JBC Soldering Stations. Thoughts ? Opinions ? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: dashpuppy
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 23, 2019, 10:55:31 pm
content: I've been really drooling over the JBC soldering stations lately, the main feature i like is that i can change a tip very easy with out using plyers to pull off the cover of my Weller station and change tips. Are there any other things that are really good about them ? I mean they are expensive but are they really the cat's meow ?I'm looking at the CD-1BQE and a bunch of tips.

author: windsmurf
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 24, 2019, 12:37:55 am
content: I think its over-rated... I'm happy with my "ShineNow" T12 system, and a separate iron stand.https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07D3NKCVP/Works with Hakko T12 tips too, but the one it came with is working fine for now.

author: thm_w
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 24, 2019, 01:06:16 am
content: There are many available stations where the tip can be changed hot: JBC, metcal, most T12 based clones and original hakko.https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/jbc-cd-1bqe/https://www.eevblog.com/forum/reviews/jabe-ud-1200-soldering-station-nice-jbc-clone/

author: digsys
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 24, 2019, 01:40:39 am
content: This topic / question has been brought up several times, with many dozens of posts. You're better off doing a search and getting a MUCH wider view.

author: dashpuppy
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 24, 2019, 02:00:34 am
content: Quote from: digsys on August 24, 2019, 01:40:39 amI'm actually seeing this more and more nowI did remember seeing something about the Jabe, but after googling and going back to my notes from a few months ago.. I'll just purchase the JBC. I hate buying more than once. I have bought many china meter that work BUT they lack features like STAYING ON for more than 3 min.. Can't they just build a meter that stays on as-long as it sees input ? Example measuring voltage and working on a power-supply why would the meter turn off after 3-5 min when it see's voltage. GRR! ( end rant )

author: digsys
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 24, 2019, 02:29:35 am
content: Well, I have several JBCs, just about every type and dozens of tips, a huge variety. Had them for many years. I've also set up a few production labs with several stations. Rarely EVER have complaints. Repair rates are way down on what I used to see, whichmorethan covers any cost difference. And I've used / owned just about every other brand, so I don't make my claims lightly. The ONLYbadthing I can say is ... their de-solder station SUCKS !!! errr I mean sucks like a lemon.

author: dashpuppy
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 24, 2019, 02:35:49 am
content: Quote from: digsys on August 24, 2019, 02:29:35 amI'm still stuck in the 80's using soldering wick !! I do have a hot air station for some of my smd stuffAny thoughts on the Hakko Soldering Station, FX-951-66? i see it does removable tips, and i loved my old fx888 ( i think it was * little blue yellow unit )

author: digsys
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 24, 2019, 02:44:19 am
content: Sorry, other may have experience, but I haven't bought / tried any newer stations for years. Tip selection / change on JBCs is the best .. IMO

author: dashpuppy
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 24, 2019, 02:50:04 am
content: Quote from: digsys on August 24, 2019, 02:44:19 amThanks Sir ! Will do a bit more youtubing & googling and see what comes up. My fasination is with the removable tips with out using plyers and holding hot tips.The JBC looks so perfect with this too! I do different soldering when working on SMD stuff and changing tips is a key thing for me right now..

author: digsys
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 24, 2019, 03:05:00 am
content: This is one of my work stations, and the tips I often use - I even made up a tip RACK, to hold several. Have no reason to ever change :-)

author: dashpuppy
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 24, 2019, 03:10:22 am
content: Quote from: digsys on August 24, 2019, 03:05:00 amI'll have to see who sells it in Canada and the best price. Do they offer 1 year warranty first ? or is it more ? Just looked at the Weller stations its like 1000$ for a nice one with removable tips. Jesus! The hakko is like 1/2 that.. and little less than the JBC..

