New Metcal HCT2-120 Hot Air Pencil

[SteveyG]

The new Metcal HCT2-120 started shipping in the UK this January. Having been wanting to get a hot air station for a while, I decided to purchase one.

I've uploaded a video of the unboxing and first use. As indicated by the product page on the Metcal website, it seems suited to smaller rework tasks as it doesn't look like it'd have the airflow to heat a large TQFP package or similar although I haven't tried it on something like this yet.

At £320, it's a little pricey for general hobbyist use and the HCT-900 would probably be more suited as a general purpose tool at the same price, but the form factor and usability is great for my purposes.

[hardware_freak]

I like your Metcal videos! Keep up the good work!

[SteveyG]

Thanks. Not really done Youtube videos before, but if they're any use to people I'll upload whenever I'm doing anything interesting.

[zapta]

Looks very nice.

Is it intended for the same use cases as the larger hot air stations such as HAKKO 850 or is it something that people would buy in addition to the to the larger hot air stations ?

(I have a HAKKO 850 but I like the compactness of the HCT2-120.  I used to reflow small boards with the HAKKO 850 but use it only for rework and it's bulky).

[RobertHolcombe]

I haven't used the HCT2-120 but am really keen to get one

Its definitely more of a precision tool aimed at rework, not production. It is significantly less powerful and has lower airflow rate than the Metcal HCT-900 and Hakko FR-801/802 (replaced the 850 series unless I am mistaken)

So its either complementary to or a replacement depending on the work you're performing

[Rasz]

Are you freaking kidding me?
$520
size of an UPC
dicky button UI
cant even reach set temperature at 1/3 airfrow

Its an expensive toy for people collecting expensive toys. Will look good next to makerbot replicator.
And owner says he never uset hotair for real before, no wonder he doesnt see anything wrong with it :/ ....

Get yourself on of those shitty looking chinese $60 (Its $30 on Aliexpress, $33 in Poland) hotairs Dave tested, whatever_brand_name 858D. They might look shitty, but they push hot air and work just the same. There is no thermal capacity issue like with traditional soldering irons, so there is no incentives to overpay for metcal/pace.


Meanwhile if you mean business $300 gets you 1kW 120L/min service center work horse, Quick 861 for example, that will solder on (haha a pun ..) 12 hours a day without breaking a sweat.

Seriously, W T F Metcal? Is this thing for working with wax? For small woman hands? Whats the reason for this product?

[SteveyG]

And owner says he never uset hotair for real before, no wonder he doesnt see anything wrong with it :/ ....

What I meant was, I've not used a rework station for assembling PCBs as I use a reflow oven for whole PCBs.

Having used the device quite extensively now, I'd say it is no replacement for the HCT-900 which I now also have, but it a lot more comfortable to work with for longer periods of time and a far more precision piece of equipment. You can work on a densely populated board with a fine nozzle and not heat up components around the one you're trying to remove, whereas even on the lowest flow rate on the HCT-900 you start reflowing other components.

The setpoint thing in the video was user error.

I'd rather not have one of the crap Chinese units given how crap they are, flimsy and the one I bought definitely had a fake CE mark based on what was inside...

[zapta]

I'd rather not have one of the crap Chinese units given how crap they are, flimsy and the one I bought definitely had a fake CE mark based on what was inside...

I got one of those and it worked well but after I look at the ground path inside I return and got a used Hakko.  The Hakko is good but this Metcal  'pencil' looks more precise.

[SteveyG]

I'd rather not have one of the crap Chinese units given how crap they are, flimsy and the one I bought definitely had a fake CE mark based on what was inside...

I got one of those and it worked well but after I look at the ground path inside I return and got a used Hakko.  The Hakko is good but this Metcal  'pencil' looks more precise.

Yes and that is it's intended use. If you are after a general purpose hot air tool, this is not for you. 

[HighVoltage]

I got one of those and it worked well but after I look at the ground path inside I return and got a used Hakko.  The Hakko is good but this Metcal  'pencil' looks more precise.

May I ask, what is wrong with the "ground path" on this unit?
Thanks

[zapta]

I got one of those and it worked well but after I look at the ground path inside I return and got a used Hakko.  The Hakko is good but this Metcal  'pencil' looks more precise.

May I ask, what is wrong with the "ground path" on this unit?
Thanks

Think wires and flimsy connections along the path (wire tab to PCB, painted metal case parts, etc).. Not something that a ohmmeter will detect externally. If you have one I suggest to open it and inspect.

[wraper]

Meanwhile if you mean business $300 gets you 1kW 120L/min service center work horse, Quick 861 for example, that will solder on (haha a pun ..) 12 hours a day without breaking a sweat.
Seriously, W T F Metcal? Is this thing for working with wax? For small woman hands? Whats the reason for this product?

Yeah, Quick 861DS which I got for about 200Eur is a killer for it's price. 1KW, 1-120l/min airflow so can do any job from tiniest to massive, blower with powerful bldc motor. This thing reaches target 350^oC temperature in a 3-4 seconds and is precise down to a few  ^oC as I measured. And no crap construction/components inside.

