Affordable desoldering pen?...

[Rax]

Hi all,
After piling up a bunch of desoldering tools and stations - none of which I like, to be honest - from the cheap knockoffs to a Hakko FR-301, and ruining too many PCBs (very sensitive when from a certain time and of a certain age), I could really use some recommendations.

Most pump-actioned such tools are either "gun handpiece" form factor, with a separate desk module, or, if pen style (in my opinion, the only form factor suitable for work of any accuracy and finesse), they're single action type.

Is anyone aware of good, affordable, decently built (and preferably, grounded tip), small and nimble, "pen form factor," desoldering stations? All those I could find in the US from the mega retailer don't have three-prong power plugs.

Thanks a bunch in advance!

[mkiijam]

To guide my thinking, can you please give me your opinion of the Denon SC-7000z?

[Jackster]

Have you tried the SS-331? https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_DeTOjWV

Been using it for about 2 months now and it has been great.

[Rax]

Have you tried the SS-331? https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_DeTOjWV

Been using it for about 2 months now and it has been great.

Looks pretty nice (I have one of the older iterations of this, and it's been fine), but it doesn't fit my criteria.

[bdunham7]

After piling up a bunch of desoldering tools and stations - none of which I like, to be honest - from the cheap knockoffs to a Hakko FR-301, and ruining too many PCBs (very sensitive when from a certain time and of a certain age), I could really use some recommendations.

Some PCBs, like Tektronix of a certain green color, are just very difficult.  It looks like your Prema may be like that.  It seems like they are only capable of surviving one trip through the wave-solder machine and reworking is a nightmare.  Cleaning them thoroughly may help. 

The 'pen' style desolderers from Pace and others are actually not all that nimble as they're pretty big and have a cord and a hose.  I haven't personally tried the Metcal version.  I've stuck with the Hakko FR-301 and the key, IMO, is getting just the right tip. I literally have a dozen different tips that I use.  For sensitive circuit boards, I always clip the component leads where possible and I use one of the long-snooted tips to slow down the heat transfer to the board.  And patient, careful setup helps--I'll make sure I have a good grip and am ready to apply tension before the heat starts.  The worst, IMO, are the situations where you have pads on both sides of a non-plated through hole and the component has a thin, copper-clad steel lead with poor thermal conductivity so you risk either ripping off the pad opposite the heat or watching your board start to smoke and the pad you are heating starts peeling off.  In extreme cases, clipping the lead flush and then heating both sides, one with a fine iron and one with the desoldering tool, may work.  You have to push the lead remnant out and then suck it into the desoldering tool and then clean it out right away. 

https://gokimco.com/products/hakko-n61-13-high-power-desoldering-nozzle?pr_prod_strat=copurchase&pr_rec_id=65b822c12&pr_rec_pid=4379292401716&pr_ref_pid=4379323236404&pr_seq=uniform

[Rax]

I've stuck with the Hakko FR-301 and the key, IMO, is getting just the right tip.
https://gokimco.com/products/hakko-n61-13-high-power-desoldering-nozzle?pr_prod_strat=copurchase&pr_rec_id=65b822c12&pr_rec_pid=4379292401716&pr_ref_pid=4379323236404&pr_seq=uniform

Thank you for your input. I have one tip like that, I've used it occasionally in harder to reach spots, but maybe I should give it a bit more run in various situations, see if it helps.

[abdulbadii]

from the cheap knockoffs to a Hakko FR-301

what'd that mean, anyone'd say it's the best and $$$ never lie ?

nevertheless just keep in mind, every tool is intended to do a very specific thing of job however hi-tech it is
so it only contributes a small certain role in broader, larger and longer course of the complete task required to finish successfully
if this tool is underrated just for few failures, we must reevaluate that whole task/project as problem consisting of many difficult courses, not to blame one of fairly good tools utilized in the task

eg. may be should've been higher temperaute, preheat work, using kapton tape, have clean workpiece, etc each of which will give real successful accomplishment 

[Rat_Patrol]

Regarding THT component removal...

I've settled on PACE system after learning to absolutely HATE my Hakko FR301. I spent more time cleaning out the Hakko than using it. Done with that.