author: digsys
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 24, 2019, 03:25:19 am
content: Warrantylengthdepends on your country, and not what the manufacturers tell you. I've had MANY itemswarrantiedafter years, even when the manufacturers / distributors tried to say otherwise. All were honored. BUT, I did have ONE instance of a new JBC that failed soon after I bought it (was a manufacture / design fault) and they HAD to send it back to Italy. Waited 2 weeks, hassled them and said I wasn't impressed, and they just gave me a new one. I think it was an isolated incident, as it was a new model, and I guess they wanted to see what went wrong. The distributors make bugger-all profit, so I guess they didn't want to be out of pocket.They have also been hacked (threads on this forum), and users have made their own controllers :-)

author: dashpuppy
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 24, 2019, 03:28:29 am
content: Quote from: digsys on August 24, 2019, 03:25:19 amI don't have time or know how to hack or build my own, I want to turn it on and solder my audio projects i work on. When I'm done put the iron in the holder turn it off and know that when i go turn it on tomorrow it will work

author: JxR
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 24, 2019, 06:50:20 am
content: I bought a JBC DDE (2 unit controller) with the both a 245 and 210 hand peice a few years back as a bit of a splurge with my tax return (US thing). It has been one purchase I've never regretted.I did originally plan on buying an Ersa station and not JBC. But, found that at least in the US, that there were no good distributors that kept all their tips in stock.Now, how JBC stacks up to most other irons, I can't really tell you. I'm certainly much happier with the station than my previous Hakko unit. At this point, I'm content enough that I see no reason to try anything else.Just so the purchase doesn't break the bank, I can't really see how anyone would regret purchasing a JBC soldering iron (from my own experience). After three years I've still never had to replaced a tip, nor have I found a job the two irons can't handle (excluding stuff that needs hot air, etc).

author: bitbanger
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 24, 2019, 07:45:14 am
content: What will you be soldering, and what other models are you considering?Personally I spent nearly the entire first half of my career using a genuine Hakko 936 station for work and hobby. After it was discontinued and Hakko started making toy-looking stations I switched to a JBC CD-1BE and couldn't be happier. Recently pulled off a connector shield directly tied to 4 internal ground planes and it didn't even break a sweat (the 936 struggled with these jobs, though I'm sure the FX888 is slightly better simply due to increased wattage). Great tip selection, they're high quality, no elements to replace, immediate recovery, and the included handpiece was nice and ergonomic. Initial investment was around $550 including 4 additional tips.The automatic tip hibernation and sleep were huge selling points for me - more than once I accidently left my 936 on overnight. The JBC heats in the time it takes me to pull the iron to the board and position.

author: MosherIV
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 24, 2019, 09:02:23 am
content: Firstly, let me say that soldering iron is a personal preference!What one person likes may not be true for you.I have used JBC. Yes the quick tip change is good but other irons have similar system.Hakko FX-951-66 also has cartidge type tips which allow quick change, just pull out and insert different tip.Hakko 888 and 936 have old sleeve holder system for the tips, so it need a tool to get the sleeve off.Not sure how Pace do tip change. Have one somewhee at work. Must go and check it out.I am a Metcal fan. They also use the cartridge type system. They provide a silicone rubber pad which you use to hold the tip and pull it out of the iron handle. The first time you do it you think it is going to burn you but there have been times I forgot to turn off the iron, chnaged the tip and not even felt the pad get hot.In term of soldering - yes they all work. It is down to personel preference.

author: dashpuppy
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 24, 2019, 03:11:53 pm
content: Quote from: bitbanger on August 24, 2019, 07:45:14 amI solder all kinds of stuff, lots of SMD stuff now, and still lots of through hole stuff. It's a PITA when soldering a project and having to keep changing tips and waiting for the new tip to heat up.One question i forgot to ask, can you buy extension cables for the JBC ? Does anyone know how long the cable is from the base to the iron ?

author: 2N3055
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 24, 2019, 03:50:47 pm
content: Pace ads200 literally heats up to 310 C in few seconds from room temp..