[amiq]

Meanwhile if you mean business $300 gets you 1kW 120L/min service center work horse, Quick 861 for example, that will solder on (haha a pun ..) 12 hours a day without breaking a sweat.
Seriously, W T F Metcal? Is this thing for working with wax? For small woman hands? Whats the reason for this product?

Yeah, Quick 861DS which I got for about 200Eur is a killer for it's price. 1KW, 1-120l/min airflow so can do any job from tiniest to massive, blower with powerful bldc motor. This thing reaches target 350^oC temperature in a 3-4 seconds and is precise down to a few  ^oC as I measured. And no crap construction/components inside.

Any recommendations for a reliable EU seller (with keen pricing) of these Quick 861DS's?

[SteveyG]

Meanwhile if you mean business $300 gets you 1kW 120L/min service center work horse, Quick 861 for example, that will solder on (haha a pun ..) 12 hours a day without breaking a sweat.
Seriously, W T F Metcal? Is this thing for working with wax? For small woman hands? Whats the reason for this product?

Yeah, Quick 861DS which I got for about 200Eur is a killer for it's price. 1KW, 1-120l/min airflow so can do any job from tiniest to massive, blower with powerful bldc motor. This thing reaches target 350^oC temperature in a 3-4 seconds and is precise down to a few  ^oC as I measured. And no crap construction/components inside.

Am I looking at the same device? http://www.ceneo.pl/5815431

It looks very cheap and crappy.

[Rasz]

Am I looking at the same device? http://www.ceneo.pl/5815431

It looks very cheap and crappy.

yes
http://www.elvikom.pl/search.php?./search.php?st=0&sk=t&sd=d&sr=posts&keywords=quick+Quick+861DS

doesnt matter how it looks, what matters is how it works

[wraper]

Am I looking at the same device? http://www.ceneo.pl/5815431

It looks very cheap and crappy.

Definitely it looks more expensive that this metcal... UPS? 
BTW that stand has magnets in it and there is some sensor in the handpiece. It is activated when you lift it from the stand.
http://www.elvikom.pl/obrazki/_f/f_0023002.jpg

[SteveyG]

doesnt matter how it looks, what matters is how it works

Personally I disagree, but I guess people have different priorities.

[Rasz]

doesnt matter how it looks, what matters is how it works

Personally I disagree, but I guess people have different priorities.

my priority is soldering with something that has the means and endurance to not fail me, not the looks

[Deccatech]

doesnt matter how it looks, what matters is how it works

Personally I disagree, but I guess people have different priorities.

Hi, can I ask your advice please?  I've just joined this forum as I'm looking for a good quality hot air soldering system and was reading your post...as far as desoldering goes, I tend to favour removing faulty sm IC's by gently lifting each leg until all are unsoldered.  Reason being that in my industry at least, all IC's are stuck hard on the board so I need all legs off then a quick twist detaches the chip.  I currently use Metcal soldering equipment daily and find it 100%; at present I drag solder the new IC pins but have always disliked using this technique!  So I was thinking of using hot air and solder paste for installing new components.  To me, most hot air soldering solutions look either cumbersome, cheap and nasty, or both!  I rather like the look and spec of the Metcal HCT2-120 hot air pencil as it appears to be very neat and lightweight.  Do you use one, and would you recommend it?  THe only other device I can see might fit the bill would be the Weller HAP1.  Any advice would be welcome!

[SteveyG]

doesnt matter how it looks, what matters is how it works

Personally I disagree, but I guess people have different priorities.

Hi, can I ask your advice please?  I've just joined this forum as I'm looking for a good quality hot air soldering system and was reading your post...as far as desoldering goes, I tend to favour removing faulty sm IC's by gently lifting each leg until all are unsoldered.  Reason being that in my industry at least, all IC's are stuck hard on the board so I need all legs off then a quick twist detaches the chip.  I currently use Metcal soldering equipment daily and find it 100%; at present I drag solder the new IC pins but have always disliked using this technique!  So I was thinking of using hot air and solder paste for installing new components.  To me, most hot air soldering solutions look either cumbersome, cheap and nasty, or both!  I rather like the look and spec of the Metcal HCT2-120 hot air pencil as it appears to be very neat and lightweight.  Do you use one, and would you recommend it?  THe only other device I can see might fit the bill would be the Weller HAP1.  Any advice would be welcome!

I would say for anything bigger than SOIC-16's on lead free, the HCT2-120 won't do. The HCT-900 is the tool for the job if you want to stay Metcal.

I would still favour drag soldering where possible though, and you should still get 100% results unless other components are hindering access.

[TheBay]

Where is this Metcal £320? I can't find it anywhere.

And can the "Quick" be bought in the UK?

[SteveyG]

I bought it from The Solder Connection

http://www.solderconnection.com/P1456/METCAL_HCT2-120_DIGITAL_HOT_AIR_PENCIL.html

[TheBay]

I bought it from The Solder Connection

http://www.solderconnection.com/P1456/METCAL_HCT2-120_DIGITAL_HOT_AIR_PENCIL.html

Thanks,

How do you find it?

I am torn between this and the Pace TJ-85

[SteveyG]

For what it's designed for, it's excellent. It seems to be well built and is very comfortable to use. It's not a replacement for a full sized unit though so if you need it for general purpose work it's not the tool for you.

[ruairi]

Hi all,

Any updated info on this Metcal?