Old DIY TFK U106 Solder-Desolder-Station

[Alfons]

Just wanted something old dig.

The station I built around 15 years ago. At this time, although there was the first reasonably cheap usable stations from China, but really good stations were very expensive. So I looked for cheap Parts on Ebay and flea markets, only the desolder-tool from Ersa and the pump were really expensive. The 80W-Ersa soldering iron was at this time one of the smallest and lightest.

At that time, the TFG U106 was very popular, a IC, who takes over the phase control for the soldering iron. With a few IC's around you could build very good, very accurate temperature controlled soldering stations. The Solder-Station of Ersa and Weller took this IC also in their stations, bevor Micoprozessors take over this funktion.

Even, if the station has no standby and indicates only the actual temperature, it is an indestructible workhorse. I have a lot soldered with her. At the time I used, I never even had a problem with the station and it will still work in 20 years. Especially for beginners, the station is very easy to assemble. However, I have made myself a little more work and designed a layout und a board. Meanwhile, the U106 is again produced in China. He was temporarily disappeared from the market and very expensive.

The last picture shows how accurately the new I-Con displays the temperature: this is the actual temperature in my work-room. Something cold, right?

Meanwhile, I use only the Desolder-Tool of my old station, since I come to a Ersa I-Con two weeks ago.

[RobertBG]

It's quite nice,I like it.I've actually been thinking about putting one together because I have a few vacuum pumps laying around.I used to use them for carbon fiber bagging but have since got a larger setup and they are just sitting on a shelf begging for a project to be used on.

[RobK_NL]

That looks good! 

[Alfons]

It's quite nice,I like it.I've actually been thinking about putting one together because I have a few vacuum pumps laying around.I used to use them for carbon fiber bagging but have since got a larger setup and they are just sitting on a shelf begging for a project to be used on.

I have long wanted at that time, until I found a suitable pump. They must be able to withstand the gases. Otherwise the pump breaks down soon. I Used a pump, that is used in laboratory equipment for gas-measurements. Perhaps overkill, that will last forever, however.

[dom0]

I'm using a pretty much standard two piston vacuum pump from GD Thomas. Datasheet says it's resistant to acids (which is not specified) ; works fine for me so far.

I use a Weller DSX 80 desoldering iron. Man, that thing takes forever to heat up ... around a minute or so, even with my station (higher voltage - ~20 % more power - than Wellers stations). The WSP 80 on the other hand goes from 20 °C to 270 °C in only a couple seconds (40 € well spent).

[Alfons]

I use a Weller DSX 80 desoldering iron. Man, that thing takes forever to heat up ... around a minute or so, even with my station (higher voltage - ~20 % more power - than Wellers stations). The WSP 80 on the other hand goes from 20 °C to 270 °C in only a couple seconds (40 € well spent).

Yes, that's true. During the soldering iron to the station about 20 sec. need to come up to temperature, the desoldering tool requires more than twice. However, he keeps the temperature very well, hardly need reheating.