For general technique, plenty of flux, re-wet the solder with some fresh can help if the old solder is oxidized and otherwise not shiny. On stubborn removals, especially on 4+ layer boards with a heavy heatsinking power layer, remove what you can, have some low-melt solder on hand, fill it back up with low melt solder, de-solder again. That usually gets the stubborn ones w/o damage. Don't touch the board with the tool, component only. If you aren't trying to save the component, where you can cut each lead off individually (on stubborn components). You can then just heat up that individual lead and remove it while the solder is molten, then use braid to get the solder out. Bunch of ways to do it, really. The trick is picking the right one for the situation.

[Shock]

Not as affordable but as per the above post, a bunch of us here on the forums have Pace vacuum desoldering tools/stations. I've had my Pace SX100 for 5 years now and can see it lasting over 20 years. Check out my recent post in the below link, comparing the FR301 and showing the size comparison.

https://www.eevblog.com/forum/reviews/pace-why-so-expensive/msg3441136/#msg3441136

[David_AVD]

I've had a Pace SX100 for a couple of years now and really like it.

You do need to keep an eye on the condition of the tip and swap it out for a new one in as soon as performance degrades. Otherwise it starts to damage pads and eventually the side collapses. That would be no different to any other type of unit though.

[tooki]

To guide my thinking, can you please give me your opinion of the Denon SC-7000z?

They are excellent. Now, I usually prefer a pencil style desoldering handpiece (I have Pace myself), but having used Pace, Denon, and Weller, I can recommend the first two.

The downside of the Denon is that the tips and supplies are quite expensive. (So is the tool itself, for that matter.)

[Rax]

I was completely unaware of the Den-On desoldering gun (a gun, never the less, so N/A) - the spelling of the name (as posted) completely threw me off, btw - but the Pace sounds like an interesting solution the more I look at it. Although pricey, with tools, though, skimping usually pays back at the backend, so to speak. It only fits in my budget if I luck out on a used unit.

To guide my thinking, can you please give me your opinion of the Denon SC-7000z?

They are excellent. Now, I usually prefer a pencil style desoldering handpiece (I have Pace myself), but having used Pace, Denon, and Weller, I can recommend the first two.

Is Den-On also making "pencil style" desoldering tools?

[Rax]

I've settled on PACE system after learning to absolutely HATE my Hakko FR301. I spent more time cleaning out the Hakko than using it. Done with that.

Unfortunately, I can't disagree with you, I've had to change a clogged heater shortly into the second year of ownership of my FR-301. Aside from the expense, there was the complete disassembly, the works. The kind of thing one hopes it's a one off, from a tool with good name. Before this, I assumed this would last me, with minimal care, for a very long time. After this incident and a bit too many lifted pads and traces - mostly due to the heft and utter lack of nimbleness - I am looking further out.

[coppice]

Regarding THT component removal...

I've settled on PACE system after learning to absolutely HATE my Hakko FR301. I spent more time cleaning out the Hakko than using it. Done with that.

That's sad. I haven't used the FR301. Those pistol style tools look really clumsy. However, the old straight and very simple Hakko desoldering tools were superb for through hole desoldering. Comfortable, effective, and easy to maintain. I still have one of the cheap manual ones.

[tooki]

I was completely unaware of the Den-On desoldering gun (a gun, never the less, so N/A) - the spelling of the name (as posted) completely threw me off, btw - but the Pace sounds like an interesting solution the more I look at it. Although pricey, with tools, though, skimping usually pays back at the backend, so to speak. It only fits in my budget if I luck out on a used unit.

That’s how I got mine! It took 3 years of patience, but in the end I got one (still a current model at the time, and the same handpiece still used now) for just over $100 shipped — and it came with about $100 worth of unused tips and filter consumables! It only needed a new rubber seal ($6 I thunk it cost me) and a little button cap (about $10) to make it like new.

Is Den-On also making "pencil style" desoldering tools?

No.

[Rax]

I just grabbed an SX-90 with an MBT-250. Still in transit, so I have no idea of the state. The PS came for a very low price (while still being available new, and very expensive), but the SX-90 not so much, though from pictures, it seems its condition should be very good.

I think the SX-90 has a couple of prominent advantages:

• It uses current production supplies, period (tips, cartridge, etc.). On some other, older models finding supplies seems to be a serious issues, and I just think you pay the difference/savings in the initial investment very quickly as you use it. If you're even able to find any from a point.
• It uses the solder/flux collection cartridge, which is a huge bonus for me for peace of mind (safer disposal of lead waste)

I'm hopeful this will support my needs for a long time, but will report back here on what I'm finding.

