Home made soldering/desoldering station - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / projects

author: david77
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 05, 2013, 02:18:53 am
content: I wanted to treat myself to a vacuum desoldering station this christmas.Turns out it's harder than I thought it would be to get one at a reasonable price though. The cheap options like the Zhongdi stuff are for some reason not available at the moment and after my experience with their soldering station ZD916 also not really desireable.The next route is of course something used from a proper manufacturer off of ebay. The affordable stuff there usually needs shop air, which for several reasons is not an option. There are relatively few good brand stations with built-in pump it seems and the few that come on the market are so old that spare parts are no longer available, like the Weller VP800. This one would suit me fine and I'd even chance it without parts supply - for a reasonable price. The idiots are regularly bidding close to 300Eur for a 20+ year old station.Now I've found something that might do what I want for not too much money.There's a company with the not overly confidence inspiring name of StarTec Products.http://www.startecproducts.de/index_eng.php?page=ent_eng#topThey sell cheapish soldering and desoldering stations. Really the only redeeming feature is that the stuff's Made in Germany, at least that's their claim.Now, they do sell something quite brilliant: Desoldering attachments for Weller and Ersa soldering stations. It's a nozzle that fits the most common (in Germany) soldering irons. Simply attach it to a vacuum pump and Bob's your uncle. They sell the suitable pump as well.http://www.startecproducts.de/pdf/601xxGB.pdfhttp://www.startecproducts.de/pdf/90200_eng.pdfI've bought the nozzle thingy for the Weller LR-21 iron and the pump now and tried it out. It actually works like a charm, been desoldering random things all yesterday evening.My thinking was to get a second hand Weller WECP or WS50 station off of ebay and permanently attach the nozzle to it.Seeing as I'm a terrible cheapskate I've changed my plans yet again. I found a circuit diagram for a WECP controller on the net and I have all the parts in my numerous junk boxes, so why not build a desoldering station myself? Actually I could fit everything in a neat box, the WECP contoller and the vacuum pump. I could actually add another channel for the MLR-21 iron I have recently bought.Now all I need to get is a good deal on another LR-21 iron.Here' the link to the WECP controller.http://ibis.telesat.si/weller/weller_eng.htmI'll post some more as I go along this project.

author: Evol
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: August 11, 2016, 11:34:59 pm
content: David77-I am interested in adapting my Hakko FX888 soldering station by attaching one of the StarTec desoldering tips you mentioned in your post. I reviewed these tips on the StarTec website but was unable to determine if any of these tips will work on my iron. Do you know if any of these tips will fit? I sent an email to StarTec on this and have been awaiting their response.Evol

author: David Hess
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 13, 2016, 01:58:54 am
content: My home made vacuum desoldering station is a Weller DS227 vacuum desoldering head mounted to a Weller Magnastat station and an old vacuum pump intended for refrigeration servicing. The whole setup is way more powerful than needed.

author: Southerner
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 03, 2018, 04:25:53 am
content: The Star Tec accessories like very useful. I do not see any distributors listed and don't see any USA outlets selling them. Do you know of any? Also the 90200 you linked, is there a USA version?I have not seen very many DIY desolder stations on the web, at least none that any of my search engines found. I wonder if that is because most people just spend the $75 for the Chinese rework stations and call it good. Personally I would like a dedicated desolder station or the 60131 WCTP attachement for my Weller WCPT.I have a Weller DS1000 and a WD2000 but have not found any manual for them and not sure what they take for soldering and desoldering pencils. I also suspect that I still need to provide shop air and that is not practical for me.

author: Southerner
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 03, 2018, 07:44:34 pm
content: I liked your suggestion about getting the 90101 desoldering station from Star Tec. After 2 months of corresponding with someone at Startecproducts.de I ordered a 90101_US yesterday. Today I got a refund from StarTec saying they are not UL approved so can't deliver a USA version.Can you recommend a decent desoldering station that I can buy and use in the USA that is not professional (pronounced high cost)? I have seen the Hakko FR300 or FR301 and its Chinese clones but can't afford the Hakko and do not trust the clones.I do own a Weller DS1000 and a WD2000 desoldering pack but have been unable to find a soldering iron (EC1202 I think) or the desoldering head and Weller has been no help there. In fact they keep sending me links to the WD2M desolder pack which is NOT THE SAME AS The WD2000. These were ebay purchases a few years ago. I am surprised no EC1202 or EC1202A irons are showing up even on ebay but I am not sure what I need for a desoldering head for them.Can you suggest anything?Thank you.

