Best JBC clone for running tweezers

[JohannesF]

Wanted to purchase some simpler equipment for soldering at home. i have fallen in love with the jbc tools we have at work so i looked at the jbc clones, since the real deal is too expensive.
right now i only need a T245 or smaller handle, but i might considering getting a tweezer. I have looked at the sugon A9, but i am fairly certain that does not accept any kind of tweezers. YOUYUE3600 seems to accept tweezers but seems hard to get at a reasonable price? Are there any more options other than the DIY approach? Thanks

[uli12us]

Unfortunately, I can't find any technical data for the tweezertips. If they have the same voltage, heatsensors like the 245, 210, 115 soldering tips, an a902 or two a9 stations should can handle this. But you need to make an adapter to connect the tweezers plug to the 2 connectors of the station.
But if you need the tweezer not often, you can use 2 holders to desoldering the parts. Maybe you can mechanically connect the 2 holders to one part similar to a tweezer.

[Teledog]

keep checking fleabay for JBC units.. got a great deal on two units a few years ago.
For any 0402-ish stuff I always use two irons - one in each hand- sounds weird, but once you get used to it, it works very well.

[bidrohini]

There are several options for soldering equipment that are similar in quality and functionality to JBC tools, but at a lower cost. Some popular options include:

Hakko FX-888D: This is a well-known and highly-rated soldering station that is often compared to JBC tools. It is widely available and can be purchased at a lower cost than JBC equipment.

Aoyue 968A+: This is another popular soldering station that is similar in quality to JBC tools. It is also widely available and can be purchased at a lower cost.

Atten ST-6060: This is a newer soldering station that has received positive reviews and is considered a good alternative to JBC tools.

Youyue 8586: It is also a good option and considered as a clone of JBC soldering station.

Regarding the tweezers, most soldering stations like Hakko, Aoyue 968A+ and Youyue 8586 do accept tweezers. However, it is important to make sure the tweezers you purchase are compatible with the soldering station you choose.

You may also consider going for a DIY approach, which can be more affordable. This approach may require you to purchase the various components separately, such as the soldering iron, temperature controller, and power supply, but it will allow you to customize the setup to your specific needs.

[Pinkus]

There are several options for soldering equipment that are similar in quality and functionality to JBC tools, but at a lower cost.....

I guess you never worked with JBC soldering tools. I do and before i purchased them I used Hakko, Atten Youyoue and similar brands. Once you had a JBC, you will never go back. This is not to say that there aren't better tools than JBCs out there. But the ones mentioned above are certainly not among them.

[uli12us]

It seems, the JBC nase station works with the same tips in tweezers and iron. All uses the 115 tips, so it seems if you have 2 stations they work with 115 irons, you can work as well with a tweezer, but need an adapter to split the tweezers plug to 2 plugs for the stations. The most expensive part in that configuration is the tweezer, it should cost 200€+VAT. Sorry I forgot the name, the A902 and A9 are chinese, you can buy it via aliexpress or several other platforms.stations, they can use JBC olders and tips, the company they produce is called aifen or sometimes sugon, like the dealer. The A9 inside seems the same, when you believe an youtube teardown of both stations.

[analityk]

keep checking fleabay for JBC units.. got a great deal on two units a few years ago.
For any 0402-ish stuff I always use two irons - one in each hand- sounds weird, but once you get used to it, it works very well.

For 603 and smaller chip as long as it is not led use miniwave tip, 2.2 or something mm. Get some solder on tip and cover entire chip. Desoldering in this way is fairy easy.
Soldering need some skills and experience but also more important things is tweezers to catch chip than solder tip.

[radioheat]

There are a few options to consider when looking for affordable soldering equipment that is similar to JBC tools. One option is to look for clones or knock-off versions of the equipment, as you mentioned. However, it's important to keep in mind that the quality of these clones can vary greatly and they may not perform as well as the real deal.

