Recommendation for Soldering station and hot air rework for a Beginner"Limited$"

[muhamadamru]

Hello :
This is my first post here.
I am a beginner in electronics and i want to buy a soldering station and hot air rework station for  practicing purposes  "i have some scrap boards" but, my  budget is very limited about 120$ for both.
I stay in Romania.
I do some good research and i found that Hakko products like Fx-888D is one of the best for beginners but it  costs alone about 147 Euro here  "for the  original one" .
For the Hot-air rework station i found from EEV channel that the Atten AT-858D+ is good choice  and i found in Aliexpress this offers
http://www.aliexpress.com/item/ATTEN-AT8586-8586-2in1-Hot-Air-SMD-Rework-Soldering-220V/1026461914.html?tracelog=back_to_detail_a Which has both the soldering station and the hot air  for 110$
i also found
http://www.aliexpress.com/item/220v-110v-YOUYUE-8586-2-in-1-SMD-Rework-Station-Hot-Air-Gun-Solder-Iron-Better/32326565131.html?tracelog=back_to_detail_a   for  83 $

both of them could accept hakko 936 Tips and i know both of them will not be never comparable for any thing original but my Budget is very tight .

i hope you advice me what i can buy for this budget where it could be pushed to 150$ Max

Thank you in advance.

[muhamadamru]

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[wiss]

I got one of these, works for the occasional repair. http://se.farnell.com/tenma/21-10130-uk-eu/rework-station-900w-220v-uk-eu/dp/2062633

You can find them cheaper on ebay...

Maybe you should look for separate stations given your budget.

[muhamadamru]

it's no problem for me if they are separate it will also work but i just want to hear for recommendation of  anything cheap test that i can buy

[GreyWoolfe]

The soldering station is probably the piece of equipment that you will use the most.  Do yourself a favor and don't cheap out.  My first iron years ago was a firestick.  About 7 years ago I was able to upgrade to a real Hakko 936 and that was a massive improvement.  Now, I am fortunate to own a new Hakko FX-951 and a used Metcal MX-500P with wand and Talon tweezers.  No comparison from the firestick to the 936.  Absolutely no comparison between the 936 and the higher end stations.  Save your money and buy a really good station that will last you for years.  I also have the Yihua 858D hot air station and it does what I need it to do.

Just a comment, your tag line isn't necessarily appropriate for any "young players" who visit the thread.  Totally up to you, but you rarely get a 2nd chance to make a good first impression.  Good luck on your equipment hunt.

[muhamadamru]

I understand the situation but what for example will be the diffidence between a hakko fx-888 d and station that i mentioned Atten other that
 How much it will last and the stability ?   

i mean if the station "the Chinese ones " accept the the hakko 936 tips what will be the difference with real one will it give the same temp ?

idk i am noob at them 

[GreyWoolfe]

I understand the situation but what for example will be the diffidence between a hakko fx-888 d and station that i mentioned Atten other that
 How much it will last and the stability ?   

i mean if the station "the Chinese ones " accept the the hakko 936 tips what will be the difference with real one will it give the same temp ?

idk i am noob at them

You will find that the tip to heater fit isn't as tight and a loose tip will provide less thermal transfer.  There have been other threads on this.  People buy the clones and original Hakko tips and wonder why the tip isn't working well.  I have a real, 7 year old Hakko 936 here that I am selling to a fellow ham radio club member because I upgraded.  I still have my original tips that work just as well as they did new.  I also properly take care of my tips.  The real deal brand soldering stations like the FX-888D are also made with better components.  Yes they are built to a price since they are entry level irons, but the component quality, assembly and QA are better.  It really is worth saving up the extra money for the Hakko over the Atten.  If you absolutely need an iron now, get what you can afford, but get a big jar and keep throwing in coin of the realm until you have enough to upgrade.  No matter how you slice it, the better iron will give more years of better service.  What is your time and aggravation with lesser grade tools worth to you?  Happy soldering.

[muhamadamru]

Thank you very much for the advice : this is what i will do i will but the Atten and it also has the hot-air with it and,  i will use the soldering iron as a temporary solution.
you said " also properly take care of my tips." how i will take take of my tip because i heard a lot of people that destroy the tip all what i know is when you finish leave some lead on it so it doesn't get corroded  ?
also how can i know the original tip from the fake one ?

