I must be lucky. I've had both the Hakko pencil solder iron and desolder gun for a LONG time. The Weller that I use for tube boards is also prolly 20 years old.
De-Soldering Questions
- Thread starter Prysmatyk
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- desoldering
Great thread for a newb restorer and on a budget. I'm thinking about buying this. I know I wouldn't like the cheap spring activated suckers. This is so simple and probably smooth operating - with a steady hand. I don't imagine it produces much suction, but hopefully enough.So I just went to check, as i remembered my bulb was cracking, and I find this:
120V AC, 40W Desoldering Iron, 5 Feet Power Cord, UL Listed & RoHS Com
One hand operation. Vacuum bulb. 40W Ironwww.elexp.com
$18 shipped. No experience with seller or product, but the price is nice.
May be because they just don’t make them like they used to that mine only lasted a few years. Glad yours have lasted a long time. I’m not at all knocking the Hakko. It’s good. I just couldn’t justify the expense over the one from China.
Agree!
40-watts for desoldering? I suppose that would work on a small circuit board. I like more watts, so you don't spend a lot of time heating up the old stuff. I believe that my Hakko 808 is around 100 watts. But I do a lot of tube point-to-point and automotive repairs with it.
My thoughts, exactly - heat fast - keep heat localized.
And on second thought about an all-in-one solder sucker.... I decided to go with a spring operated sucker. Why? I can use my variable heat solder iron to heat fast. I'm not sure about the jerking motion of the spring operated ones, but for my budget and functionality.... I bought one.
Now all I need is a good source for buying replacement components. Capacitors, transistors, etc...
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I got my JDM Hakko FR-301 new from eBay Japan for, if I recall, $175 delivered. It's 100V, so you can either convert it to 120V or do what I do, which is run it off a variac.
Although good quality solder braid had its uses, the Hakko is so far above everything else it's not even funny. It's like a Unimog amongst wheelbarrows.
Although good quality solder braid had its uses, the Hakko is so far above everything else it's not even funny. It's like a Unimog amongst wheelbarrows.
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Pioneered
Well-Known Member
You don't need to spend that much on a solder sucker that works well. I still have the one I was given
in electronics school (that was in 1995 or about) and it still works to this day very well. I don't remember
the brand but, you can pick one up for a moderate price say $15 - $20. I wouldn't buy a cheapy one or one of those
Asian knock off heated ones either, all garbage.
Not mine but very much like mine.
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Another vote for the Hakko. I spent years using the bulb, then the spring loaded and various braids...and they all worked. HOWEVER, it's sooo much easier and quicker now with the Hakko. If you're even thinking of doing several pieces of gear, spend the money up front, and save the time and frustrration. If you decide you're not going to use it much, you'll be able to recoup a lot of the cost by selling it.
I have about 10 years experience in repair and restoration of vintage equipment of all kinds except tubes. Now I am far from an expert and everything I know, I learned from the great people here on AK.
If I was just getting started in repair of vintage equipment the first tools I would invest in would be good soldering and desoldering equipment such as the Hakko. I think part of the reason I can get by the the cheap soldering iron is because of the experience I have at soldering. I knew how to solder before I started repairing so that helped immensely. You can wreak havoc on a board if you lack experience. Having good quality equipment that accurately (or somewhat accurately) controls the temperature can only help. Especially beginners. For the cost of a good scope, both pieces of soldering equipment can be had. An oscilloscope would probably be the last piece of equipment I would buy, imho.
If I was just getting started in repair of vintage equipment the first tools I would invest in would be good soldering and desoldering equipment such as the Hakko. I think part of the reason I can get by the the cheap soldering iron is because of the experience I have at soldering. I knew how to solder before I started repairing so that helped immensely. You can wreak havoc on a board if you lack experience. Having good quality equipment that accurately (or somewhat accurately) controls the temperature can only help. Especially beginners. For the cost of a good scope, both pieces of soldering equipment can be had. An oscilloscope would probably be the last piece of equipment I would buy, imho.
You don't realize how important for getting a nice, shiny, small, and strong solder point — without desoldering as much of the old stuff as possible.
If a lot of oxidized old solder is left behind, it's really hard to lay down a clean new solder joint.
This, and when you happen to be working on tough jobs the Hakko (like any high-end desoldering station) will succeed where other methods fail, and will be far less likely to result in PCB and / or component damage.
The point is, the Hakko gun gives you 95% of a professional desoldering station's capabilities at a hobbyist-friendly price - especially if you get a Japan market unit.
For me, they last, I can attest to that. My 808 looks like it's been through a war. It still works fine.
One last point is that it's super important to keep a desoldering device clean. If it is designed in such a way that cleaning is an ordeal, you will skip cleaning and the device will not work as well or for as long as it should. The Hakko gun is very easy to clean out - it just takes a couple minutes. Ok, I'm going to stop now because I'm starting to sound like I work for Hakko 
A Hakko fanboy! No worries, I'm one, too!One last point is that it's super important to keep a desoldering device clean. If it is designed in such a way that cleaning is an ordeal, you will skip cleaning and the device will not work as well or for as long as it should. The Hakko gun is very easy to clean out - it just takes a couple minutes. Ok, I'm going to stop now because I'm starting to sound like I work for Hakko
LOL, I was just going to ask what discount I could get.One last point is that it's super important to keep a desoldering device clean. If it is designed in such a way that cleaning is an ordeal, you will skip cleaning and the device will not work as well or for as long as it should. The Hakko gun is very easy to clean out - it just takes a couple minutes. Ok, I'm going to stop now because I'm starting to sound like I work for Hakko