JBC Excellence Range: "The Trendiest Choice for the Electronics Professional" - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / testgear

author: yanir
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 26, 2014, 12:20:08 am
content: WTF?http://www.jbctools.com/excellence_range.htmlI love JBC tools. And the new design is nice, but do you really need a color screen on a soldering Iron? This just jacks the price up of an otherwise "excellent" tool. And also I really hate use of the word "trendiest". I certainly don't make purchasing decisions on trend, but rather functionality and cost. Tell your boss that you want the trendiest soldering equipment next time you need to buy something and see how quickly you get approved.Lame.

author: Fsck
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 26, 2014, 12:23:37 am
content: *colour graphing*... on a soldering iron.can you really top that?/sarcasm intended.

author: CrashO
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 26, 2014, 01:40:04 am
content: I’m sure they are targetting the administrative w*nkers who are responsible for buying equipment, rather then the people who will actually use them

author: ElektroQuark
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 26, 2014, 07:27:00 am
content: I miss some detachable colourful stickers, so they combine with my T-shirt.

author: con-f-use
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 26, 2014, 07:52:33 am
content: I want a band inside my soldering iron! They play louder, when I'm soldering correctly. Also lasers!I'd name it "compu global super mega range". With privacy as it is, the iron could also tell everyone when I did not "select the best tip" or lock me out, if "the quality of each soldering joint" is sub-par.

author: Kjelt
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 26, 2014, 07:56:43 am
content: I miss the Nespresso nozzle, nothing better than a good hot espresso or cappuccino during soldering

author: eas
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 26, 2014, 08:35:24 am
content: Some jackass decided they needed to be the "Apple of soldering stations," and like pretty much every other jackass outside of Cupertino who has ever thought being the "Apple" of their industry was a sign of vision and leadership, they laid a gold-plated turd.

author: Kjelt
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 26, 2014, 08:41:22 am
content: Yeah! , controlling your solderingstation through your iPhone from anywhere in the world to be able to ....... uh to..... uh ...

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 26, 2014, 09:43:12 am
content: I thought my current JBC iron was a bit overkill with the LCD it has, but this one is just pure wank!

author: German_EE
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 26, 2014, 10:11:32 am
content: Soldering irons with upgradable software. So, you try and solder a wire to a copper plated heatsink and the iron says 'I'm sorry Dave, I can't do that'.No thank you!

author: mikeselectricstuff
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 26, 2014, 10:22:31 am
content: Auto tweet :"Mikeselectricstuff just soldered something"Sent by my JBC Wank-o-matic Internet of Things Soldering iron.

author: trevwhite
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 26, 2014, 10:42:01 am
content: I think they maybe felt they had to do this because of the Weller series with touch controls and fancy design. Shame they didn't just think about dropping the prices instead and keeping it simple.I really like my Metcal iron because I just turn it on and solder stuff. No screen, no hassles. I think displays on everything makes for a really busy desk when you want to just concentrate on your design or repair. You dont want information overload from all the tools!

author: con-f-use
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 26, 2014, 10:50:30 am
content: I really like the interface on my Weller WX2. It's fast and intuitive. There's much to say about the whole thing being behind temperature resistant glass and having no moving parts (buttons, knobs, etc.). Of course it has a lot of wank. But at least the wank doesn't get in the way. It's all hidden in menus, I never even looked at.On the other hand, if the JBC starts throwing graphs at me, instead of just two numbers (target and current temperature) or requires me to go through a lengthy setup menu, I'll... oh my god I just noticed itactuallysays "The trendiest choice for the electronics professional" on their website?! Just saw that, thought yanir made a joke.

author: mikeselectricstuff
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 26, 2014, 10:51:34 am
content: Quote from: trevwhite on September 26, 2014, 10:42:01 amThe power display on the MX5000 can be useful, but why on earth did they put a real-time clock in there?

author: KJDS
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 26, 2014, 11:01:21 am
content: Quote from: Kjelt on September 26, 2014, 07:56:43 amI've seen people use a soldering iron to warm up cold coffee. That was in the days of leaded solder too.

