Do I really need a soldering station? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: ppTRN
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: December 22, 2022, 03:30:17 pm
content: I everyone, the time has come for me to start thinking about buying a soldering iron. The vast majority of soldering I made is on 0805, 0603, extremely rarely 0402, for small prototipes. I won't spend all my working day soldering, but when a new design is manufactured, i want to assemble it with the best tool for it. So since I am talking about 5 to 10 small board a year, for a total soldering time of maybe 1 month, should I really spend 500€+ for a jbc soldering station? All my previous soldering were made with a relatively old JBC soldering station, and it was sooo good. But then, even JBC sells precision irons that do not come with a station, but just a plug and a holder:https://www.jbctools.com/sl2020-temperature-controlled-product-686.htmlSo, I guess that you have all the infos for my final question: will I regret buying such "plug and play" jbc soldering iron? I know that there are cheaper copies of jbc soldering stations (just take a look at SDG electrionics yt channel), but since I had such an amazing experience with JBC, I thought I might go with that.Any additional infos:Should I buy an iron made for a station, and build it myself?I do not have acces anymore to the old jbc soldering station;I might solder components into ground plane widouth thermals;No particolarely delicate components;I see that the tips selection for "plug and play" jbc are ok for smd;Short hand to tip distance is a must;Anything that comes to my mind, i will edit the post.As usual, thank you very much.

author: Yellofriend
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: December 23, 2022, 04:01:39 am
content: In China you can buy solder stations that are "inspired" by JBC (with same T12 tips). They are well below EUR 100The brand KSGER comes to mind, but there are others. I have a higher end "Atten", but they use Hakko type tips that take a while to heat up (like 60-90 Seconds, once hot it will go back to a 150°C parking position for faster heat up). I would definitely go for something that can fit T12 tips. And you have the option to use very high end original JBC tips if you want (or for some special tips where theinspirationhas not not yet arrived in China)

author: semir-t
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: December 23, 2022, 07:59:11 am
content: I would suggest that you consider buying Weller soldering stations, something like this WE1010NA.It is not that expensive and it will server you for years.

author: 2N3055
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 23, 2022, 08:22:53 am
content: I bought PACE ADS200 and gave away my Weller WD1000 for free...After using Weller for 35+ years, they are not worth the money.KSGER literally works better, and you can buy literally 8 soldering station for the price of one.

author: JohanH
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 23, 2022, 09:57:25 am
content: I have a CSI soldering station (https://www.circuitspecialists.eu/soldering-desoldering/soldering-stations) that I have had for many years and it works well. The station I have is pin compatible with T12 tips, but temperature is way off for the chinese tips I've tested (still works well). Only disadvantage they are not in EU any more.

author: ppTRN
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: December 23, 2022, 11:38:06 am
content: So basically a station is mandatory. That is fine, I think I'll go for a JBC compatible soldering station and buy the original iron if I need. Based on your suggestion i might go for an Aixun T3B:

author: Kleinstein
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 23, 2022, 06:11:55 pm
content: There are also soldering irons with integrated temperature regulation (e.g. Atten ST-2065D). The function is similar (and better than the very cheap ones) to a simple 2 part soldering station, expect for not including the stand.A unregulated Iron is not really recommended, but with some care can still work.

author: themadhippy
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 23, 2022, 06:36:04 pm
content: Quoterubish,if i had a penny for every successfully joint ive made with my trusty antex i reckon i'd have enough to buy the company

author: Yellofriend
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: December 24, 2022, 12:51:50 am
content: Quote from: JohanH on December 23, 2022, 09:57:25 amYou are saying the JBC tips are more accurate on the Chinese machine? Interesting. How long the Chinese T12 tips last? For my China Hakko-clones they don't last long. I run them hot though due to lead-free soldering. I should get a tip tester.I had a look at theAixon website. I also ways feel strange when Chinese companies have no Chinese website. The stolen meeting image from Emirates Air does not build confidence either.Anyway, another contender for $50 could be the Bakon BK969Dhttps://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005002965912186.htmlCheaper, Bakon makes irons for long time, stand looks a bit flimsy, lite. I prefer heavy stands that don't slip. I am not sure how they trigger sleep mode. My older Bakon has a motion sensor in the handpiece. Video does not really convince me too much though.

