Which Hakko tip is best for smd work please? Hakko FX-888D

[HobGoblyn]

I have the Hakko FX-888D soldering station, can someone recommend a chisel style tip suitable for 0603 work please?

(I have a hot air station too)

Many thanks

[rstofer]

I use an 1/8" chisel for everything.  I usually try to stay with 0805 but I wouldn't have any problem with smaller packages.  Maybe a 1/16" chisel would be nice but I get along without changing tips.

Research "drag soldering" for packages with many pins.
For 0805, I sometimes use solder paste on the pad, place the part and hit the intersection with the soldering tip.

Flux is the answer to soldering SMDs.  I sometimes just run a bead of flux around the pins, put a blob of solder on the tip and touch the joint.

Get some SolderWick of various sizes.  I will sometimes get solder bridges on fine pitch packages.  I put some flux in the neighborhood and slurp up the excess solder with SolderWick.

[HobGoblyn]

Many thanks, I'm in the process of setting up my first lab (another thread on here somewhere) and thanks to other posters advice, have equipped myself with MG Chemicals solder wick in 5 sizes, 423 - 427, Going from 0.03" to 0.125" (0.8mm - 3.1mm).

[james_s]

I also use a 1/8" chisel tip for everything, my go-to parts are 0603. You want some decent pointy angled tweezers and ideally small diameter solder. The most common mistake I see people making is using way too much solder.

[rstofer]

Tweezers like these:

https://www.sparkfun.com/products/10602