OT: Looking for recommendations on new soldering station
I'm looking for a recommendation for a new soldering station. I think it's time to retire my 40+ year old Archer soldering pencil - that I've had at least since I built my first TRS-80 Model I expansion interface, maybe longer! I'm looking for compact, with an auto-off feature, temperature controlled, and a variety of tips. Is this pretty much every current station? I'm looking at the Hakko FX888, or maybe the less expensive X-Tronic 3020? Mainly I repair or modify vintage electronics, but occasionally modern stuff where I need a finer tip and less heat. Thoughts/recommendations? Thanks. - Bob Shuster
Nothing wrong with a Hakko, but I personally like Hexacons. Still made in the USA (Roselle Park, NJ) and they support their products a long time. I have a good number of their Therm-o-Trac and Select-o-Trac stations. All of mine have been bought used, they are around $600 new. Thanks, Jonathan -------- Original Message -------- On Aug 3, 2021, 10:12 AM, Bob Shuster via vcf-midatlantic wrote:
I'm looking for a recommendation for a new soldering station. I think it's time to retire my 40+ year old Archer soldering pencil - that I've had at least since I built my first TRS-80 Model I expansion interface, maybe longer! I'm looking for compact, with an auto-off feature, temperature controlled, and a variety of tips. Is this pretty much every current station? I'm looking at the Hakko FX888, or maybe the less expensive X-Tronic 3020? Mainly I repair or modify vintage electronics, but occasionally modern stuff where I need a finer tip and less heat. Thoughts/recommendations? Thanks. - Bob Shuster
On Tue, Aug 3, 2021 at 10:42 AM Jonathan Chapman via vcf-midatlantic <vcf-midatlantic@lists.vcfed.org> wrote:
Nothing wrong with a Hakko, but I personally like Hexacons. Still made in the USA (Roselle Park, NJ) and they support their products a long time.
Thank you. I did not know this. Very much appreciated.
We had a soldering station themed thread a few months (?) ago, still relevant info, see if you can locate that thread in the group archives. Is there a working group archives, I forget. Bill On Tue, Aug 3, 2021 at 10:51 AM Christian Liendo via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vcfed.org> wrote:
On Tue, Aug 3, 2021 at 10:42 AM Jonathan Chapman via vcf-midatlantic <vcf-midatlantic@lists.vcfed.org> wrote:
Nothing wrong with a Hakko, but I personally like Hexacons. Still made
in the USA (Roselle Park, NJ) and they support their products a long time.
Thank you. I did not know this. Very much appreciated.
On Tue, Aug 3, 2021 at 11:13 AM Bill Degnan via vcf-midatlantic <vcf-midatlantic@lists.vcfed.org> wrote:
Is there a working group archives, I forget. Bill
yes, a search for the term "soldering station" reveals a lot of good info from the archives Bill On Tue, Aug 3, 2021 at 2:57 PM Christian Liendo via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vcfed.org> wrote:
On Tue, Aug 3, 2021 at 11:13 AM Bill Degnan via vcf-midatlantic <vcf-midatlantic@lists.vcfed.org> wrote:
Is there a working group archives, I forget. Bill
IF you are only looking for an upgrade to the single heat soldering iron and are as cheep as I, am you can go with something like this: https://hobbyking.com/en_us/soldering-station-with-adjustable-heat-range-us-... I have one and it is a huge upgrade to the plain old soldering iron. No fancy digital display but, you get what you pay for. Seems to be adequate for through hole IC's. If you need to work on more modern surface mount you might plan on spending more money. Duane On 8/3/2021 10:41 AM, Jonathan Chapman via vcf-midatlantic wrote:
Nothing wrong with a Hakko, but I personally like Hexacons. Still made in the USA (Roselle Park, NJ) and they support their products a long time.
I have a good number of their Therm-o-Trac and Select-o-Trac stations. All of mine have been bought used, they are around $600 new.
Thanks, Jonathan
-------- Original Message -------- On Aug 3, 2021, 10:12 AM, Bob Shuster via vcf-midatlantic wrote:
I'm looking for a recommendation for a new soldering station. I think it's time to retire my 40+ year old Archer soldering pencil - that I've had at least since I built my first TRS-80 Model I expansion interface, maybe longer! I'm looking for compact, with an auto-off feature, temperature controlled, and a variety of tips. Is this pretty much every current station? I'm looking at the Hakko FX888, or maybe the less expensive X-Tronic 3020? Mainly I repair or modify vintage electronics, but occasionally modern stuff where I need a finer tip and less heat. Thoughts/recommendations? Thanks. - Bob Shuster
-- DuaneCraps sdɐɹɔ ǝuɐnp
Also I don’t have to tell you to keep in mind the fact that parts replacement, tips, things like that need to be considered when you purchase one of these or any “off brand” items. Mike R. Sent from: My extremely complicated, hand held electronic device.