Another option is to look for alternative brands that offer similar equipment at a lower price point. For example, the YOUYUE3600 that you mentioned is a popular choice for those looking for an affordable soldering station that is similar to JBC tools. It is compatible with tweezers and is considered to be a good option for hobbyists and beginners.

The DIY approach is also an option, you could make a soldering station yourself by buying the components separately and assembling them. However, this option may be more time-consuming and may not produce the same level of quality as a pre-built soldering station.

It's worth noting that you should also consider the quality of the tweezers you'll be using. Tweezers are an important tool for soldering, and they are not created equal. Make sure you look for tweezers that have a tip that can be adjusted to the right width, and that have a good grip.

[MarkMLl]

Youyue 8586: It is also a good option and considered as a clone of JBC soldering station.

Regarding the tweezers, most soldering stations like Hakko, Aoyue 968A+ and Youyue 8586 do accept tweezers. However, it is important to make sure the tweezers you purchase are compatible with the soldering station you choose.

You may also consider going for a DIY approach, which can be more affordable. This approach may require you to purchase the various components separately, such as the soldering iron, temperature controller, and power supply, but it will allow you to customize the setup to your specific needs.

I've just picked up a generic 8586D and generic tweezers, with the intention of bodging them in.

I know Dave and others have looked at the 8586 in the past, so did a teardown before trying to use it: hopefully these notes will be useful to somebody in the future.

The controller chip is now a FMD 82N7JTH, with the marking laser-engraved. "Fremont Micro Devices" appears to be a Shenzen company, probably not related to the American company of the same name.

The 24V to the iron goes via an unmarked device, previous discussion suggests it might be a BT-137E which from reputable sources appears to be rated 8A. The lack of marking suggests that might be optimistic...

No other internal surprises, except that I'd prefer to see the mains-carrying conductors substantially more robust and I'm going to resolder an internal safety ground. Live/neutral reversed internally relative to UK practice, I've not checked the wiring of the supplied Europlug or through to the heat gun. No marked rating on PSU, but I'd guess a 2-3 amps from the construction.

Externally, the most obvious issue is that if the controller is turned on with no heat gun attached mains is exposed on the pins. As an interim hack, I'm sticking a dustcap on that but would suggest that this is not something to leave around where children or the public might play with it.

It's interesting to note that the "GX-12" 5-pin connector for the soldering iron has slightly wider pin spacing adjacent to the polarisation bump, while most generic spares have regularly-spaced pins. I don't know how many different variations of this design there are, taking into account potential differences in pin thickness etc.

The hot air gun has its reedswitch inside the stainless shroud, I feel that's vulnerable to heat damage and would prefer to see it further from the element.

I note that the cold resistance of the iron is about 12.4 Ohms, i.e. 2A or 50W roughly.

Each element of a bargain-basement desoldering tweezers is about 9 Ohms cold, i.e. 2.7A or 60W roughly (it was sold as 60W, without saying whether that was total or per-side).

The sensors embedded in the elements measure about 0.9 Ohms. I've not investigated yet whether those are thermistors or thermocouples but I would have hoped the latter.

MarkMLl

[MarkMLl]

Apologies for commenting to my own message, which in some quarters is frowned upon.

Live/neutral reversed internally relative to UK practice, I've not checked the wiring of the supplied Europlug or through to the heat gun. No marked rating on PSU, but I'd guess a 2-3 amps from the construction.

The IEC connector is constructed correctly, i.e. fuse (6A) on the live side.

Assuming that the wiring is corrected to put the rear-panel switch on the live side between the fuse and PSU board, on the PSU live runs to a bridge (for an SMPSU) and a BTA16 triac for the heat gun. This leaves a wire-ended fuse (rating unreadable) on the PSU on the neutral side.

I'm undecided whether to just swap both the IEC wiring to put the switch in the right place, or to also swap the PSU wiring to leave its fuse on the live side and the triac on the neutral side... I think the latter would probably be preferable but would be interested in any opinions.

Whatever the tip sensor is, its resistance appears to start at about 0.9 Ohms and room temperature and reduce as its warmed.

MarkMLl