author: nctnico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 24, 2019, 04:34:33 pm
content: Quote from: dashpuppy on August 23, 2019, 10:55:31 pmLook at Ersa. Their tips are very quick & easy to change. While soldering a board I usually change between several tips.I have used JBC in the past and while the heating is great the tips get bad really quick. Trying to solder with a tip which doesn't take tin at certain spots just sucks. Weller has similary bad tips. Ersa tips basically never go bad. A wipe over a wet spunge and applying tin brings every tip I have back to like new condition.

author: dashpuppy
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 24, 2019, 04:37:33 pm
content: Quote from: nctnico on August 24, 2019, 04:34:33 pmAny links to suggestions ?

author: nctnico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 24, 2019, 04:40:43 pm
content: Quote from: dashpuppy on August 24, 2019, 04:37:33 pmThe Ersa Icon series seem to be the most recent.

author: JxR
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 24, 2019, 04:59:13 pm
content: Quote from: dashpuppy on August 24, 2019, 04:37:33 pmJust make sure you actually have a good Ersa distributor in Canada first. If it is like the US, buying Ersa is pointless since you cannot get the tips reliably here (which is why I went with JBC).As to the JBC tips not lasting long, I’ve personally had the opposite experience. All my tips are 2-3 years old and I haven’t had to replace one yet. Could be they are sensitive to certain solder/flux combos but they just keep on going for me.

author: dashpuppy
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 24, 2019, 05:02:27 pm
content: Quote from: JxR on August 24, 2019, 04:59:13 pmI was just looking at Ersa, doesn't look to easy to get their parts & tips. The good thing about Digikey is they carry all the tips for Hakko. Only place i found in canada that sells JBC is some place back in Quebec..

author: nctnico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 24, 2019, 05:26:22 pm
content: I think North America is Hakko & Metcal territory. Since I have no experience with these brands at all I can't comment on them.

author: JxR
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 24, 2019, 05:28:32 pm
content: Quote from: dashpuppy on August 24, 2019, 05:02:27 pmI purchase my JBC here:https://www.howardelectronics.com/. Good service and no complaints. Just so you stay in North America, delivery times are probably reasonable (hopefully shipping costs as well). I’ve certainly never had problems ordering stuff from Canada.

author: dashpuppy
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 24, 2019, 05:33:43 pm
content: Quote from: JxR on August 24, 2019, 05:28:32 pmI just looked at that link, pretty nice, BUT ordering anything from USA to Canada sucksups fedex USPS they all rape you

author: Shock
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 24, 2019, 10:54:38 pm
content: Quote from: dashpuppy on August 24, 2019, 02:35:49 amPace brought out their ADS200 120W model about a year back and it beats the Hakko FX-951 in just about every way I can think of. Really in the US market for performance it would be down to JBC and Pace now for temp adjustable stations. I prefer Pace for overall value it's significantly cheaper to run and in the US it's half the cost of the JBC system.The JBC has a few more cosmetic features some of which are of little functional value and more a hindrance to me, the Pace being the newer of the two has an aluminum handpiece which makes heat in the handpiece less of an issue and as a result a slightly shorter working distance.The other key difference is Pace uses the one slim handpiece for everything, JBC has multiple different sizes and tip series but for the cost of a JBC plastic handpiece and stand you can buy the whole Pace station handpiece and stand fully setup with some tips.

author: dashpuppy
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 25, 2019, 01:52:27 am
content: Quote from: Shock on August 24, 2019, 10:54:38 pm"BUT" buying the pace in Canada is very hard to do, and buying tips is hard too. Who sell's pace stuff in Canada and easy to get..

author: JxR
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 25, 2019, 03:20:39 am
content: Quote from: dashpuppy on August 25, 2019, 01:52:27 amSomeone on the other side of the globe probably can’t answer that for you...If you’re happy with Hakko, and the brand is easily available to you, why not stick with what you know? If your unwilling to purchase from the US, then your going to be limited to whatever brands are carried locally.

