Soldering iron. - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / testgear

author: neo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 05, 2017, 12:35:11 am
content: If i want a soldering iron that has decent thermal capacitance without needing a massive tip, heats up quickly, has at least a screw driver and a fine point tip and which heats up quickly which should i get? I'm asking for opinions to help me make my own decision on what i want. I would prefer it if you could avoid mentioning anything more expensive than $200-300 at most.

author: jjoonathan
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 05, 2017, 12:41:51 am
content: There's a JBC CD-1BB for $245 on ebay right now. I'd consider JBC to be the champion of tight control loops. Their tip swapping mechanism is something to behold, too. I'd consider Hakko to be middle-shelf and this to be top-shelf, though I bet you could find someone to disagree with mehttp://www.ebay.com/itm/JBC-CD-1BB-DIGITAL-SOLDER-STATION-/182606723331?hash=item2a84357903:g:Rh4AAOSwlndZNHXB

author: debininja
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: June 05, 2017, 12:52:10 am
content: I've had this baby for close to 2 years now. It's inexpensive, accurate, and gets the job done. I don't know if you're a "brand junkie," but I've been quite happy with this.https://www.amazon.com/Rework-Station-Soldering-Nozzles-Professional/dp/B01B387H58/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1496623838&sr=8-1

author: jjoonathan
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 05, 2017, 01:22:37 am
content: Quote from: debininja on June 05, 2017, 12:52:10 amAs a brand junkie let me specify the reasons I'd consider paying more.* Having heater/thermocouple integrated and smashed together in the tip gives you a super tight control loop, allowing you to use fine tips in places with relatively heavy thermal mass. Decrease the "it won't melt!" and "it won't fit!" misery simultaneously rather than trading them off.* Avoid "ID of tip doesn't quite match OD of heater leading to poor thermal contact and terrible performance against nontrivial thermal mass" (EDIT1)* Faster startup* Automatic sleep plus better metallurgy puts the manufacturer claims of "our expensive tips are just as economical as the cheap ones" in the realm of possibility. I've seen cheap tips dissolve in a day and sprout rust worms overnight and I've ordered several batches of replacements while I have yet to replace a JBC tip despite heavier duty of the latter.* Swapping tips in 2 seconds with 1 hand and having the new tip ready by the time your arm has moved back to your board is magical* Brass wool >> sponge, but brass wool is cheap to buy separately so it's not really an iron thing* I actually had the hair dryer on one of those white-label stations short itself once. Got red hot, released magic smoke, never chooched again. Out $50. Only saw one other reviewer with same story so it's probably atypical, but there you go. (EDIT2)Obvious disclaimers: all irons are capable of doing the business, don't buy what you can't ROI, etc, etc.

author: endevor100
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: June 05, 2017, 02:17:58 am
content: I've been using a Weller WES51 that I bought for less than $100 brand new and it has been pretty resilient and it's controls are dead simple. It doesn't heat up extremely fast, but it can't be more than 10 seconds which never slows me down.I have recently gotten to use a Hakko FX-888 and it's fine as well. My understanding is that its price point is pretty similar to my Weller. Every time I come back to the Hakko I fight with the controls for a second until I remember how to set the temperature, but if this was my only iron I think that would be less of a problem. Turn on time of the units I'm using is a little slower than my Weller, but they are well used iron so I wouldn't judge a brand new one by my experience.Either of these irons is perfectly serviceable for hobbyist use. Stations like the Hakko FX-251 are very nice and behave better thermally all around, but IMHO unless you're in a position to get paid for the time you're saving heating up and switching tips I can think of better ways to spend the extra $150.

author: neo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 05, 2017, 10:56:05 am
content: Three things that might contribute to the discussion, A) i am just a hobbyist that has had his fill of 2 minute warm ups and needing a gigantic hunk of metal as my tip.B) anything that is two in one or more i don't like, have one and it is a joke.. My current iron is part of a 3 in 1 station, power supply, hot air and soldering iron. The power supply part is actually kinda nice but the hot air burnt itself out and the soldering iron has given me more than its share of grief.C) I would like a relatively long cord 4 feet or so

author: GreyWoolfe
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: June 05, 2017, 11:43:14 am
content: Buy a Metcal:http://www.ebay.com/itm/METCAL-Soldering-System-STSS-002-Power-Unit-RFG-30-w-Stand-Wand-5-Tips-/112429530911?hash=item1a2d527f1f:g:QhsAAOSwX9FZMgwcTempting, but I don't need a 3rd station.

author: neo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 05, 2017, 11:56:23 am
content: Quote from: GreyWoolfe on June 05, 2017, 11:43:14 amThank you! I was dying for a metcal but couldn't swallow 2 or 300 bucks for one. You have helped me more than you know.

