Replacement tips for DSE T1976 Soldering station / Xytronic

[Seeker7]

Hi everyone, I recently got a DSE T1976 soldering station and accessories, but DSE only sell one tip for it now. 

I know that these are made by Xytronic, a Taiwanese company, but am having trouble finding vendors that sell parts/ tips for them.  I also get the feeling that the T1976 model is going to be ceased soon (it's not on the Taiwanese or US websites now).

* Does anybody know anything about Xytronic's models?
* Does anyone here have one of these, is there anything about them that breaks often? 
* Are tips interchangeable between their models (there are three similar-looking ones I can see online)?
* Can anyone point me toward a vendor that sells parts and tips for them? I found a UK site, but they only take minimum overseas orders of GBP25 - ouch!

Ooh, and just how many replacement soldering tips should one have?

Any help on this matter is much appreciated - thanks!

[Psi]

I also use an old DSE soldering station but mine is a different model (its got a digital readout)

My one uses a very common tip size, all my Aoyue tips fit on it and ive seen many other brands of iron that use the same tip as well.

Hopefully your one is the same, can you post some pics of the tips.
We can help you identify what tips it uses.

[Seeker7]

Psi, your one is a few models up from my one - I have a 2003 DSE catalogue that has it for sale, and it was pricey!

I will take a picture of the tips on my one, and if possible put up measurements of the diameter. Thanks!

[SiBurning]

Having never heard of DSE, I was curious and looked online. There were suggestions on some message boards that this might be compatible with tips from Hakko's 908, the large iron for the 936 station. Easiest thing would be to find some tips and try them out. It wouldn't be the only instance of Xytronic being compatible with Hakko, and it's much easier to source parts for hakko than xytronic. Unfortunately, the 908 is out of production. There are conversion kits for 907/908 though I think they only go the other way, and might not fit the xytronic anyway. If you're lucky, or can find a conversion, you'd ideally be able to use the new T18 line for the 888, in which case you'd have a good selection for a while to come. If not, maybe you could find a way to replace just the iron itself with an inexpensive clone for a cheap upgrade.

[Psi]

All these tips fit on my DSE iron (T-2250)

They're 6.5mm outer diameter and between 4 -> 4.5mm inner hole diameter.
The main shaft length is 26mm (excluding tip)




Side note, keep flux away from your tips or the shaft will go brown and rusty

[Seeker7]

Hi Psi, thanks for the pics, and apologies for my late response - been working from home, and haven't had much internet time lately!

The measurements are the same as mine, and I managed to find vendors in Taiwan, the USA and the UK.  So far, this looks the most promising: http://www.howardelectronics.com/xytronic/tips.html The tips are pretty pricey though - about $10 each, only a few $$$ cheaper than the one available here, although I want about five or so...

There was also this site http://www.xytronic-usa.com/shop/, but I've found it impossible to send an e-mail to them - keeps on bouncing back.

Will let you know what I come up with!

[amspire]

Sounds like they are just Hakko 900M tips used in the Hakko 936 soldering iron (and other models), and you can get Hakko tips fairly cheaply, and clones even cheaper.

http://www.hakko.com/english/tip_selection/series_900m.html

My Hakko tips seem to be 4.03mm ID  6.37mm OD  26.00mm body length excluding tip.

I have found that the accuracy of the clones can be a bit suspect (tips end up seizing on the element), so I would probably go for Hakko tips.

So there are places like this where you can get 10 tips of the type you specify for $40 inc postage:

http://www.aliexpress.com/product-fm/467436148-Free-shipping-high-quality-soldering-tips-HAKKO-900M-series-with-competitive-price-wholesalers.html

Or for half the price, you can get the clone tips.

The 900M-T-1.2D is not a bad tip - bevel with a 1.2mm width.

Richard.

[Seeker7]

Thanks Amspire - Hakko seem to be the more highly rated of soldering stations in the electronics community, unfortunately they aren't widely available here, and what is available are $$$... since there isn't an easy way I can try for myself as it were, I'm still trying to source Xytronic ones, but thank you though!

I picked my station up used (twice) for $40, when it was retailing for $80.  Mine also came with 2 extra tips, solder and solder wick, which came to about $130 all up... I figured the price was good, so why not? If it is something I enjoy and want to pursue, I'll upgrade to a Hakko from overseas, in the meantime I have the ability to undertake soldering if I need it (VU meter here I come! lol).

Of course, I figured it would be a good idea to get some extra tips from DSE, only to find that while they stock the station still, they no longer sell tips  (only ever had three available anyhow, and they were hard to get from DSE anyway).   I figured they probably rebranded it, so looked elsewhere, found images of it labelled Xytronic, and kept on digging. 

Talking of which, I finally got a response from Xytronic USA, and they have pointed me to assemblyoutfitters.com, and the 510600 series of tips - apparently a set of 9 can be gotten for US$52 plus shipping, or they are sold seperately.  I've asked about other parts I may need too.  Decisions decisions...

[amspire]

If the Hakko tips are the same dimensions as the Xytronic ones, you can use them.

[aargee]

Seeker7,

If it's 9oo series Hakko tips that you're indeed after....

Recently I purchased a hot air rework station, this exact same one eBay auction: #250934745247. As you can see it comes with "ten 'gift' Hakko tips" (900 style). I was/am quite impressed with the station, and the tips certainly seem to be genuine Hakko, in sealed individual Hakko bags.

It might persuade you to buy a station, if not, try messaging the seller and see if he'll sell you some tips. He's apparently based in Brisbane (and must be, I received my station the next day to the Brisbane CBD).

- Rob.

[Victralian]

Hi everyone, I recently got a DSE T1976 soldering station and accessories, but DSE only sell one tip for it now. 

I know that these are made by Xytronic, a Taiwanese company, but am having trouble finding vendors that sell parts/ tips for them.  I also get the feeling that the T1976 model is going to be ceased soon (it's not on the Taiwanese or US websites now).

* Does anybody know anything about Xytronic's models?
* Does anyone here have one of these, is there anything about them that breaks often? 
* Are tips interchangeable between their models (there are three similar-looking ones I can see online)?
* Can anyone point me toward a vendor that sells parts and tips for them? I found a UK site, but they only take minimum overseas orders of GBP25 - ouch!

Ooh, and just how many replacement soldering tips should one have?

Any help on this matter is much appreciated - thanks!

After spending a great deal of time trying to find a replacement tip for my T1976 soldering iron, and even ordering replacements through DSE only to find a week later that they no longer produce replacements, I found this website that had tried AOYUE tips. I contacted Ludatronics on the Sunshine Coast in Qld who is Oz distributors, and Roger kindly sent me a tip to try. http://www.ludatronics.com.au/  Unfortunately, it was initially a tiny too narrow to fit onto the Iron shaft.  After a mod that required me to remove a thin sheath off the outside iron shaft, it fitted perfectly.  I did this using my Dremel and stone grinder, slowly grinding the outer layer off.  And it works so far!