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 26, 2014, 11:04:15 am
content: I think that maybe some of the driver for all this functionality stems from the unit being able to control robotic soldering systems?

author: trevwhite
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 26, 2014, 11:06:10 am
content: Mike, can you explain more about the use of the power display on the metcal please?

author: mikeselectricstuff
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 26, 2014, 11:14:59 am
content: It ls a bargraph showing the amout of power going to the tip - useful to tell when big tips are up to temp, and to detect faulty/intermittent ones.

author: Kjelt
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 26, 2014, 11:30:28 am
content: Yeah the Weller WX has that power graph too but if I look at the graph I am distracted from the work at hand, it is not always a good combination IMO, lately I do not look, I trust the station to feed the power requiredI think the manufacturers don't know what else to do anymore for soldering stations to differentiate from the competitor.

author: nanofrog
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 26, 2014, 11:34:16 am
content: Why do I get the feeling these are like trying to kill a mosquito with a hand grenade disguised as a Faberge Egg?Quote from: con-f-use on September 26, 2014, 10:50:30 amThe basic controls on the WD series works very nicely, and are very intuitive (works just like a simple FM tuner). More detailed settings require specific keystrokes to enter those menus, but not bad at all once in (no need to enter on a regular basis, so not an issue).

author: Precipice
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 26, 2014, 11:38:17 am
content: Quote from: Kjelt on September 26, 2014, 11:30:28 amLights and cameras at the tip.You know it's inevitable...Followed by stabilised tips, for shaky hands.Whereas what I want is a battery powered Metcal. Soldering on cars is where I really, really want that combination of power but good temperature control. Either lighter socket or stack of 18650s - it's why I'm in on the homebuilt Metcal buy!

author: george graves
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 26, 2014, 11:40:14 am
content: Quote from: KJDS on September 26, 2014, 11:01:21 am

author: madires
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 26, 2014, 11:55:11 am
content: Quote from: Kjelt on September 26, 2014, 11:30:28 amIsn't that a common feature these days? You can add the ERSA i-Con to the list too

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 26, 2014, 12:02:37 pm
content: Quote from: mikeselectricstuff on September 26, 2014, 11:14:59 amHakko have a new inductive iron that does it, I got some footage of it from the Electronex show.http://www.hakko.com/english/products/hakko_fx100.htmlHad an awesome amount of power from a really tiny tip. Very impressive.

author: kwass
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 26, 2014, 12:06:31 pm
content: Quote from: Precipice on September 26, 2014, 11:38:17 amGet a Weller WSM1C, it has a built-in stack of 18650 cells (3 of them) and an optional 12 v lighter adapter. It's really a pleasure to solder using this iron: super lightweight pencil with fantastic tip control, instant heating and on the fly plug in tip changes. My only nit-pick is the not so-easy-to-see LCD display becasue of the shallow angle. Unfortunately Weller decided to discounted this but it can still be had:http://www.all-spec.com/products/WSM1C.html?gclid=CKDHtP_o_sACFQxp7AodQH8AzgAll-spec had these on sale for $250 for quite a while, maybe you can talk them down some.

author: mikeselectricstuff
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 26, 2014, 12:19:13 pm
content: Quote from: Precipice on September 26, 2014, 11:38:17 amI've thought about this occasionally, however for battery power I think JBC would be a better option as Metcal wastes a lot of power in the RF supply, and you should be able to make a JBC supply more compact as you won;t need the chunky RF magnetics.

author: con-f-use
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 26, 2014, 12:28:59 pm
content: Actually, lights at the tip aren't a bad idea. A camera would be too crappy and shaky. I'd also wish for a better build-in smoke absorber. The ones that you basically strap on to the handle (and have an extra tube) get in the way too easily. A cylinder around the iron very close to the might work. It needed to be small and integrate into the handle seamlessly. But yes, there's not huge room for improvement with soldering irons anymore.

author: VK5RC
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 26, 2014, 12:29:18 pm
content: The term "elegant simplicity" seems to be a thing of the past. Put a MCU and a display in anything and you'll get 100 features you never needed.

author: Wuerstchenhund
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 26, 2014, 12:30:50 pm
content: Quote from: Precipice on September 26, 2014, 11:38:17 amAfter that followed by aSharebutton to upload the video to Facetube and TwitterYes, it probably*is*inevitable

author: con-f-use
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 26, 2014, 12:33:22 pm
content: You have LEDs at the tips of the better cordless drills. And I like it.

author: mikeselectricstuff
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 26, 2014, 12:53:04 pm
content: Quote from: con-f-use on September 26, 2014, 12:33:22 pmNowadays there is little excuse to not add a white LED to anything that might be used in a dark space. Would certainly be useful on a soldering iron.

