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Soldering station choices

westend

westend

Audiopile
I've done a search here about different soldering stations and have been looking around for choices to upgrade to a different soldering station than the one I have. As most of the members here, I do recapping and component replacement on audio circuit boards. I was wondering if any members could give their input on different brands and types of stations. My criteria for selection would include: power rating, reliability, iron ergonomics, and parts availability.
Here are a few current choices I am considering:http://shop.kiesub.com/Detail.bok?no=3 I lkike this as an "all around" choice.
http://www.hmcelectronics.com/cgi-bin/scripts/product/1980-0430/ It's a Weller so I know what to expect. The digital display model is also a choice but the analog has a rebate, currently, so price of the analog is consideably lower.
http://www.web-tronics.com/eltemconesds1.html This unit seems to have all I need but is an unknown to me regarding reliability and quality. Also, I've been unable to find the wattage rating, online.
http://www.circuitspecialists.com/prod.itml/icOid/7347 This rework station is very competitively priced and their CSI soldering station: http://www.circuitspecialists.com/prod.itml/icOid/7508 is priced way below the other choices listed above. Again, these are an unknown to me and I don't have a clue as to reliability or if parts will be available in the future.
I usually buy tools without too much price consciosness as I have learned that a better tool makes life a lot easier and the money saved isn't really a saving in the long run, i.e. "you get what you pay for".
If some of the veterans of the bench could weigh in and post their thoughts or list a different station they're fond of I'd be most appreciative. Also, if anybody has a take on upgrading to a complete rework station versus a soldering staion I'd like to hear about that, too. A hot air station would sure be nice for getting at those IC placements. :yes:
Thanks,
lance
 
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When I did professional technician work, we used to use Pace Rework/solder stations. They were really nice, but I just looked at the price of some of them, and they are way to expensive.
http://www.paceworldwide.com/index.asp

The ones on your list look pretty good for most. I've had good luck with Weller. I think if you do a lot of desoldering you can't beat having a rework station with a built in vacuum pump. It really speeds up repairs. The biggest issue I can see in finding one is getting one where the desoldering tips have different size openings. You'd probably need to take that into consideration when trying to remove some huge 10 watt resistor off a circuit board since the leads are thicker then a 1/4 watt resistor.

- Mike
 
I would get one that is temperature regulated. I think mine is a WCTPS. Current version is here:

http://www.cooperhandtools.com/europe/electronics_products/weller/soldering/WTCP51.htm


I have seen some Wellers of late that have a temperature dial, but are not actually temperature regulated. Is the Weller you are considering? That is IMHO the most important feature, because it can sit there all day long, and not really burn the solder up on the tip, yet when you lay it down on something, the element will come on.

If I have to change the temp, I have to change the tip. I dont often feel the need.

I can imagine if you were working with a lot of SMD or other tiny stuff, your needs might be a lot different than mine, but for vintage equipment with P-P wiring and or through-hole circuit boards, it's hard to beat.

John
 
As regards the rework staions, the rework station from Circuit Spealists that is linked to above comes with three nozzles and it's bigger brother, the Deluxe, comes with 16 nozzles. It is here:http://www.circuitspecialists.com/prod.itml/icOid/8228. It sure would be nice to have one when it gets down to removing IC's but that is really the only use I can forsee, as was mentioned, most of the vintage amps and tuners are throughhole or Pto P. There is a heated tweezers available for some of the stations for around $75. Again, I'm shying away from that because of the limited use.
Blue_lateral, I don't rally understand the concept of "regulated" versus temperature controlled. Could you explain that a little further? I know the iron you are referring to, by Weller, the WCTP,has a sensor that reacts with individual tips to control the heat but how is that more regulated or different than a station with a potentiometer and a sensor in the tip or in the shaft?
 
Maybe no difference, but I have seen some cheaper ones that don't actually regulate temperature. It is just like the old trick of plugging the soldering iron into a variac. You can turn the volatge down to the iron.

Ones that regulate are trying to control the temp with some sort of thermostat. In otherwords, if it gets too cold, like when you plop it down on a solder joint, the heat comes on full blast trying to maintain temperature. Once you've had that feature, theres no going back.

John
 
Always been a Weller fan. Never had problems with them and parts are more readily available than any other brand. My current model (other than the Weller gun) is a WLC100. HCM has them for $41 and PE for $55 and works great for my needs (recapping, etc., but not on anything approaching a commercial basis). Just ordered a new tip after almost a year of use.
 
My dad has one of these.
http://www.radioshack.com/product/i...igkw=soldering&kw=soldering&parentPage=search

Excellent, I mean excellent for the price with digital readout..


I am a cheap a$$, so I bought this set of things.
One of these
http://www.radioshack.com/product/i...&cp=2032058.2032236.2032313&parentPage=family
One of these
http://www.radioshack.com/product/i...&cp=2032058.2032236.2032313&parentPage=family
One of these
http://www.radioshack.com/product/i...&cp=2032058.2032236.2032313&parentPage=family
Five of these
http://www.radioshack.com/product/i...D/Product+Type/Solder&fbc=1&parentPage=family
10 of these, haven't had to change yet though.
http://www.radioshack.com/product/i...=PAD/Product+Type/Tip&fbc=1&parentPage=family

I never have problems, and I solder for 3-8 hours sometimes straight, stays p[retty much the right temp.
 
alexkerhead said:
My dad has one of these.
http://www.radioshack.com/product/i...igkw=soldering&kw=soldering&parentPage=search

Excellent, I mean excellent for the price with digital readout..