[muhamadamru]

Thank you very much i borrowed money from a freind and ordered an original Hakko Fx-888d
And i just  want to know when it come to fake copied station all of them are the same or they differ between each other like : No brand - Atten - YHOUA - YOUYUE - SAIKE

[Simon]

Up up

Please don't do that

[Fat]

Looks like you have solved your solder iron issue.  You won't be sorry.  A hot air station is less used. I'd grab an Ebay version at about $50 and call it good.  ATTEN seems to make ok units.  I use a SparkFun model and I think I paid too much for it.  Handy when you need it, but that's not often.

[Simon]

Bought a hot air gun then got an oven

[KL27x]

how i will take take of my tip because i heard a lot of people that destroy the tip all what i know is when you finish leave some lead on it so it doesn't get corroded  ? 

I try to find the lowest temp setting that works well for w/e I'm doing. As much for efficiency as for tip life. The lower you can set your temp, the longer it will stay wet without cleaning. I also leave solder on the tip when I'm done.

also how can i know the original tip from the fake one ?

Hakko tips comes individually packaged in transparent sealed plastic sleeves that you have to rip open (not unlike surgical equipment). If you buy a set of 7 tips for 14.99, they're probably fake. There's nothing wrong with that, especially if you're just putting together your bench. Especially if you are "practicing," it might be nice to have a variety to try out.

[Simon]

My tenma station tipe are only rated for something like 5 hours at 450C I try to work in the 350C area but it does not always work and i have to go to 400C. Get a new tip coated in solder as soon as you heat it up the first time, this will put a lasting coat on it that easily remains, once it starts to go it's gone, I had a tip on for a half hour before using it and it never recovered.

[wiss]

If you buy a set of 7 tips for 14.99, they're probably fake.

14.99? I paid 6 Eur with shipping for 12 

I had a tip on for a half hour before using it and it never recovered.

I've left one of my "6 Eur for 12" tips on over night at least twice, it is still ok.
I usually run at 370 degC.

[Simon]

I've left one of my "6 Eur for 12" tips on over night at least twice, it is still ok.
I usually run at 370 degC.

Yes but was it tinned ? mine was not as new, I could never get solder to coat all of it ever, the next one i doused in solder immediately and not every time i wipe it off on a wet sponge the whole tipe comes up nice and shiny. Obviously my tips are pretty rubbish.

[wiss]

At least iron plated, I had been using it and I only clean (if ever) the tip when I take it out of the holder, not on the way back, so the last lead I used would be on the tip of the tip

[Simon]

Yes I do the same.

[wraper]

I've left one of my "6 Eur for 12" tips on over night at least twice, it is still ok.
I usually run at 370 degC.

Yes but was it tinned ? mine was not as new, I could never get solder to coat all of it ever, the next one i doused in solder immediately and not every time i wipe it off on a wet sponge the whole tipe comes up nice and shiny. Obviously my tips are pretty rubbish.

Do you have tip tinner/activator? This stuff saved me many abused tips which became like new after using it.

[Simon]

nope never heard of one, it would not by change cost loads more than a new tip ? (£ 2.99)

[wiss]

I've only ever wiped the tip on a wet sponge when it gets too gunky or I want the result to be really pretty, that "activator"-thingie, is that like the batterizer or?

[wraper]

nope never heard of one, it would not by change cost loads more than a new tip ? (£ 2.99)

Well, unless tip starts to dissolve in the solder because outer layer becomes damaged, tips became basically everlasting. Also the big advantage is that you can keep them in best condition through they life, not using tips which wet poorly but seem to be premature to discard. One jar of tinner will last more than 10 years, unless you use it extremely often, so it's almost free considering how much use you'll get of it over years.

[wraper]

I've only ever wiped the tip on a wet sponge when it gets too gunky or I want the result to be really pretty, that "activator"-thingie, is that like the batterizer or?

With one difference - it actually works 

[wraper]

[wiss]

Most of my tips works for years, unless I use them as chisels.  So it essentially iron plate the copper in a magical (chemistry = magic) way?