[Rax]

The Pace series of products and their "technologies" are so confusing.

At some point, it seemed they are essentially retiring their SensaTemp technology, to be replaced with their IntelliHeat (black vs. blue connector) - at least if you look at their "gender-bender" adapter. And yet, I seem to see SensaTemp on new products (such as the MB360), while IntelliHeat not so much. Then there's a the AccuDrive (which seems to only apply to soldering handpieces), and I just learned there's also HeatWise (?), which I don't even know where it is used and what it even means, as a "technology."

And then, which of the above can be found on a handpiece for soldering using "cartridge type" tips? Differently put, I am looking for a handpiece for soldering that uses SensaTemp but also not passive, old style tips. I am currently using Hakko cartridge tips and it's night and day to the old type tips. This far, I've only been able to find the PS-90 as a soldering handpiece based on SensaTemp (so I can hook it up to the MB250).

[Shock]

The Intelliheat stations (blue sockets) will run the TD100A which is a cartridge based handpiece. Intelliheat stations will also work with Sensatemp handpieces with the black to blue cable.
https://paceworldwide.com/td-100a-ergonomic-soldering-iron-tool-stand

For Sensatemp (black sockets) there is no cartridge soldering handpiece or forward compatibly.

[tooki]

The Pace series of products and their "technologies" are so confusing.

At some point, it seemed they are essentially retiring their SensaTemp technology, to be replaced with their IntelliHeat (black vs. blue connector) - at least if you look at their "gender-bender" adapter. And yet, I seem to see SensaTemp on new products (such as the MB360), while IntelliHeat not so much. Then there's a the AccuDrive (which seems to only apply to soldering handpieces), and I just learned there's also HeatWise (?), which I don't even know where it is used and what it even means, as a "technology."

I gathered the info into a post a while back (when the multichannel version was still expected to be called MBT 450, rather than the MBT 360 it became):

[...]
What I am curious about is whether the MBT 450 will support SensaTemp or IntelliHeat handpieces. If so, it may be by having dedicated ports, like the short-lived HeatWise MTS stations did.


FYI, some info I cobbled together recently:
SensaTemp (6-pin black connector): their earlier standard for temperature-feedback handpieces. Still around today thanks to continued military purchasing of the PRC2000 which has been around for decades.
HeatWise (4-pin red connector): short-lived type supporting only two handpieces, Pace’s first cartridge based iron and a tweezer. These stations mostly had one or two black SensaTemp ports as well, for the other handpieces.
IntelliHeat (8-pin blue connector): successor standard that combines both SensaTemp and HeatWise signals into one connector, allowing both “native” IntelliHeat handpieces using either SensaTemp or cartridge heating, as well as SensaTemp handpieces via an adapter.
AccuDrive (4-pin black connector): second-generation, higher-power cartridge heater type. Given the 4 pins, I assume there’s no way to add backward compatibility in it, so I expect all-new handpieces.

(They’re all Amphenol C091B series circular DIN connectors, by the way.)

In essence, for their closed-loop temperature-controlled handpieces*, they've only ever had three electrical standards: SensaTemp, HeatWise, and AccuDrive. Every handpiece uses one of these three electrical standards: TD-100 uses HeatWise, TD-200 and MT-200 use AccuDrive, and everything else uses SensaTemp.

Multiple versions of most of the SensaTemp and HeatWise handpieces exist because of different connectors:
AccuDrive has only ever been provided in a dedicated (single-standard) connector. SensaTemp and HeatWise existed in both dedicated connectors (6p black and 4p red, respectively), as well as combined in the IntelliHeat connector (8p blue).

Basically, what Pace did with the release of the MBT 360 is to fully discontinue the HeatWise signaling, by ending the IntelliHeat connector, too. So now we have AccuDrive (4p black) for irons and tweezers, and SensaTemp (6p black)  for the other tools, in both cases using only the dedicated connectors.


*That is, expressly excluding their earlier systems which were power-controlled, but not temperature-controlled. These variously used 120V AC or 24V AC handpieces, with essentially dimmer circuits to control power.

