Hey,
I'm looking to built a cost-effective setup for SMD work. My budget won't allow me to purchase both a high brand soldering iron and hot air station, and since I would eventually need both tools for SMD rework, then I guess I'll invest in low end budget tools.
I've been doing research on the various off-brand rework stations that go under names like Kendal, Yihua, Standig, and WER. So far, I've seen mixed reviews. Some say that they've had their unit for years and never had a problem, while others got units DOA or snapped within a period of months (how is it that that the performance results can be so spread out?)
Are these quality budget tools, or are they just not worth the money? If they can get the job done, I will consider them.