Suggestions for Hot Air station

[Signal32]

Hello,

Looking for suggestions for a good Hot air station. I have 2 but don't quite like them:
The 858D: Don't like digital control + Even on low, the air flow is quite high + The "air pump" is in the handle, making the handle big / heavy.
The 852D: The main body is kind of BIG + it has a soldering iron which I don't want.

What I am looking for:
- Analog (knob) control
- Hot air only, no soldering, desoldering
- "Air pump" in main body, not in handle
- Compact size, around the size of the 862D
- Ability to do low air flow


So far I've found:
857D - $150, But there are no reviews about it.
Metcal HCT2-200-11 - $500, Small handle (very nice), but has digital (button) controls and kinda expensive.
Metcal HCT-900 - $600- Kinda big + expensive.

Does anyone have feedback about the 857D or can suggest something better ?

[mdszy]

Gonna be honest with you, it's 2018, digital controls are the norm and insisting that you need something that doesn't have digital controls is pretty silly...

[Signal32]

Gonna be honest with you, it's 2018, digital controls are the norm and insisting that you need something that doesn't have digital controls is pretty silly...

Let me rephrase then - I would like fast temperature / air flow adjustment. All digital controls that I've worked with so far don't allow this, so would prefer analog unless there is a good version of digital controls.

[ttelectronic]

I totally agree with you on controls. I prefer the knobs on my yihua vs my 888d crappy ui. Did you check out the quick 861dw?

[KL27x]

I bought an analog 858 and IIRC, it goes much lower in air flow and temp than the 858D.

Even though I thought I would prefer it, on a hot air station it is just not that often I have to change the temp or air flow or nozzle. Occasionally I use it for something weird. But even for shrink tube or remelting hot glue or bending the occasional bit of plastic, it is usually enough to just hold the thing farther away from the nozzle. For something that requires change, well, I just have to deal with the digital up and down buttons.

So, for the automatic shutdown routine which protects the heating element, and the overall better build quality, I gave away the 858 and I use the 858D.

[nanofrog]

If you can do without the knob, I'd recommend taking a very serious look at a Quick 861DW.

• 1kW output
• 1 - 120lpm airflow
• BLDC turbine blower in the main unit
• Heating element is a cartridge that = easy to replace
• Separate stand = more flexibility in unit & handle placement
• Nice set of features, such as 3 presets, setback features, auto off, ...

The UI is very intuitive, and it's well made. Seriously. This thing beats the Hakko FR-810B and other more expensive stations. Plenty of info here in the forum, as well as on YouTube.

Oh, and it's $265 shipped (here).   

[Brumby]

I have something with 852D+ printed on it and while the soldering iron is next to useless, the hot air does what I need even though it has a fan in the handle, which isn't brilliant.  It has a digital display with rotary knobs (pots) and I wouldn't have it any other way.  I suppose I could adapt to rotary encoders, but the pots work very well.

I'm not a big fan of push button interfaces for these types of adjustments - and I utterly despise any sort of menu structure approach where a simple adjustment is not immediately accessible and intuitive

[capt bullshot]

If you can do without the knob, I'd recommend taking a very serious look at a Quick 861DW.

I second the Quick 861DW. It's a great tool.
[/list]

[Signal32]

Thanks all for your replies. I think I will go with the Quick 857
Anyone know the difference between the Madell Quick 857 and what seem like generic Quick 857 ?

[nanofrog]

Quick is the actual manufacturer (full company name is Changzhou Quick Soldering Co., Ltd.), and their products are their own. Unlike say an 858D, which is made by multiple companies and sold under a gazillion brand names.

No idea where Madell came from, but perhaps had something to do with distribution? 

[mmagin]

I've had one of these or an earlier variant of it for a couple years: https://www.sparkfun.com/products/14557
Sure it's the same sort of thing you can find on ebay/aliexpress, but at least sparkfun is doing some basic quality control and its easy to exchange it if you got a bad one (I'm assuming you're in the US from your profile info.)  Mine has been trouble-free.  I bought a set of the additional nozzles from some random ebay seller.

Also, I hate the damned things that also put a crappy soldering iron in the same box.

[elecdonia]

I wanted to try a super cheap solution so I got a YouYue 858D from this seller on ebay:

https://www.ebay.com/usr/epicesolutions

I'm very happy with it so far.  I did my own QC inspection before plugging it in for the first time.  There weren't any short circuits or AC leakage/safety problems.  It was assembled quite well.  There's probably 1,000 different versions of the 858D available.  Some have no brand name on them.  My unit seems to be a real YouYue.  And the ebay seller I bought it from has 100% positive feedback with over 10,000 items sold.

But if you can afford it get the Quick 861DE.  When I save up some extra bucks I plan to get one.

[GreyWoolfe]

Take a look at the Quick 957DW.  Works well and is about $100 USD here in the states.

[kaytel]

Thanks all for your replies. I think I will go with the Quick 857

Did you end up buying the 857?