[tooki]

I just grabbed an SX-90 with an MBT-250. Still in transit, so I have no idea of the state. The PS came for a very low price (while still being available new, and very expensive), but the SX-90 not so much, though from pictures, it seems its condition should be very good.

I think the SX-90 has a couple of prominent advantages:

• It uses current production supplies, period (tips, cartridge, etc.). On some other, older models finding supplies seems to be a serious issues, and I just think you pay the difference/savings in the initial investment very quickly as you use it. If you're even able to find any from a point.
• It uses the solder/flux collection cartridge, which is a huge bonus for me for peace of mind (safer disposal of lead waste)

I'm hopeful this will support my needs for a long time, but will report back here on what I'm finding.

The longevity of the SensaTemp handpieces, and parts for them, is a huge boon. As Shock suggested, the only thing that isn't offered in SensaTemp is cartridge-heater irons. The PS-90 isn't bad, but it's certainly no match for a modern cartridge heater iron.


In fact, the "old" SX-90 is identical to the current SX-100; as far as I have been able to find out, the only thing that changed between late-production SX-90's and the SX-100 is the color of the printing. (Partway through the SX-90's production run, they changed the internal heater connector, so when replacing it, one must procure the correct version: black or blue. SX-80's have black and SX-100's have blue.)

Pace will sell you basically any part for their products, so repairs are easy and fairly inexpensive. 

[djsb]

I have an MBT350 setup with the TD100 cartridge handpiece and a SX-90 desoldering handpiece( blue highlights and text). I have a Thermojet TJ-85 hot air pencil and MT-100 tweezers. I haven't used the Thermojet and tweezers yet, as I don't do much SMD work. Nice to have them when I need them, though. I've used the PS-90 handpiece in the past, and it's great for heating large tracks and terminals etc. I use a Metcal at work.

[Rax]

Partway through the SX-90's production run, they changed the internal heater connector, so when replacing it, one must procure the correct version: black or blue.

I think this similarly reflects the two SX-100 versions currently available - SensaTemp vs. IntelliHeat. I assume the former comes with a black connector, the latter with blue. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think the color is how the two connectors can be easily distinguished (as a short-hand).

[Shock]

With regards to your purchase, some of the older stations had internal filters but the modern ones have an external filter in the hose line (Pace calls them Visifilters). Combined with that the trap filter (if using the cleanable glass tube) and front and rear handpiece rubber grommets would take care of most of the service parts pertaining to the SX90 handpiece.

If the station has been used a fair bit and sitting around the minimum is a new Visifilter and a trap filter though which are considered it's main consumables. If the tip has a lot of miles they tend to clog more frequently due to internal wear. So if purchasing tips I suggest a "sample pack" which has 8 tips of different sizes (a few easy access) and a rework tip. Tip break down cost is currently about $8 per tip. Filters under $1 in bulk.

For my SX100 I have the "trap kit" which gives me two additional glass trap tubes and misc parts. This way I can desolder a bunch and don't worry about cleaning them till I'm on my last one. It's easier to quickly swap the trap over and clean later as there is no disruption to work flow. My station has been quite consistent in performance and I recommend watching all the Pace videos on youtube with vacuum desoldering sections.

[Rax]

Combined with that the trap filter (if using the cleanable glass tube) and front and rear handpiece rubber grommets would take care of most of the service parts pertaining to the SX90 handpiece.
[...]
For my SX100 I have the "trap kit" which gives me two additional glass trap tubes and misc parts.

I'm planning to use the disposable traps, which I think all SX-90s should be able to accommodate, is that correct? I assume those are essentially alternatives to the glass tube.

[tooki]

Partway through the SX-90's production run, they changed the internal heater connector, so when replacing it, one must procure the correct version: black or blue.

I think this similarly reflects the two SX-100 versions currently available - SensaTemp vs. IntelliHeat. I assume the former comes with a black connector, the latter with blue. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think the color is how the two connectors can be easily distinguished (as a short-hand).

No. With regard to the mid-production-run change, I'm talking about the internal heater connector inside the handpiece. This is regardless of whether the station-side DIN connector is the black SensaTemp or blue IntelliHeat connector. Mine is an IntelliHeat (blue DIN connector) with the older-style black internal connector.

The SX-80, SX-90, and SX-100 all exist in both SensaTemp and IntelliHeat versions. But the difference between SensaTemp and IntelliHeat is which connector is on the end of the cord, electrically they're identical.