author: Southerner
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 13, 2018, 06:28:21 am
content: Quote from: David Hess on August 13, 2016, 01:58:54 amWhich Weller irons will the DS227 mount to? My WTCPT station and TC201 iron will not work as it uses a BA60 barrel which it looks like most Weller's use. The DS227 barrel is shorter and for that reason will not work on my TC201 or an EC1201 or similar.Do you have any pictures of your setup? I am trying to get a desoldering station put together but so far all I seem to have are bits and pieces that do not go together. I have a DS1000 and a WR2000 vacuum pack but no pistol for either and no foot pedal to activate the vacuum.I have not had much luck with Mr. Google and finding out what Weller pieces go with what other pieces. What does the DS227 go to? I also see a DS218 listed but no info on what iron or stations it goes with either other than it is an 800 degree iron which is what I normally use (PTK8 tip for my TC201).Thank you.

author: David Hess
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 13, 2018, 09:52:11 pm
content: Quote from: Southerner on May 13, 2018, 06:28:21 amIt works fine on my WTCPS and the older Magnestat stations. I did not know the WTCPT was different.QuoteIt is just the DS227 desoldering head mounted on the iron for my WTCPS station as needed with a vacuum pump I picked up from a garage sale and an air valve.QuoteAs far as I know, it will fit on any of the Magnestat irons from the WTCPS and earlier stations.

author: Southerner
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 14, 2018, 02:42:50 am
content: Quote from: David Hess on May 13, 2018, 09:52:11 pmQuoteHow are you activating the vacuum pump when you need it? I have the DS1000 and WD2000 vacuum stations from Weller but no pistol so I am not sure what they would use to activate if I don't have the listed desoldering pistol. Perhaps some kind of foot switch but not sure. Weller was not overly helpful. In fact they had no manual for the WD2000. They kept sending me the WD2M manual and that is an entirely different device and does not even look anywhere near the same.Thank you.

author: David Hess
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 14, 2018, 01:19:26 pm
content: Quote from: Southerner on May 14, 2018, 02:42:50 amThe vacuum pump runs continuously (it was made to run for days at a time) and I hold an air valve in my hand. Better would be an air solenoid and foot switch but I do not use it that much so it has not been a priority.

author: w9gb
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: September 21, 2018, 12:17:41 am
content: The North American TCP series is DIFFERENT since 1965 from British and German mfg. TCP “Magnistat” series. The parts and cinstruction are different as well as Voltage Difference (120 vs. 240 V) and the are UL and EU certifications/approvals.==Quote from: jimmieBUY a NEW Weller BA60 Barrell Nut, dated AFTER 2003 and with RoHS designation. Prices vary widely !!Newark has a good price.https://www.newark.com/weller/ba60/barrel-nut-assembly/dp/33F1289AVOID the BA60 barrell nuts in Manila envelope —- these are Old Stock before 1999.The new BA60 (RoHS) are WIDER Diameter to handle new SWAGGED Heaters (RoHS compliant, 2003-present).Weller EC-234 plug-in (after 1981) and TC-208 wired-in (1976-1981) used with theWeller TC-1/TC-201x iron and EC-1201A iron handles. Same BA-60 fits PES51 iron for WES-51 and WESD-51 station.==Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) Directive 2002/95/EC, short for Directive on the restriction of the use of certain hazardous substances (seven, including Lead/Pb) in electrical and electronic equipment, was adopted in February 2003 by European Union. Japan and the state of California adopted similar directives after millenium (2001-2003).https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Restriction_of_Hazardous_Substances_DirectiveSince Soldering Equipment is Required by Manufacturers, in numerous industries, before the 2006 deadline — Weller changed their entire North American production in 2002/2003 time frame.All the legacy tooling since Weller’s founding that was contaminated with Lead — had to be replaced.==Weller NA manufacturing moved to Mexico in 2003 (from Carolinas) with RoHS production lines (new equipment). Some older Weller and Ungar models were discontinued, and new replacement model introduced.Since the Weller TCP series was almost 40 years old (and popular), it was migrated to RoHS and during the re-engineering process and production automation design, a decision was made to SWAG the heater barrel.Reason? I have heard TWO.1.) Longer life for the resistive heating elements, based on service data.The new PES51 iron required a wider barrel nut ... so the new BA60 size was used for future parts.2.) Maintain backward compatibility with 20th century handles and magnetic switch (SW-60).Greg