author: james_s
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 24, 2022, 02:12:47 am
content: I bought a used Edsyn soldering station over 20 years ago, I've had to buy a few tips for it but nothing else. Amortized over the time I've owned it the cost is only a few dollars a year.

author: ppTRN
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: December 24, 2022, 12:59:51 pm
content: I am absolutely sure that whatever station is bought, in time it always pay back for itself. At the and of the day the most important piece of equipment we have are our hands. Although the more i look at these low end stations the more I think that some kind of temperature calibration would be needed more often than a higher end station. But again, not soldering particularely temperature sensitive component

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 24, 2022, 02:22:08 pm
content: Quote from: semir-t on December 23, 2022, 07:59:11 amIt’s not that well made. It’s not garbage, but there are better options for the money.

author: Mario87
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 17, 2023, 08:56:23 am
content: Quote from: themadhippy on December 23, 2022, 06:36:04 pmAntex irons have to be the worst I have ever used. I remember when I was young(er) and starting out I bought one from Maplins in the UK, it broke after 2 weeks, took it back and got a replacement..which lasted a month max, got that replaced as well and the 3rd one also lasted less than a month. Ended up getting my money back and bought a Weller iron, never looked back.Couldn't pay me to work with Antex rubbish. Currently have a Weller WD1000 station with WP80 iron which I purchased in 2008 / 2009 after finishing uni and its never let me down, would likely buy another Weller if it ever failed on me.

author: themadhippy
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 17, 2023, 01:21:17 pm
content: Quotedifferent people,different opinion.Quotecome back in 2050 and let us know if your still using it,my antex will be around 80 then and I'll be surprised if it wasn't still operational

author: 2N3055
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 17, 2023, 01:53:03 pm
content: Quote from: Mario87 on January 17, 2023, 08:56:23 amI gave away my WD1000, good riddance to it...And I was a Weller man for 30 years..Pace ADS200 is two orders of magnitude better..

author: RoGeorge
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 17, 2023, 02:43:41 pm
content: I'm using an unregulated temperature soldering gun (not soldering iron). It heats almost instant, in 2-3 seconds, and can deliver a lot of power, 100W at least. Also using it to demagnetize tools in the lab, melt plastic or hot glue, etc. The "soldering tips" are seen as consumables and cost nothing, they are made of copper wire leftovers from house wiring cable. Looks something like this:When the SMDs are very small, I coil a small piece of copper wire (from CAT5 LAN cable leftovers) over the thick copper wire. If needed, the thin wire can be shaped to desolder 2-3 terminals at once, so it can replace a tweezers soldering tool, too. Not recommended for production, great for occasional soldering. Few examples, all soldered with the same soldering gun:I have thermostated soldering irons, too, and don't like them that much. Almost never use them. My soldering looks better when made with the soldering gun than when using a temperature controlled soldering iron.

author: themadhippy
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 17, 2023, 03:30:12 pm
content: Quotegreat for 1 joint,but when your doing 100 of em thats upto 5 minutes waiting on yer iron to heat up

author: RoGeorge
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 17, 2023, 03:45:03 pm
content: Maybe it heats in only one second or so. The thing is it heats faster than needed, though it's not well suited for hundreds of joints, indeed. It's great for occasional soldering only, not for production.Its biggest drawback for long term soldering is the weight. It is very heavy. Weighted mine out of curiosity: 840g (1.85 pounds).

author: james_s
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 17, 2023, 06:46:21 pm
content: I have an old Weller soldering gun that is similar. I've always had problems maintaining a good connection to the tip though, I rarely use it these days.

author: RoGeorge
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 17, 2023, 07:35:11 pm
content: The ones with a drill-chuck connection for the tip doesn't make good contact. The proper ones have a nut+screw that can be tighten very strong to the copper bar that is coming out of the transformer. I don't know the Weller model, but if the copper bar is thick enough, drill a hole and pass a screw+nut on each of the connection points. Something like this:Please ignore the blue wire, that's for demagnetizing metals passed through that coil. The picture is to show there are 2 screws and 2 nuts to connect the tip wire, one for each end. The tip copper wire is bent as a hook/circle at each end, so the copper tip will make good contact all around the nut.