Killed my soldering workstation - Get another Weller, or a Hakko?

[Ouchyfoot]

See edit

[Ouchyfoot]

@ohaya

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?

No. That was just for artistic placement.

[atbglenn]

@Ouchyfoot

@ohaya

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?

No. That was just for artistic placement.

Yep, it show is :)

[Chloe]

@Ouchyfoot

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.

That does sound handy. I can tell that from my Aoyue when the heating LED stops pulsing and stays on.

[ohaya]

Update: I swapped the older, previously-repaired pencil with the main station, and it’s working, so now I at least have a working setup.

So, this gives me time to consider and do some research.

I’m now considering the Weller WESD51 and, based on Chloe’s suggestion, and thinking about this Aouyue:

http://www.amazon.com/Aoyue-9378-Programmable-Digital-Soldering/dp/B00BSW69LI/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top

That’s actually cheaper than the analog Weller WES51, and, it comes with 10 extra tips.

ruffles,

You mentioned that FT is carrying Hakko compatible tips? Do you have a link? According to the Amazon review, that Aouyue takes Hakko tips!

Thanks,
Jim

[ohaya]

Also, forgot to mention: Looking at the blown pencil, there’s a black hole on the cord near where it goes into the pencil handle. I’m thinking either a short or maybe a thermofuse that blew :(.

[kevind43]

+1… weller

[comfychair]

Assuming this one works did I get a good deal?: http://www.ebay.com/itm/400529498599

:party:

[ruffles]

@ohaya

ruffles,

You mentioned that FT is carrying Hakko compatible tips? Do you have a link? According to the Amazon review, that Aouyue takes Hakko tips!

Thanks,
Jim

Links: first two I’ve bought; second two I haven’t.
https://www.fasttech.com/products/1044600
https://www.fasttech.com/products/1058901

https://www.fasttech.com/products/0/10000409/1188201-nickel-copper-angled-soldering-iron-tip
https://www.fasttech.com/products/0/10004382/1333700-precision-soldering-iron-rod-tip

[Ouchyfoot]

@comfychair

Assuming this one works did I get a good deal?: http://www.ebay.com/itm/400529498599

:party:

You lucky bugger. That’s a super deal.
Hey wait a minute. There’s no sponge!!!

[texaspyro]

@Ouchyfoot

Hey wait a minute. There’s no sponge!!!

It’s not sponge-worthy…

[Ouchyfoot]

Forget the sponge!

[hideehoo]

I’ve been using a real Hakko 936 for the last few years, but picked up a couple of these for spares/gifts after they got good reviews over on RCGroups.

http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/uh_viewitem.asp?idproduct=19240

Pick up a set of cheap tips on eBay for ~$10

http://www.ebay.com/itm/10x-Solder-Screwdriver-Iron-Tip-900M-T-for-Hakko-Soldering-Rework-Station-Tool-/130918220315

and your in business for about $35 total after shipping.

[lunaras]

I don’t have a Weller or Hakko, so I can’t speak to them, but I’ve had a Aoyue 937+ for about six months and really like it. It seems to get good reviews on Amazon too.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000I30QBW/ref=oh_details_o06_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[Chloe]

@ruffles

Links: first two I’ve bought; second two I haven’t.
https://www.fasttech.com/products/1044600
https://www.fasttech.com/products/1058901

Thanks for the links! I will buy a pair and see if they fit my iron.

[ohaya]

For the record, I bought an Aouyoue:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00BSW69LI/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

and got it today (super fast Prime shipping).

I’ve already used it to do some work, soldering leads on an emitter, and it works fine.

It comes with 10 tips, plus an extra ceramic element. It comes with a sponge and sponge tray, and solder holder/roller (don’t use), but I bought one of the brass cleaner thingies at the same time.

It heats up super fast. I didn’t time it though.

Seems pretty good for the price.

Jim

Edit: I bought this tip from Fasttech awhile ago (not sure why), but the package it comes in says “Hakko”, and it works in this Aouyue:

https://www.fasttech.com/p/1044600

[relic38]

Ohhh, shiny
Looks like a nice iron. Heating up fast is good. Mine is just OK in that department. Not sure if that is a power thing, but it seems to do OK with larger heating jobs.
Having the extra heating element is a nice thing to have. They are inexpensive, but they can (rarely) break and do it suddenly so you would be stuck without a backup.
60W is nice, I think mine is 50W which is adequate. I also have a genuine Hakko 936 that I can use if two irons are needed (not often at all).
If that FT tip is genuine, it a good deal at $1. How does it perform? Stays tinned for a while, good heat transfer, etc?

[Empire]

Why not repair your weller? all the parts are available.

[ohaya]

@relic38

Ohhh, shiny
Looks like a nice iron. Heating up fast is good. Mine is just OK in that department. Not sure if that is a power thing, but it seems to do OK with larger heating jobs.
Having the extra heating element is a nice thing to have. They are inexpensive, but they can (rarely) break and do it suddenly so you would be stuck without a backup.
60W is nice, I think mine is 50W which is adequate. I also have a genuine Hakko 936 that I can use if two irons are needed (not often at all).
If that FT tip is genuine, it a good deal at $1. How does it perform? Stays tinned for a while, good heat transfer, etc?

Here’s a pic of the tip, and the package it came in:

I’ve been using it, in place of the original one that was in the pencil, but I’m probably not the best judge. I can say that it does stay tinned, but I’m not 100% sure about heat transfer.

I soldered the leads to an emitter with the original tip, and that went fine, but I just tried soldering leads to another emitter using the FT tip, and I had to crank up the temp a bit, to 400C to do that.

I think that the FT one is finer than the original one, so it may not be transferring heat as well as the original one, or, it might be my technique. Initially, with the FT tip, and at 350C, I could tin the leads and the emitter pad fine, but when I tried to solder the lead to the pad, it wouldn’t flow, so I cranked the temp up to 400C, and then it was fine.

I have a new meter, with a temp probe, and I may try checking the tip temperature later/tomorrow.

[Chloe]

Looks like a genuine Hakko tip. Thanks for the picture! I will definitely get some of these. My Aoyue came with spare element but no spare tips.