Hakko FX-888D and drag soldering

[gmit77]

Some time ago I was asked about drag soldering tips for FX-888D.
T18 serie doesn't offer such shape which is available instead for 900M and T15.
Last January I was in Japan and visited the HAKKO tip's manufacturing factory, that place is really cool.
Walking around with the production manager, I asked how many tips per year are manufactured. The 900 serie is still the main for quantity they do, T18 is far (far far) less.

There are no plan to develop a CM shape for T18 so my decision is to have stock for 900M-T-C2 and 900M-T-C3
They will arrive soon

I'm afraid some time ago few people asked for this shape and I was not aware I could offer the 900M for the FX-888D

I hope this message will help who is looking for such soluiton

 

HAKKO description:
This type differs from Shape BC by the addition of a hollow to its cut face, providing high solder retention capability.
It is used for drag soldering and correction of bridging.

[Psi]

My understanding was that 900M had been made obsolete by T18.
i.e. no longer made except by 3rd partys.

Is this not true?

[gmit77]

My understanding was that 900M had been made obsolete by T18.
i.e. no longer made except by 3rd partys.

Is this not true?

HAKKO is not planning to stop production of 900 series

[gmit77]

Thanks, there is some useful info there. It seems like you are becoming the biggest EU distributor of Hakko products. Did you take any photos at the factory?

I was allowed to take picture only from the outside 

[nctnico]

In my experience a big tip + flux actually works better than drag soldering with a hollow tip. The solder in a hollow tip tends to 'run out of flux' and oxidize which makes it harder to use. With a big tip there is a lot of flux compared to the amount of tin on the tip so the soldering process works much better.

[nanofrog]

In my experience a big tip + flux actually works better than drag soldering with a hollow tip. The solder in a hollow tip tends to 'run out of flux' and oxidize which makes it harder to use. With a big tip there is a lot of flux compared to the amount of tin on the tip so the soldering process works much better.

Are you just relying on the flux in the solder wire? 

[yami759]

I've used this very an extremely short period of time and it is working good on my FX-888D so far. I'm even thinking of getting a larger version (this one has a very small diameter).

[nanofrog]

I've used this very an extremely short period of time and it is working good on my FX-888D so far. I'm even thinking of getting a larger version (this one has a very small diameter).

Hakko only makes the 2 sizes (2mm & 3mm), and 3rd party tip manufacturers, Plato in this case, only duplicate what they chose to from what the manufacturer offers. Never seen them add their own designs at any rate.

[lpc32]

If the 900M is still "current", what's exactly the difference between that and the T18?

[yami759]

I've used this very an extremely short period of time and it is working good on my FX-888D so far. I'm even thinking of getting a larger version (this one has a very small diameter).

Hakko only makes the 2 sizes (2mm & 3mm), and 3rd party tip manufacturers, Plato in this case, only duplicate what they chose to from what the manufacturer offers. Never seen them add their own designs at any rate.

Not necessarily a different design, but this is the larger version I was talking about.

[nanofrog]

If the 900M is still "current", what's exactly the difference between that and the T18?

Better thermal recovery it seems (take a look at Hakko's T18 Tip Cross Reference).

So it seems there's truth to both the T18 line replacing the 900M line, and the 900M line remaining (profiles not made in T18 retain their 900M P/N's and are sold as "special order").

Not necessarily a different design, but this is the larger version I was talking about.

Never seen that one, but I'm glad to see it (looked at the datasheet; HS-0530 is their equivalent to the 900M-T-3CM, but the HS-0531 is a bit larger).   

Perhaps a new trend...? 

[lpc32]

Better thermal recovery it seems (take a look at Hakko's T18 Tip Cross Reference).

Why keep the old style if the new series is both compatible and better?

[nctnico]

In my experience a big tip + flux actually works better than drag soldering with a hollow tip. The solder in a hollow tip tends to 'run out of flux' and oxidize which makes it harder to use. With a big tip there is a lot of flux compared to the amount of tin on the tip so the soldering process works much better.

Are you just relying on the flux in the solder wire? 

No; I use extra flux. But the flux in the solder wire will eventually burn up and contaminate the solder in the hollow point.