Looking to upgrade my 858D hot air station

[dicky96]

Hi guys
I had a thread here a few weeks ago about IR desoldering. In the end I didn't go for anything as the cheap ones seem pretty useless and the expensive ones were beyond the price I could justify and ehole thing seems to tuen into a rats nest of tangled arguments and confusion.  So at risk of opening another can of worms....

I am still looking to upgrade my SMD rework equipment, in particualr my 858D hot air station

While the 858D works fine for smaller components, I am still looking to unsolder and replace larger parts, even BGA, and the 858D isn't up to it.

Before someone mentions them, Hakko products are not so easy to find in the UK, if you can find them on sale at all. I could order from alibaba but then have to wait, could have problems if it breaks down under warranty and may have to pay import duties. 

I see there are a lot of all-in-solutions out there but I am happy with my soldering station at the moment and think it is better to concentrate the money on a separate hot air station

I am pretty sure I want an hot air station with variable air flow as well as variable temperature so what would be a reasonable upgrade on the 858D given what I would like to do with it?

I looked around somewhat and find my eye drawn to these Black Jack BK4050 hot air stations as they are not stupidly expensive and are easily available in the UK.
http://www.circuitspecialists.eu/soldering/blackjack-solderwerks/bk-4050-blackjack-solderwerks-hot-air-station-spare-heating-element-and-mechanical-arm/
By the way, I actually live in Gran Canaria most of the time but usually buy this sort of thing while in the UK and take it back with me.

So this BK4050 - has variable air flow and temp, comes with a vacuum sucker for handling small ICs and a built in 'mechanical arm/holder' so you can rest the air gun on it and work with both hands.  Price seems quite reasonable, it comes with a spare heating element and there is a huge range of inexpensive nozzles avaialble. 

I read a few posts on here where folks seem to be happy with this unit. I haven't seen any bad reviews of this model but I haven't seen any in depth reviews at all to be honest.  Is this lack of reviews because it is not a popular unit? 

Is it a good investment/upgrade on my existing hot air station that will actually allow me to undertake repairs I currently can not handle?
Are there better options at a similar price that I can get in the UK? 
It says the BK4050 is 500W whereas the 858D is 700W - is this going to be better than the 858D for larger ICs or even BGA or am i still in the wrong price bracket? 

Also Black Jack make these preheaters/hot air gun mount
http://www.circuitspecialists.eu/soldering/blackjack-solderwerks/bk-7000-blackjack-infrared-preheater-with-adjustable-stand/ which seems a useful upgrade to the BK4050 in future.   Having said that the advert says it is compatible with other hot air guns as well.

Anyone used one of those and does it make a big difference to BGA and larger ICs?

Cheers
Rich

PS oh I just noticed that circuitspecialists have this cheaper CSI 825A which seems a similar spec http://www.circuitspecialists.eu/esd-safe-cpu-controlled-smd-hot-air-rework-station-csi-825a/

[stj]

forget brand names - it wont help.

if you need to lift large stuff or bga you need a table with a lower pre-heater and overhead main heater.
and let me tell you, they get hot - you need a draft-free place for it with an extractor nearby and you need to keep your hands away from it.

[dicky96]

@stj
By 'table with heat above and below' do you mean like that preheater and hot air stand I linked above:
 http://www.circuitspecialists.eu/soldering/blackjack-solderwerks/bk-7000-blackjack-infrared-preheater-with-adjustable-stand/
or something more substantial?

Cheers
Rich

[stj]

cant answer that, not without knowing what needs to be worked on.
i do know that for something big like a ps3 or laptop gpu you need a lot more power than that.
a friend has one that runs upto 3,5KW 

[thm_w]

I don't think the blackjack station would be any better than an 858D, if anything I think it would be worse. Assuming your 858D is working normally.
If you do not have a pre-heater and stand, then get that first. and maybe specify what size of BGA and on what kind of board?

Quick is really the only option that I found that would be better than 858D and not cost a fortune. I can't remember the model off hand but its been discussed here before, its 1000 or 1500W, not their lower end ones.

[dicky96]

Do you mean this one:

https://kaisertech.co.uk/quick-1200w-hot-air-rework-station

Quick 861DE?

I will get a pre heater and stand first as I do not already have one. And try it with my 858D

[thm_w]

Do you mean this one:

https://kaisertech.co.uk/quick-1200w-hot-air-rework-station
Quick 861DE?

I will get a pre heater and stand first as I do not already have one. And try it with my 858D

Yes I think thats the one, max airflow is 2x the 858D and uses a brushless motor.