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Which do you use, soldering iron or soldering station?

Soldering Iron or Soldering Station?

  • Soldering Iron

    Votes: 12 19.0%

  • Soldering Station

    Votes: 50 79.4%

  • Gun

    Votes: 1 1.6%
  • Total voters
    63
Had a weller analog temp station and stick for 20+ years till they crapped out. lost a heavy heat gun (better half thought i was junk on a move.) Bought the Aoyue (no afilliation) 9378 60w, 120-130v service . came w/10 tips, pencil core heater and programming options as +$ japanese model.. Station has very good guts wiring, t-former weight and good shock housing. I don't use the solder spool or the sponge tray versus nice mesh tray I can move around (dip after every joint) but to each his own. Picked up a realistic stick before close out. meh for a stick imo but hardly use as I do most small circuitry.
 
My 25W Weller SP25NUS tips damages way to fast compared to my old Mastercraft soldering station that died last year.

I bought a new Martercraft soldering station, and used the Weller to install a 120 ohms 1.8A thermistor inside the Mastercraft soldering station, on the center of the 3 positions switch.

Tips last very long now, just need about 10 minutes to warm up.
 
My weller is circa 1980 from Hughes.. they came in and made us swap all our stations out since they were not ESD certified. We were supposed to toss them but most of them found their way home with their tech. I am considering updating to a newer station and/hot air since I'm dabbling in SMT stuff now for some board level repairs on laptops etc. I have a weller gun but I not used it in years. I built a fair number of kits with it when I was a teen.. it was all my dad had :)
 
I use my trusty Metcal Sp200 never let's me down, whether soldering 60/40 or lead free it's in daily use but damn do I hate using lead free, never get a shiny joint.
 
My Weller WES51 died, so I replaced it with this Pace MBT with SX100 desoldering system and PS90 iron. I don't know how I restored gear messing around with wick and cheap solder suckers.
 

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Usually for PCB work, I use stations that are temperature controlled. They are cheap stations, not great, but work acceptably for hobby use.

However I'd rather use my 100W gun when I can as it heats up the fastest, but also destroys PCBs the fastest. Only thing I use it on PCBs for is to help desolder components on ground planes.

Incidentally speaking, how many people have replaced the heating element in their soldering tools (other than direct heat solder guns, which is pretty much a given one needs to replace them frequently).
 
The heating element is not replacable in my Mastercraft station, so I bought a new station, and this is a reason why I added a thermistor, to prolong his life.

What is handy, is that he is long, can reach places where the Weller can dificultly.

But a long Iron won't help aiming at the right place with shaking hands.

Mastercraft vs Weller.jpg
 
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Hello, I'm looking at the digital Hakko fx-888 and Weller WES51 or WE1010 stations.

Do you have experience on this units? Specially about build quality, and if they use standard tips, since down here it will be difficult to get spares.
 
audiodummy said:
Incidentally speaking, how many people have replaced the heating element in their soldering tools (other than direct heat solder guns, which is pretty much a given one needs to replace them frequently).
Click to expand...
ummm never.. my current iron ( Weller WTCP-L) started it's life in 1983 at Hughes Aircraft with me.. it followed me home when we all had to switch out the Wellers because they were not compliant with the new anti-static rules. I've been through a fair number of tips over the years but the iron keeps chugging although the cable from the iron to the base is starting to show some wear. I am shopping for a new one for SMT work
 
I use a station. I bought a couple extra irons for it also. All with different tips installed. It's just easier to swap irons than waiting for one to cool down to change tips.
 
Binkman said:
My Aoyue station tips.. fit hakko.. unfortunately you know I tried to find you a 220v model couple years ago.. but mine came w/10 tips and replacement heating element included, too.

here's a 220v combo setup.. but I wonder if they ship to Arg. ?
https://www.sra-solder.com/aoyue-968a-4-in-1-digital-hot-air-rework-and-soldering-station-220v
Click to expand...
Thanks! I'm trying to find some small station to send to my sister in Mexico, to carry it down here :) Heavy items have very expensive shipping and taxes down here. Today I received a quote of a $185 station (Weller WESD51 220V), plus $248 shipping, total $433, plus 50% tax down here (+ $216) total $650 for a $185 tool. You already know, we have referred to this subject many times before.
 
I picked up these up in unknown condition and well used. They have been solid since a pump rebuild kit and adding tips, retainer nuts, etc. The oem tips for both last a long time too. The docs. on tip maintenance and storage helps.
upload_2019-2-22_5-50-6.png

They are both old, professional quality tools IMO with no problems on parts availability. There are numerous ET series tip options from Weller.
 
Only reason I got the aoyue was my 30 year old weller crapped out. Good gear.
elnaldo said:
station to send to my sister in Mexico, to carry it down here :) Heavy items have very expensive shipping and taxes down here. Today I received a quote of a $185 station (Weller WESD51 220V), plus $248 shipping, total $433, plus 50% tax down here (+ $216) total $650 for a $185 tool. You already know, we have referred to this subject many times before.
Click to expand...

I sent @elnaldo a new Hantek dig. scope few years ago and he had to pay taxes on that.. We also tried the sister mule train with some misc. tools and test cables, cap meter.. he finally did get that pkg. but took a very long time. He also told me about visiting a Catholic church where a Priest crossed the neighboring border to get some electronic stops for the church organ restoration to beat the tax.
 
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