author: jwm_
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 05, 2017, 12:43:08 pm
content: Wow. You just saved me $230. I had a cd-1be cued up in my tequipment cart since Friday. I was going to check out but the eevblog code wasn't working. I sent a message and they said they wanted a sales person to call me on the phone to talk through, my order to get the discount during working hours this week. Was odd. Are they worried I was just name-dropping eevblog and wanted to verify I was a real fan or just going to upsell me?In any case, I just took this eBay deal instead. As far as I can tell the only difference between the bc and the be is the rubber guard over the brass sponge. Is that really it?

author: P90
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 05, 2017, 12:50:17 pm
content: Quote from: GreyWoolfe on June 05, 2017, 11:43:14 amlooking at the condition of those tips and stand, that thing is pretty crusty...

author: tivoi
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: June 05, 2017, 02:18:41 pm
content: goot as-802rx vs hakko 951 heating uphttps://youtu.be/4vPQnrnnoEsjbc di 3000 china clone vs goot as802 heat uphttps://youtu.be/AZdckQWPDWIjbc di 3000 china clone vs goot as802https://youtu.be/W_KQKP55DUwhakko err heathttps://youtu.be/9tXFv9wM5tY

author: neo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 05, 2017, 04:02:07 pm
content: Quote from: P90 on June 05, 2017, 12:50:17 pmCrusty Metcal is still far superior to Chinese garbage and to be fair it is considered industrial equipment which is not often babied.

author: neo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 05, 2017, 04:06:14 pm
content: Quote from: tivoi on June 05, 2017, 02:18:41 pmProblem is that on some Chinese soldering irons the temperature display is fake and entirely for show. At least mine is.

author: tivoi
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: June 05, 2017, 04:20:09 pm
content: jbc clone control wavehttps://youtu.be/3GMyvgiB-qkstation in clip is taiwan made and.. not cheapgoot as-802 good choice because tip cheap, about 10~15usd

author: neo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 07, 2017, 11:35:22 pm
content: I bought a Metcal and i have no regrets. Best soldering iron i have ever used,which isn't saying much with only Chinese soldering irons in my past. Though i have been soldering with it for a couple of hours and still love it which is impressive.

author: jwm_
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 08, 2017, 01:28:01 am
content: Recieved my one from the eBay deal posted earlier. Was a cd-1bb model but had a t210 iron and 210001 tip (this thing is tiny!) I expected a t245 actually, I don't think the seller realizes they have different irons in them than the model implies and they have a huge mixed lot of them. A steal at $220.In any case, great iron. I ordered a 210007 tip that hopefully will be a bit less tiny. I am debating whether to complain and ask for a t245 iron since the listing implies that. Do you all think it makes a big difference. Will I be frustrated trying to do through hole and xt60 connectors with the t210 tips?

author: jjoonathan
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 08, 2017, 02:27:38 am
content: I doubt it. I have the opposite problem - a T245 that I primarily (ab)use on tiny SMD stuff. It came with a big chisel tip so I ordered the smallest hook tip I could find and found out that the tiny hook tip was just as good at melting big globs of "structural solder."EDIT: if you can't stand the T210, give me a ping and maybe we can swap or something

author: nanofrog
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 08, 2017, 03:08:50 am
content: For a new station, you can't beat the Hakko FX-951 IMHO*; particularly from TEquipment.* FWIW, I've a Weller setup based around a WD1 power/control unit (bought before the FX-951 was introduced).

author: nowlan
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 08, 2017, 04:24:54 am
content: can those 110v metcal be modded to 240 easily if at all?

author: neo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 08, 2017, 02:20:14 pm
content: Very easily, all you need is a step down transformer. Easy as it can be.http://www.ebay.com/itm/Goldsource-STU-500-W-Watt-Step-Up-Down-110V-220V-Voltage-Converter-Transformer-/391245198879?_trksid=p2349526.m2548.l4275for referance, not a recommendation, as i do not have it.

author: R005T3r
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 08, 2017, 04:43:00 pm
content: Get a Hakko or a JBC if you have to solder a lot, but still, you can't go wrong with branded stations. Be sure to get a ESD safe station or you may have troubles with some chips.

author: P90
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 08, 2017, 05:04:01 pm
content: Quote from: neo on June 05, 2017, 04:02:07 pmSo don't buy garbage. Chinese make good and bad stuff... just like everything else in life it depends on how much you're willing to pay...

author: neo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 08, 2017, 06:46:45 pm
content: Quote from: P90 on June 08, 2017, 05:04:01 pmOf course china CAN make something good but more often than not it is cheap entirely for their profit. I don't pay a couple of bucks and then wantonly complain when it isn't good. I paid 70 bucks for my Chinese solder station, 3 in one hot air soldering iron and power supply. Hot air doesn't work soldering iron is a joke and the power supply drifts by volts an hour.

author: KrzysztofB
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 08, 2017, 06:52:28 pm
content: If you wanna go for JBC, you might concider building Unisolder Project.I built already 3 for my and friend, and we strongly feel, that those work even better than original JBC station.I use JBC for 5 years now at work and I got used to quick heat time so much, that I can even think of using something else.And if you would like build Unisolder, I think I still have PCBs