My NOS rework station just came in today

[kodai]

So I've been building up a new lab this past year.  After being out of the electronics hobby for a decade I come back to find that repairing new stuff is harder than it used to be due to this lead free junk.  That got me thinking that a nice desoldering iron would help to fasten the pace and I've always wanted one so I started my search.  I know that buying new would be the best bet, but I'm trying to build on a budget that will keep me from digging into other hobbies.  So I thought I'd try a used desoldering iron and at least see if its worth forking out 3 to 4 times the price.  If I really liked it then next year, I would spring for a new one and keep the old one as a backup.  So off to ebay I go and end up looking around for a few weeks.  Then one day I came across something that catches my eye.  A surplus A.P.E. rework station with all the trimmings.  For those that dont know, A.P.E. (Automated Production Equipment) is a company that builds electronic production and rework tools and equipment mainly for the U.S. military.  Thing is, they mainly use PACE parts for their builds.  It has the type of desoldering iron I can live with.  Needles to say, I won and without a single competing bid. 

Here is the link: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Automated-Production-Equipment-model-PRS-475PG-soldering-desoldering-station-/151019282359?_trksid=p2047675.l2557&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEWNX%3AIT&nma=true&si=fE4eBRbRE64awC33aIuwtQuxIDM%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc

In case your wondering, yes every one of those tools are the kind you see in the old PACE soldering videos.  It came with a number of extra tips and parts that were not listed in the auction.  It even came with the advanced track repair kit and a nice bunch of other bits.  The only part that is disapointing (and I knew it would be) is the soldering iron.  But I could care less about that.  Conductive and resistive tweezers, thermal wire strippers, thermal parting tool, lap flo tool, a really nice rotary tool, a better hot air gun than my current Yihua 898d+, and of course the desoldering iron with a half dozen tips, spare parts and cleaning stuffs.

As dave would say "It all works a treat!", and its all built like a tank.  It also came with some kind of "reflow kit" that is a little PCB, a couple of parts, solder, and pack of flux.  Dont know what thats for other than to practice before work (which is not a bad idea), but odd.  All in all, not bad for $99.00.   

 

[nanofrog]

What a steal! You suck!   

[bingo600]

Isn't this an equal/same ?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/E-P-A-475PG-Soldering-Desoldering-Station-Built-in-Air-Vacume-Pump-/230959423545

/Bingo

[kodai]

Yeah, its the exact same base station.  But it has none of the tools or extras.  It could make a good backup unit, but without the tools and parts thats about all its good for.