OK Industries legacy soldering iron tips

[RedShoeRider]

Good Day, All:

I have found partial answers to this question scattered around, but not a single answer to it. So.....

I am the happy owner of an OK Industries MTR5000 workstation with the SAI690 iron. What, if any, current-production tips fit this handle? I've read that certain Metcal (which is OKI these days) and/or Hakko tips will fit, but they make a pretty wide selection, so I'm not sure which to go after. The SAI640, which is the smaller version of this iron, will fit tips from the Hakko 926/928 family, so it's easier to source tips. The 690, however.....?

Thanks, all!
-Chris

[helius]

My guess is that it is compatible with another series of Hakko tips, possibly the 900L series.

[MagicSmokeGuy]

Did you ever discover which tips fitted this iron?  I have the same model and am drawing a blank trying to get replacement tips.

[helius]

The original tips from OK Industries for the SAI-690 are the S9 series, including S9-108S, S9-116S, S9-203S, S9-208S, S9-305S, S9-306S, S9-312S, S9-320S, S9-112L, S9-201L, S9-202L, S9-204L, S9-308L, and S9-319L. The hundreds digit indicates tip shape, 1=bevel, 2=conical, 3=chisel; and S suffix are Short tips, L are Long tips for extended reach. The last two digits are approximately the tip width in hundredths of inches.

This differs from the tips for the SAI-640, which are the S4 series. The same nomenclature is used, but the catalog includes S4-105S, S4-106S, S4-202S, S4-304S, S4-305S, S4-306S, S4-308S, S4-309S, S4-201L, S4-203L, S4-208L, S4-304L, S4-305L, and S4-312L.

As you can imagine, the OK Industries stations were obsoleted in the 1990s, and they don't make these tips anymore since the merger with Metcal. The shape of the tips is similar to several Hakko models, but without dimensional data from micrometer measurements it would be hard to recommend a specific series. The SAI-640 is supposedly compatible with the Hakko 900M series of tips, which was renamed the T18 series. Since the SAI-690 is a larger version, it would make sense if it was compatible with a corresponding larger Hakko series, whether the 900L series, or DASH or MACH-I or 455, I couldn't say.

There were third-party manufacturers of compatible tips, of which Plato and Vanier were probably the biggest ones. Plato is still in business (acquired by TechSpray), and Vanier I'm not sure about. Plato doesn't list the S4 or S9 in their cross-reference, but Vanier did and those tips ("VAxx") may still be available somewhere. A.P.E. also makes compatible tips for some machines but I think they stopped making profiles other than the Pace ones.

[MagicSmokeGuy]

Thanks for the very comprehensive reply. Looks like unless I can get S9 ‘old stock’ tips I may be out of luck. However, I’ll also look into Vanier as a source.  Failing that, I guess I could take a chance and buy a Hakka 900L tip to find out if it fits but I’m beginning to think I may have to replace my OK Industries system given the difficulty in obtaining tips.

[Shock]

How about measuring or looking up your tips dimensions and take a photo. Even if the Hakko 900M or 900L tips don't fit they can be drilled out or shortened.

The dimensions of interest are the internal and external diameter and the barrel length (not the total tip length). You can use a ruler if you don't have a caliper. Bit of a shop trick, a drill bit can be used as a feeler and depth gauge.

[MagicSmokeGuy]

I did measure the original tip.  Internal diameter was 5mm and the barrel length was 28mm.

The problem I'm finding is determining what the size of tips like the 900L actually are. 

Good idea about maybe finding something that's close and enlarging the centre hole.  Something my small shop lathe would be well suited to.

[Shock]

Found this, not guaranteed to be 100% accurate but will give you an idea. They aren't expensive tips but if you found you had to drill it out and didn't like it bare metal inside you could protect the existing plating and redo it. Anyway options to consider.

[MagicSmokeGuy]

Thanks, I saw these yesterday on eBay (actual item is located in Australia).  By the time shipping to the UK is taken into account they are not especially cheap but even though the hole is 0.9mm smaller than required, the fact that the overall diameter is in excess of 8mm means that they could be a suitable candidate for drilling out.

Having given this whole idea some thought over the past few days, I guess what I have to consider overall is whether it's best to continue to find suitable tips or resign myself to the fact that I may be better off just buying a replacement modern soldering platform such as a Hakko or Weller.

[Psi]

At the risk of offering an opinion you didn't ask for..

Those old style irons where the element and tip detach have a pretty bad thermal connection compared to modern tips with the iron and element as one solid part.
Instead of trying to source tips that fit you'd probably find soldering nicer with a newer iron.

[Shock]

The Hakko 900M is now the T18 series and the 900L (large) is now the T19 series. Slightly improved performance according to Hakko. So ordering from Australia isn't required. The lower quality chinese knockoffs are quite common, not as easy to find as the thinner tips but available.

Check the output power of your station. If 60-70W you won't gain much in terms of peak performance going to a Hakko T12 based station but usability of modern cartridge based handpieces makes smd work less annoying. The handpeices are slimmer with a shorter grip to tip working distance and have quicker tip swapping.

[MagicSmokeGuy]

Good info on the redesignation to T18 and T19 for the Hakka tips, many thanks.

Food for thought regarding the newer type of irons.  Starting to lean more and more towards replacing my system.

[ilikewires]

I know this thread is ancient, but there is a fellow on Ebay selling OKI tips, in lots of 40!
I bought a set, and asked for some to be S9.. and they were split 50/50 between S9 and S4..
I have enough S9 tips to last me for 100 years..
https://www.ebay.com/itm/154216612560?hash=item23e806c2d0:g:GwIAAOSwPMpfwa7R