The three I bought were half the price of the solder station. A cylindrical point, 2.4mm chisel tip, and a 3.2mm chisel tip. About 8 bucks each, but they sure work good.
Either unit would never do for me. I would never give up my Hakko iron - there's no wiggle room there. One time I accidentally cut through the cord to the iron - replacement cost almost as much as the full up iron - I ordered another Hakko without delay. Felt like a complete novice using my backup - totally useless. The Hakko is that good. Dale says pretty much the same thing about his. Dunno how anyone else mods without one, or something comparable.
I have no problems with my iron, I’m just worried about having space on desk for two boxes and two power cords. That’s why I’m primarily looking at combo units.
For flashlights use i am currently working with Gordak 850, using it for 2 years already, made like 300+ drivers, dedomed zounds emitters, remade lotsa drivers and dismanteled unknown numbers of other el.components- working like a champ- bought it vs….prolly 80 usd
Meanwhile my work Weller Hot Air station failed twice, price difference is above 20x
I was feeling dumb a couple weeks ago when I thought it was bad. Nope, the tip wasn’t screwed down tight. It works so fast, but it’s unwieldy.
I wanted more control, so I got an Auyoe 937+ adjustable soldering station. I have doubts that this is working correctly, and I’ll be testing it soon. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000I30QBW/
I couldn’t find my soldering gun for years, so I picked up a Benzomatic butane soldering iron. That thing gets super hot, can do very thick wire, can be used for heat shrink, but I’ve had a couple of mishaps with the heat port burning things that shouldn’t be burned.
There’s a cheap soldering iron, pencil type, 30 watts. Model VEC228. This was my first soldering iron and still occasionally use.
I too would like a nice 2 in 1 station to use ocassinally.
A couple things that stand out. I’ve heard from people that the air guns that use the pump in the housing have very annoying hoses. They have to be a bit firm to prevent linking and this can knock stuff over or off your work space. So I’m thinking a air motor in the handle is the better choice.
Second is a temp display in Fahrenheit. I’m American and not used to Celsius. Fahrenheit is just easier for me.
I’m gonna do some more research in this 995d unit by Yescom. It’s a little higher in price at $86 with free shipping from jet.com, but you seem to get a lot more.
It has a calibration function to get your temperatures more accurate. An 80w iron. A really nice display with a choice of Celsius or Fahrenheit. Iron sleep function of soldering iron in standby mode to avoid iron tip oxidation at high temperature. Auto or manual startup function of airflow temperature. Plus more neat stuff.
I think I’m gonna pull the trigger on this 995d from the company that makes it, Yescom. They have a store on Amazon. It’s $85 with free shipping. The best part is I can get a 4 year warranty for about $7 through Amazon. It’s hard to beat that.
Sure the pump in the base requires thicker tube (doesn’t bother me), but works also as a smoke absorber for the soldering iron => no more inhaling those nasty fumes!
For hobby and general purpose that should be ok i guess. you dont need a brand name like JBC or Hakko which cost much more but if you cant afford it why not.
I chose a year ago Aoyue 968A+ SMD. The AOYUE 968 multi-function hot air soldering station combines the functions of a hot air gun, soldering iron and smoke trap. The chimney system eliminates smoke that interferes with the soldering of small elements or when soldering under a microscope. Ceramic heaters allow you to achieve a quick temperature set. The control system will issue a warning in the event of a heater aging or failure. The station can be used to work with the entire spectrum of electronic components (DIP, SOIC, CHIP, QFP, BLCC, BGA, etc.). Information here Aoyue 968A+ SMD