author: sunnyhighway
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 26, 2014, 01:08:40 pm
content: Quote from: Wuerstchenhund on September 26, 2014, 12:30:50 pmMaking a sound alerting for incoming Twitter messages shown on the display would obviously be distracting.Just like smart-phones that would require the obligatory vibrating alert, conveniently located in the hand piece.

author: Precipice
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 26, 2014, 01:17:38 pm
content: Quote from: mikeselectricstuff on September 26, 2014, 12:53:04 pmI'm pretty sure Weller made them, back in the 80s - no doubt incandescent rather than LED...Might be easier to push the light down a guide, than mount the device at the hot end, but yeah. I'm sort of surprised it's not common. My eyes are always grateful for as much light as I can get, and sometimes the iron gets in the way.

author: con-f-use
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 26, 2014, 01:40:27 pm
content: Out of curiosity: Is there such a thing as a high temperature LED. Designed to be operated at 350-450°C?

author: rdl
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 26, 2014, 01:43:53 pm
content: They give it a color screen and then choose to use an almost monochrome color scheme. On top of that they chose white on light gray for almost everything which makes for very poor readability. Total fail in my opinion.

author: Le_Bassiste
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 26, 2014, 02:36:22 pm
content: But what i really like is their new range of soldering tips:http://www.astorcosmetics.com/de-DE/products/lips

author: SeanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 26, 2014, 06:10:24 pm
content: Quote from: con-f-use on September 26, 2014, 01:40:27 pmYes, the incandescent light bulb. You get high temperature versions, typically a 40W golfball with a brass base, designed for use in ovens. You get specialist lamps that will work up to the softening point of quartz glass, around 900C. They are not cheap though. LED units tend to die at around the 100C mark.

author: rolycat
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 26, 2014, 11:31:51 pm
content: Quote from: Precipice on September 26, 2014, 01:17:38 pmWeller do make a range of soldering irons with white LEDs; the SPN series:Unfortunately they are just DIY fire sticks.

author: jancumps
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 26, 2014, 11:51:02 pm
content: I don't mind the colour displays. I bet they don't add much to the cost. There's a fair amount of solder irons without display or with monochrome/7-segments for those who want that. No harm done.

author: Nerull
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 27, 2014, 12:00:30 am
content: I suppose the video microscope display function could be useful, if the display has enough resolution to see anything.

author: mikeselectricstuff
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 27, 2014, 09:12:33 am
content: Quote from: 3roomlab on September 27, 2014, 12:38:37 amCan't tell if the size & connector is the same but the tip drawings look pretty much identical to the Thermaltronics & Metcal MX onesQuote

author: mikeselectricstuff
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 27, 2014, 09:28:09 am
content: Looking at this video, it looks like the tips are different from Metcal.Also mentions tip recognition - implies that it's both type and individual tips as they talk about runtime logging.Just found this, which compares the tip design to Metcal :http://www.stratesysgroup.com/Product_Reviews/HakkoFX100

author: poorchava
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 27, 2014, 09:33:07 am
content: When I hear about a soldering iron with color lcd display, I can't help it, but think about arcade games.You make joints one by one and soldering station goes like 'good, good, excellent, combo!, combo x2! etc' ?

author: Bored@Work
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 27, 2014, 10:39:50 am
content: Quote from: poorchava on September 27, 2014, 09:33:07 amIf the display is good enough you could run some training videos on it. Or instructions for special jobs.Or you run something like doom, where you have to kill monsters not with a chainsaw, but by poking a hot soldering iron into them.

author: firewalker
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 27, 2014, 10:55:03 am
content: It should run Android!Alexander.

author: poorchava
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 27, 2014, 12:23:56 pm
content: It's still not a modern thing: doesn't have IoT written on it, no cloud storage, can't pair it with i, doesn't have arduino headers and the name isn't anything like "JBC-ino".Marketing failure i see.... mmmmhmmmmm.....But honestly, who the fuck needs a color graphic lcd on a soldering iron......

author: zapta
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 27, 2014, 04:35:55 pm
content: Quote from: 3roomlab on September 27, 2014, 12:39:17 pmVery interesting. Or you can even start from scratch, build yourself the power supply (see another thread here) and have a great RF soldering station with inexpensive tips. One more reason to have an open source RF power supply.As for the MX500 base dying out, it's very serviceable with schematic available online and mostly off the shelf basic components (no microcontroller and the likes)

author: Bud
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 28, 2014, 01:24:17 am
content: Quote from: yanir on September 26, 2014, 12:20:08 amAny equipment that has a LCD (not TFT) display look antiquated today.