author: w9gb
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: September 21, 2018, 01:32:54 am
content: Quote from: SouthernerFirst, you are dealing with Weller de-soldering stations (WD2000) — over 30 years old.When you call Weller North America in Apex, NC .... majority have only worked in 21st century.Many of the Weller NA staff, that I knew from 1970 when Cooper Tools bought Weller,(and moved production from Easton, PA to Apex, NC) have retired (or have passed) in past five years.Weller Desoldering handpieces did have a push button,just below the handpiece flare below the black heat insulator. I rarely see these surplus (eBay, etc.).Foot Pedals, like used in mfg. or sewing machines, were also used by Weller and Pace.==ADVISORY: Unless the Desoldering Head is wide enough ... it may not over RoHS Swagged Heaters (2003, later). Some users were hoarding older leaded part heaters (before 2003) for this reason.

author: Southerner
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: February 08, 2019, 05:40:11 am
content: Quote from: w9gb on September 21, 2018, 01:32:54 am

author: Southerner
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: February 08, 2019, 06:01:49 am
content: Quote from: w9gb on September 21, 2018, 01:32:54 amGreg, where would you suggest that I find the manuals for these older devices? I had no luck with Weller or Google.Which model guns did these use? Is a vacuum source needed or is it a compressor that is needed?

author: w9gb
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: October 16, 2019, 01:09:22 pm
content: I have picked up and scanned all the old Weller Tech Sheets and manuals, when I find them (due to repairs over past 3 decades). Old distributors were a good source, AND some university engineering departments.I did not like Weller’s de-soldering station designs, I use Pace Sensatemp models. I have never seen much public documentation for those models.SUGGEST you START with the Weller Catalogs (I scanned them, posted on BAMA Mirror).Weller documentationhttp://bama.edebris.com/manuals/weller/Weller Catalog 603, June 1981 (23 pages)http://bama.edebris.com/download/weller/catalogs/weller-catalog-603.pdf1999 Weller/Ungar Parts Catalog (108 pages)http://bama.edebris.com/download/weller/parts/Weller_Ungar_Parts_Catalog.pdfI Reverse Engineered some soldering station models, with no documentation. Weller switched to white ceramic PC boards for their Electronic Control (EC-series) to discourage Taiwanese and Eastern Asian copying in 1980s and 1990s.Electronic control boards contain a Triac, Zero Crossing Detector, and frequently a Comparator (OpAmp or LM393) to control Type K thermocouple (PTC) inside the soldering/de-soldering handpiece.http://www.ti.com/lit/ds/symlink/lm2903-n.pdfHere is an adaptation of Weller’s WECP-20 used in Europehttp://ibis.telesat.si/weller/weller_eng.htmSchematic diagramhttp://ibis.telesat.si/weller/shema_v.gifDe-Soldering stations use the Soldering Iron Control boards PLUS an inexpensive Vacuum pump and catch vial. GAST Manufacturing in Benton Harbor, MI one of best known vacuum pump mfg. in the world.https://gastmfg.com/

author: austfox
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 16, 2019, 03:07:15 pm
content: I've stock-piled a few Weller DS600 stations, which were marketed as portable de-soldering stations back in the day (most likely in the 80's). I find them more than sufficient sitting on my hobby electronics bench with the limited de-soldering that I do. These come up occasionally on eBay in Australia for under the AU $100 mark.The few that I have all suffer from failed pump control boards, and have previously been modified in someway to switch the pump. Most likely the triacs have all suffered an early death due to the lack of zero cross detection. I am currently updating the circuit and producing a new PCB.I have attached the DS600 Tech Sheet, which includes the schematic and details of the de-soldering head. The head looks the same as other Weller models of the era, but may be slightly different due to the different part number.

author: dom0
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 16, 2019, 03:22:35 pm
content: I use a DSX80 on a Weller-compatible station I built (27 Vac rectified, gated by MOSFET, delta-sigma-like controller ). Vacuumpump pretty much the first thing I've seen on eBay that runs on 230 V and has an induction motor. I bought a bag of FESTO in-line vacuum filters for cheap and have one of those between the DSX80 and the pump.My station simply has a 24 V output on a cinch connector that directly controls a relay at the pump. Some people allege that Weller's need DC-free power (like JBC) but neither my WSP80 nor my DSX80 show any issues and have been running just fine for a couple years now.