On Aug 3, 2021, at 5:38 PM, Duane Craps via vcf-midatlantic <vcf-midatlantic@lists.vcfed.org> wrote:
IF you are only looking for an upgrade to the single heat soldering iron and are as cheep as I, am you can go with something like this:
https://hobbyking.com/en_us/soldering-station-with-adjustable-heat-range-us-...
I have one and it is a huge upgrade to the plain old soldering iron. No fancy digital display but, you get what you pay for. Seems to be adequate for through hole IC's. If you need to work on more modern surface mount you might plan on spending more money.
Duane
On 8/3/2021 10:41 AM, Jonathan Chapman via vcf-midatlantic wrote: Nothing wrong with a Hakko, but I personally like Hexacons. Still made in the USA (Roselle Park, NJ) and they support their products a long time.
I have a good number of their Therm-o-Trac and Select-o-Trac stations. All of mine have been bought used, they are around $600 new.
Thanks, Jonathan
-------- Original Message --------
On Aug 3, 2021, 10:12 AM, Bob Shuster via vcf-midatlantic wrote:
I'm looking for a recommendation for a new soldering station. I think it's time to retire my 40+ year old Archer soldering pencil - that I've had at least since I built my first TRS-80 Model I expansion interface, maybe longer! I'm looking for compact, with an auto-off feature, temperature controlled, and a variety of tips. Is this pretty much every current station? I'm looking at the Hakko FX888, or maybe the less expensive X-Tronic 3020? Mainly I repair or modify vintage electronics, but occasionally modern stuff where I need a finer tip and less heat. Thoughts/recommendations? Thanks. - Bob Shuster
-- DuaneCraps sdɐɹɔ ǝuɐnp
Frame that soldering pencil with your Model I! Hope you also have some old photos building the expansion interface to put in the frame :) On 8/3/2021 10:12 AM, Bob Shuster via vcf-midatlantic wrote:
I'm looking for a recommendation for a new soldering station. I think it's time to retire my 40+ year old Archer soldering pencil - that I've had at least since I built my first TRS-80 Model I expansion interface, maybe longer! I'm looking for compact, with an auto-off feature, temperature controlled, and a variety of tips. Is this pretty much every current station? I'm looking at the Hakko FX888, or maybe the less expensive X-Tronic 3020? Mainly I repair or modify vintage electronics, but occasionally modern stuff where I need a finer tip and less heat. Thoughts/recommendations? Thanks. - Bob Shuster
On 8/3/2021 10:12 AM, Bob Shuster via vcf-midatlantic wrote:
I'm looking at the Hakko FX888, or maybe the less expensive X-Tronic 3020? Mainly I repair or modify vintage electronics, but occasionally modern stuff where I need a finer tip and less heat. Thoughts/recommendations? Thanks. - Bob Shuster
You can't go wrong with the good old Weller WESD51. Mike Loewen mloewen@cpumagic.scol.pa.us Old Technology http://q7.neurotica.com/Oldtech/
On 8/3/2021 3:35 PM, Mike Loewen via vcf-midatlantic wrote:
On 8/3/2021 10:12 AM, Bob Shuster via vcf-midatlantic wrote:
I'm looking at the Hakko FX888, or maybe the less expensive X-Tronic 3020? Mainly I repair or modify vintage electronics, but occasionally modern stuff where I need a finer tip and less heat. Thoughts/recommendations? Thanks. - Bob Shuster
You can't go wrong with the good old Weller WESD51.
