use... so flame away...

author: leon_heller
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: October 29, 2016, 01:43:24 pm
content: I get excellent results from a second-hand Metcal STSS power unit with a new MX-500 handpiece, stand and a selection of cartridges. They cost me about £120.

author: P90
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 29, 2016, 01:47:47 pm
content: Quote from: leon_heller on October 29, 2016, 01:43:24 pmMetcal, schmetcal... yeah yeah...All you people with your fancy shmancy high thermal stations...But I got two Fluke 87V's for $40. So eat that!

author: drummerdimitri
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 29, 2016, 01:48:07 pm
content: Will start a new thread. This one has lost focus...

author: P90
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 29, 2016, 01:51:32 pm
content: "Guys, I've decided to go with Weller since I place a huge importance on looks"