Darn! My old Weller soldering station just died :(! I was doing some soldering, and heard a “pop”, and smoke was coming out of the end of the handle :(… I just got a stash of new tips for it, so I may try to see if I can find a replacement handle, but this is the 2nd time in the last several months that this happened, so I’m thinking it’s time to get a new one.
Looking around, I found this Hakko station:
Digital FX888D & CHP170 bundle, includes FREE CHP170 cutter
A Pace PRC2000/PPS400. New with all the accessories will set you back over $6000… I can hook you up for around 1/10 that… And you thought Hakko tips were cheap… try buying Pace tips…
I have a Weller WESD51 and I love it. It gets up to temp almost instantly. I was torn between the analog and the newer digital. I finally sprang for the digital, and I couldn’t be happier.
I’ve used the Weller model a lot and it works well. I’m not familiar with the newer Hakko models. I have used a genuine Hakko 936 for years.
I recently went with a YiHua 853D (Hakko tip-compatible) solder and reflow station and it’s quite nice. The hot air reflow works well for emitters and general electronics on FR4 PCBs. These or similar models can be had for about the same cost as a new Weller or Hakko.
I have the analog Hakko 888, and I’m quite happy with it. That’s not saying too much because I’m quite the noob at precision soldering, and the irons I had before were crap.
That said, Fasttech has some Hakko compatible tips for really cheap. I haven’t used them enough to have an opinion about durability, though.
Even though I love my Aoyue 936 (Hakko clone), given the choice of the two you posted I’d get the Weller. I prefer analogue control and a larger solder sponge tray. The digital buttons would drive me mad when adjusting temperatures. >.<
The Weller (actually, Wellers) that I have are really old, from when I had a business.
One of them had a similar problem way back when. It looks like something inside the pencil shorts.
One of my techs repaired that one then, and I used it for awhile, but it wasn’t working very well, so I started using the 2nd one, which is the one that went south yesterday.
I still have the repaired one somewhere, and I’ll have to dig it out, to see if maybe it was just the tip getting too old, because as I mentioned, I recently bought a bunch of new Weller tips from Ebay.
If that works, I can use that for awhile, I guess, but if not I’ll need to buy a new one.
pretty much all the new hakkos look like that. They wanted to look different, I suppose.
If you want a decent name brand system I’d suggest either hakko or weller.
If you’re looking to do a lot of important soldering… You can get a used oki/metcal system for under $200 if you keep watching ebay. I’ve got a MFR2200 system myself.
ohaya. Hers how I looked at it. This is a big investment that you will have for years. When I had to decide between the older analog, or the new upgraded digital model, is the difference in money that much for something that I will be using for years. I know that months later, I would have been kicking myself for not getting the newer upgrade. Sometimes it is more frugal to pay a bit extra for a long term investment.
I believe there have been other upgrades as well. I think the heating is much faster…0 to 700° in thirty seconds. I know I researched all over the place about the same things before I bought, but I can’t remember much anymore. Being in Canada I paid a lot more than what you can get it for, and I got a great price. I have no regrets.
Edit: It’s also really helpful when soldering something that initially absorbs a lot of heat. You can observe the tip temperature dropping and rising on the display.
Thanks. BTW, the pic for both have one where the pencil tip is pointed at the front panel. Is that for the “wireless” thing, i.e., it senses the actual temperature from the pencil, but you have to bring the pencil up to the front panel?