Mike Loewen mloewen@cpumagic.scol.pa.us Old Technology http://q7.neurotica.com/Oldtech/
I think everyone should have a WES/WESD51 on their tool shelf. They are awesome, built like tanks, easy to train on, simple, work well, portable, and you can feel OK loaning out. I love my metcal 500, but it's not leaving the bench. Jim -- RETRO Innovations, Contemporary Gear for Classic Systems www.go4retro.com store.go4retro.com
I think everyone should have a WES/WESD51 on their tool shelf. They are awesome, built like tanks, easy to train on, simple, work well, portable, and you can feel OK loaning out. I love my metcal 500, but it's not leaving the bench. Jim
I had one of the Orange Wellers growing up. I dunno, for the price point I think I like my Hakko more. The downside on the hakko is the UI is a little strange and it would be easy to knock the calibration off. The WESD51 is the digital readout baby blue thing? A friend swears by the Pace setups. He has the extruded aluminum box thing that drives 3 tools, a soldering and desoldering tool for it. No hot air. I dunno if I like the sucker on a long hose as it creates more dead space needed to pull vacuum for solder removal, I've been using an 808 (the Hakko not the Roland) for a while and like it. But the 808 is tending to jam more, but that is probably from flux + chipquik + RoHS solder. Nothing like finding an arcade monitor where someone has replaced the flyback with plumbers solder and one of those old solder guns with the wire loop. - Ethan
On 8/3/2021 3:50 PM, Ethan O'Toole wrote:
I think everyone should have a WES/WESD51 on their tool shelf. They are awesome, built like tanks, easy to train on, simple, work well, portable, and you can feel OK loaning out. I love my metcal 500, but it's not leaving the bench. Jim
I had one of the Orange Wellers growing up. I dunno, for the price point I think I like my Hakko more. The downside on the hakko is the UI is a little strange and it would be easy to knock the calibration off. The WESD51 is the digital readout baby blue thing? Yep. WES51 lacks the digital readout. The UI being strange would be the killer for me. I have high school students often help with stuff, and send the iron home with them.
A friend swears by the Pace setups. He has the extruded aluminum box thing that drives 3 tools, a soldering and desoldering tool for it. No hot air.
I have one as well (nice unit), but my point was about having one ready to use ina pinch or pitch in a box if you needed to make a house call. The hakko, metcal, pace, etc. units are great bench units, but I don't think I'd want to lug around a metcal or pace or larger Hakko. A really small Hakko (like an 888) might be OK as a swap for the WESD51, but I don;t think it looks as robust mechanically. The Weller is sturdy. Mind you, I don't often use my Weller anymore (my metcal and Pace are more useful), but I loan my WESD51 out all the time to folks working with me. Jim -- RETRO Innovations, Contemporary Gear for Classic Systems www.go4retro.com store.go4retro.com
On Aug 3, 2021, at 4:50 PM, Ethan O'Toole via vcf-midatlantic <vcf-midatlantic@lists.vcfed.org> wrote:
I think everyone should have a WES/WESD51 on their tool shelf. They are awesome, built like tanks, easy to train on, simple, work well, portable, and you can feel OK loaning out. I love my metcal 500, but it's not leaving the bench. Jim
I had one of the Orange Wellers growing up. I dunno, for the price point I think I like my Hakko more. The downside on the hakko is the UI is a little strange and it would be easy to knock the calibration off. The WESD51 is the digital readout baby blue thing?
A friend swears by the Pace setups. He has the extruded aluminum box thing that drives 3 tools, a soldering and desoldering tool for it. No hot air. I dunno if I like the sucker on a long hose as it creates more dead space needed to pull vacuum for solder removal, I've been using an 808 (the Hakko not the Roland) for a while and like it. But the 808 is tending to jam more, but that is probably from flux + chipquik + RoHS solder.
Nothing like finding an arcade monitor where someone has replaced the flyback with plumbers solder and one of those old solder guns with the wire loop.
- Ethan
I have been using a Weller WTCP soldering station for the last 40 years and I have a few of them set up at different stations in my basement and garage. I can change heat temp and size by changing tip. Anytime I go to a estate sale yard or yard sale look I for parts in case I need them. A very reliable Soldering station. Mike R. Sent from: My extremely complicated, hand held electronic device.
AGREE AGREE AGREE Hakko makes great stuff, but so does Weller. On Tue, Aug 3, 2021 at 4:35 PM Mike Loewen via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vcfed.org> wrote:
On 8/3/2021 10:12 AM, Bob Shuster via vcf-midatlantic wrote:
I'm looking at the Hakko FX888, or maybe the less expensive X-Tronic
3020?
Mainly I repair or modify vintage electronics, but occasionally modern stuff where I need a finer tip and less heat. Thoughts/recommendations? Thanks. - Bob Shuster
You can't go wrong with the good old Weller WESD51.
Mike Loewen mloewen@cpumagic.scol.pa.us Old Technology http://q7.neurotica.com/Oldtech/
participants (11)
-
Bill Degnan -
Bob Shuster -
Chris Fala -
Christian Liendo -
Douglas Crawford -
Duane Craps -
Ethan O'Toole -
Jonathan Chapman -
Mike Loewen -
RETRO Innovations -
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