I am a cheap a$$, so I bought this set of things.
One of these
http://www.radioshack.com/product/i...&cp=2032058.2032236.2032313&parentPage=family
One of these
http://www.radioshack.com/product/i...&cp=2032058.2032236.2032313&parentPage=family
One of these
http://www.radioshack.com/product/i...&cp=2032058.2032236.2032313&parentPage=family
Five of these
http://www.radioshack.com/product/i...D/Product+Type/Solder&fbc=1&parentPage=family
10 of these, haven't had to change yet though.
http://www.radioshack.com/product/i...=PAD/Product+Type/Tip&fbc=1&parentPage=family

I never have problems, and I solder for 3-8 hours sometimes straight, stays p[retty much the right temp.
Click to expand...
I have the Ratshack station, now. I don't like the iron at all. The heat recovery seems really slow, also. It does do the job and has done a lot of work, though. I see in your post that you bought 5 lbs. of solder. That must mean you are one soldering mo**. :D
 
westend said:
I have the Ratshack station, now. I don't like the iron at all. The heat recovery seems really slow, also. It does do the job and has done a lot of work, though. I see in your post that you bought 5 lbs. of solder. That must mean you are one soldering mo**. :D
Click to expand...
ohhhhh yeaahhhhh!
I solder just to solder sometimes!
Recovery time is a bit slow, but I dont notice since I am a very slow solderer, I love to oversolder because I am paranoid about messing up. :smoke:
 
I saw the Weller WES51, in person, today. It has a smaller, pencil gip iron and that is important to me. I am tiring of using the Ratshack heated "golf club" for my more intricate work. Even the lower class Wellers have a bigger wand and I don't think I'd be happy with that.
I think I've narrowed my choices to Weller and the Hakko stations. The others have too many "ifs" involved. Does anyone use the WES51 for their audio board work?

Alex-Don't know if you are aware of it but this site might be up your alley for PC motherboard work:http://www.badcaps.net/forum/index.php?
 
I Like Weller

104X955_PLI.JPG


This is the one I have but I am going to upgrade to a temp controlled one soon. I've been doing more PCB stuff vs. point-to-point plus will need a station that can handle ROHS solder eventually.
 
westend said:
Went with the Hakko. It was local purchase and it fit my needs.
Click to expand...

Hakko makes quality soldering stations. Which model? Did you pick up extra tips? When I bought mine it came with a nice tip but then I wanted to do different type projects - point to point wiring of various sizes and pcb so I ended up buying a few different tips and I'm glad that I did.
 
jcmjrt said:
Hakko makes quality soldering stations. Which model? Did you pick up extra tips? When I bought mine it came with a nice tip but then I wanted to do different type projects - point to point wiring of various sizes and pcb so I ended up buying a few different tips and I'm glad that I did.
Click to expand...
I went with the Hakko 936. An ESD safe model, it came with the medium sized iron, a 2 mm chisel tip, seperate holder, sponge. I actually did have the foresight to get some additional tips. I bought a fine tip and a 1 mm chisel tip. The other good news about the purchase is that I discovered another electronics jobber in the process. Ness electronics, in St. Paul, has a web presence, and seemed to have a lot of AV gear, as well. Website is here if any are interested:Ness
 
Nice station. A few extra bucks for a good soldering station makes life much easier. Mine has a station with sponge too. It works fine but I've been seeing the ones that look like copper wool that are supposed to be nice for wiping the tip off. I'd like to give one of those a try someday.
 
jcmjrt said:
Nice station. A few extra bucks for a good soldering station makes life much easier. Mine has a station with sponge too. It works fine but I've been seeing the ones that look like copper wool that are supposed to be nice for wiping the tip off. I'd like to give one of those a try someday.
Click to expand...
You hit it on the head. I've found that what ever I'm doing with a tool, the better the tool, the better the end-product. I also have the metallic tip cleaner and it works well. No more worries about dirty sponges and bad water. I still hit the sponge occasionally, more out of habit than anything.
 
I've had my eye on one of these till the local Rat Shack closed and I bought the same model that
Alex's dad has for about $15.

Solder Station

Same person has this one as well if you prefer the digital kind.

Solder Station 2

No affiliation on either unit

Scott
 
I got a reworking station fairly recently (posted about it here, somewhere...) and am delighted with the difference it makes. Fine tip, regulated temperature (with clear digital readout showing both temperature setting and actual temperature, so you can see when the temp dips and comes back up). The temperature regulation makes a HUGE difference compared to the basic plug-it-in-and-it-gets-hot thing I was using before.

That built-in pump (several sizes of nozzle) speeds up de-soldering, and it gets into spaces which the old spring-loaded hand-pump thing and soldering iron couldn't have reached.

My station is a Chinese-made one, not a famous brand, but so far it works great. After using it, I'd never want to go back to the "primitive" stuff I used to use. Just don't understand why it took me so many years to finally spring for one of these! :no: Next upgrade/purchase... an oscilloscope. :yes::D
 
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