author: dashpuppy
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 25, 2019, 03:34:18 am
content: Quote from: JxR on August 25, 2019, 03:20:39 amJBC Weller & Hakko are Available in Canada.

author: JxR
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 25, 2019, 03:58:35 am
content: Quote from: dashpuppy on August 25, 2019, 03:34:18 amThen, if it was me I would spend some time looking over what each company offers and see what meets your personal needs to narrow it down to a few models. Then research those models and see if you can come to a decision.For myself, my main criteria was a control unit that could handle more than one hand piece, and could be put on a shelf while the hand pieces could remain on the desk in their stands to save desk space. Secondary features I wanted was an automatic sleep mode, quick to heat up, tip selection, etc. Most higher end soldering sets already meet your criteria with the cartridge design.Check out any Youtube reviews, and search the forum once you have it narrowed down. I prefer searching this forum using Google.

author: dashpuppy
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 25, 2019, 04:06:57 am
content: Quote from: JxR on August 25, 2019, 03:58:35 amCan you please email my wife this request LOL ! i've spent alot of time youtube'ing and googling. I'm leaning towards the JBC

author: JxR
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 25, 2019, 04:12:15 am
content: Quote from: dashpuppy on August 25, 2019, 04:06:57 amAfraid your on your own there...

author: Shock
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 25, 2019, 04:12:42 am
content: Quote from: dashpuppy on August 25, 2019, 01:52:27 amChecking Pace distributors herehttps://www.paceworldwide.com/where-to-buy/reps-and-distributors/canadaShows accessotronik as one of their distributorshttps://www.accessotronik.com/SearchResults.asp?Search=pace+ads200

author: GreyWoolfe
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 25, 2019, 12:29:44 pm
content: Quote from: dashpuppy on August 24, 2019, 02:35:49 amI have the FX-951-66 and a Metcal MX-500P. I am quite happy with both. I bought the Hakko because it was significantly less than the JBC I was looking at, I think it was the CD-2SE, under $300 with 5 tips and tip holders plus an extra brass curls with the EEVBlog discount on TEquipment.net. The Metcal came after and got a stupid deal, all in with 5 tips, NOS wand and stand plus Talon tweezers and stand for about $200 after some horsetrading. I also owned an original Hakko 936 for about 7 years and upgraded to the 951 after I cleared out some stuff in the garage and had the funds to do so. Sold on the 936 to a ham radio club member and she was very happy to purchase it.

author: bitbanger
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 25, 2019, 05:30:56 pm
content: Quote from: JxR on August 24, 2019, 04:59:13 pmSame experience, though I consistently re-tin and keep a big solder blob on the tip before I turn it off.

author: SiliconWizard
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 25, 2019, 05:35:52 pm
content: Quote from: bitbanger on August 25, 2019, 05:30:56 pmWise. I do the same, and tin the tips with leaded solder when I'm done (while most of my soldering is done with lead-free solder).

author: JxR
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 25, 2019, 06:14:33 pm
content: Quote from: bitbanger on August 25, 2019, 05:30:56 pmYep, I do the same with the tip after I'm finished. I only use two types of solder with the JBC. Either Kester 44 (63-37) or Kester 62-36-2. For flux I use Amtech NC-559-ASM. Never had any issues with my tips degrading from either.

author: digsys
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 26, 2019, 12:30:25 am
content: Quote from: bitbanger on August 25, 2019, 05:30:56 pmMake that34. Rarely ever need to buy new tips, especially if I buy the "long-life" rated ones.

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 26, 2019, 11:09:53 am
content: Quote from: dashpuppy on August 24, 2019, 05:02:27 pmI'm a happy Ersa user myself, but indeed, in North America (well, probably the Americas overall) they are expensive and have poor distribution. (Much like Pace here in Europe, other than Farnell.)As far as bang for buck, the Pace ADS200 is wiping the floor with the competition at the moment.