author: nukie
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 28, 2014, 01:26:07 am
content: Got color printer? Just print out the display and upgrade that mono screen at no cost!Phhhhhttfff how about a 16:9 wide screen display?!Seriously... there's so much power in the heating tips that I have never had to touch the settings once setup.

author: Bud
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 28, 2014, 01:28:08 am
content: I cannot stand Hakko's Fisher-Price colors. It looks as if it was made for kids.

author: nanofrog
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 28, 2014, 01:30:21 am
content: Quote from: poorchava on September 27, 2014, 09:33:07 amAnd it simultaneously rats you out for playing games.

author: Bud
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 28, 2014, 01:37:50 am
content: Quote from: firewalker on September 27, 2014, 10:55:03 amWe'll soon be required to log in to the cloud to start soldering.I had a Sony tablet which required having a Microsoft account right out of the box even before you go through the first time setup. You simply could not use the damn thing without having a MS account, it was a brick. Whose sick mind designed that product... Needless to say, got rid of it.

author: miguelvp
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 28, 2014, 01:41:23 am
content: Quote from: Bud on September 28, 2014, 01:37:50 amWhat Sony tablet would that be? Just curious.

author: German_EE
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 28, 2014, 08:45:51 am
content: 'Friends don't let friends buy Sony'

author: Bud
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 28, 2014, 06:17:25 pm
content: Quote from: miguelvp on September 28, 2014, 01:41:23 amCan't remember the model name, it was their earlier model, the one with a tapered profile that resembled a folder magazine.

author: Bud
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 28, 2014, 06:24:57 pm
content: "The trendiest choice" is a very modest statement compare to the tone that punches you in the eye when you open the user manual:"Probablythe bestsoldering station in the world"The font color is original as it appears in the Manual

author: yanir
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 28, 2014, 06:32:02 pm
content: Quote from: Bud on September 28, 2014, 06:24:57 pmI like my gear as much as the next person in this forum, but that's a bold claim. I think JBC needs to rethink their marketing plan.

author: Bud
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 29, 2014, 03:31:10 am
content: They did. They added the Probability term.

author: miguelvp
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 29, 2014, 03:36:31 am
content: Can't be the trendiest, I haven't seen a single hash tag.

author: BillWojo
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 29, 2014, 07:53:18 pm
content: So Hakko is now making a induction soldering iron? Guess they finally had to admit that Metcal had it right all along. What's that old saying? Imitation is the sincerist form of flattery.

author: mikeselectricstuff
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 29, 2014, 08:28:34 pm
content: Quote from: BillWojo on September 29, 2014, 07:53:18 pmThey had to wait for the Metcal patent to expire

author: Rick Law
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 01, 2014, 04:12:10 am
content: Quote from: SeanB on September 26, 2014, 06:10:24 pmYou don't need to mount the light source near the tip. The light source could be mounted near the top of the handle where it is coolest, and then glass-fiber or quartz-fiber down to say 4 or 6 outlets around the tip but 2-3cm above the end of tip. With fiber light transfer, you can also keep the tip area diameter down without the bulk of a light source there.But that kind of a setup would of course be rather expensive - not the 10cents per LED for sure.I personally would also like to have "quick change" tips. Say 5 slots for 5 different tips at the stand. I got to the empty slot of my current tip, press a button to drop it back in, move to the naked "tip" other tip I want, press a button and it latches on to that one as my current tip - all without turning the iron off. That, I would like.

author: Kjelt
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 01, 2014, 08:01:50 am
content: I personally hate all the leds on my powertools, they give too little light and there is always something blocking part of the lightpath. The reason they are on them is because the powertool is a mobile tool and you can end up in working conditions where there is no or too little light available.I see no reason what so ever for a solderingstation to have a led on the tip, instead build a very good and adjustable (bench)lighting.The benchlighting should have some fixtures that spread the light evenly across the bench too prevent shadows but besides that it needs one or a few adjustable spotlights that can be focussed on the workpiece for delicate work, as say the dentist/surgeon has (but then a bit smaller).I have a 24V 10W powerled spot that has a flexible arm that I can point on the workpiece and it gives me a very high contrast but then I need that since my eyes get worse over ageI also use a lot the Leica stereomicroscope with adjustable ring led lighting for soldering extreme small smd's.