Are there SHORT T12 tips?!

[aandrew]

I finally figured out why I dislike soldering with my little Ksger T12 iron. It gets and stays hot, the tips are great quality, but I keep coming back to my old Metcal. The reason finally dawned on me: it's that the distance from the grip to the tip is almost twice as long as the old Metcal, so it feels like I'm a mile away from what I'm soldering, kind of like trying to write with a pen or pencil and holding it too far away from the tip.

I've searched high and low for T12 tips; they all have the same (139mm) length. While I understand about half of this is inside the handle, the 60ish mm that stick out is still quite long.

Does such a thing (short hakko T12 tips) exist? I am not sure if it's just my weak google-fu or if there's perhaps another solution I haven't thought of (different handle).

[BlackICE]

I use a handle like this one. Much shorter than my Weller 1010na.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/KSGER-FX9501-Handle-T12-Soldering-Iron-ABS-DIY-Pen-For-STM32-OLED-Soldering/124185442097

[aandrew]

Ordered! I see a few different lengths (52, 48, 47) with various prices, but all have the same 5-pin connector, although there are 4-pin as well. WAY better than the almost 75mm that the Ksger comes with, but still a ways away from the 34mm that the old Metcal has. Thank you so very, very much!

[DavidAlfa]

You can buy these much cheaper without the cable:
https://a.aliexpress.com/_u9qPkz

[mastershake]

i prefer the ksger black aluminum handle much more then the blue plastic one personally. basically same tip distance but made nicer imo and will not crack at the joint like i have had a couple of the cheap blue ones do. you can also fine the blue one for around 10$ on aliexpress in other brands you just have to assemble them

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/33004762167.html?spm=a2g0o.store_pc_groupList.8148356.1.755051c7U1a9dG option 3 handle for 16.55

[DavidAlfa]

Sure, they look great. But have you soldered 1/2 hour with it? It will heat up to 50ºC.
Using a great heat-conducting material for a soldering handle was not the best idea!

Brands use composite heat isulating materials for their handles for something.
That's why I bough the plastic one again! It looks cheap, but in the long run it's much more comfortable.

[aandrew]

Thank you everyone for all the feedback - I did see the handle kits but none specified what the handle-to-tip length was. The original handle i have has a kind of collar and threaded screw to fasten the handle and this seems to be the longest handle-to-tip option (of course  ).

I am thinking that perhaps if the 42mm is still too long I can always take a bit (10-15mm length) of stainless steel round stock, put a 5mm hole in the middle and make the outer diameter something like 10-15mm, then take a bit of round wood stock, put a 10-15mm hole in the middle and make the outer diameter whatever is comfortable. This should be able to slide over the tip and allow me to get closer still.

[totalnoob]

Sure, they look great. But have you soldered 1/2 hour with it? It will heat up to 50ºC.
Using a great heat-conducting material for a soldering handle was not the best idea!

Brands use composite heat isulating materials for their handles for something.
That's why I bough the plastic one again! It looks cheap, but in the long run it's much more comfortable.

I have read that those handles can soften during long periods of soldering, which is why they are no longer the default handles supplied with the basic KSGER's. The kind the OP has (i.e. the ones you need to unscrew to get the tip out) are the defaults.  I admit, I don't use my station frequently and when I do, its usually for a short period of time, so that basic handle is probably perfect for me, but I opted for the stainless handle. I like it, but it does not give a positive feel when you push the tip in to know its far enough. You can push too far and send the guts out the backside.  DAMHIKT!

[DavidAlfa]

I used the cheap blue handle for more than a year and nothing like that happened.

[mastershake]

yup i have used one for over nearly 2 hours once no issues at all with it yet. have had it for well over a year. i have the blue ones and the cheaper black ones and even the stainless one (which is a piece of junk) and the one thats have carbon / aluminum (didnt like this one either this one got hotter then the black aluminum one and had really sharp edges to the carbon wrap on the front half i had to sand the edges smooth) but the black aluminum one i have 3 of them (a couple came with other things or i got them stupid cheap one is branded quecko exactly the same thing as the ksger except it has a longer strain relief then the ksger one). also with the black aluminum ones you can very easily peel off the silicone wrap and replace it with something thicker. i did this with the stainless one i used a piece of silicone hose meant for a car that was nice and snug over the front half works great.

but no issues at all with the black ones (the all aluminum ones only though not the cheap thin plastic black ones)

[SteveyG]

I finally figured out why I dislike soldering with my little Ksger T12 iron. It gets and stays hot, the tips are great quality, but I keep coming back to my old Metcal. The reason finally dawned on me: it's that the distance from the grip to the tip is almost twice as long as the old Metcal, so it feels like I'm a mile away from what I'm soldering, kind of like trying to write with a pen or pencil and holding it too far away from the tip.

I've searched high and low for T12 tips; they all have the same (139mm) length. While I understand about half of this is inside the handle, the 60ish mm that stick out is still quite long.

Does such a thing (short hakko T12 tips) exist? I am not sure if it's just my weak google-fu or if there's perhaps another solution I haven't thought of (different handle).

This is the main problem I find with the T12 systems. The handpieces are the weak point - from what I can tell there's no decent quality handpieces and the grip to tip distance is usually too much. However, if you have a Metcal station, why are you trying to use a T12 station in preference?

[mastershake]

i agree with that i would use a metcal imo over t12's unless maybe i need an odd tip i only had in t12

[aandrew]

This is the main problem I find with the T12 systems. The handpieces are the weak point - from what I can tell there's no decent quality handpieces and the grip to tip distance is usually too much. However, if you have a Metcal station, why are you trying to use a T12 station in preference?

The Metcal and my inspection microscope live on my workbench; however I need to travel sometimes and a more portable system that I've come up with is a LCD magnifier and the KSGER T12 but I need a better handle. Hopefully the one I've ordered will work well, but we'll see.

[Tugo]

What about FM 2028?

I also have blue FX 9501 for over 3 and a half years now and it is working great. No melting, cracking or anything wrong with it. It gets hot to solder when working on higher temperatures (over 350 C) but I usually work on 270-320 C so it is pretty much completely cool.
Also I have a black plastic one that came with Bakon 950D (in the 2015) and is exactly the same just different color. Also no problems but was used for just about 2 years or so when I got the blue one.

About FM 2028: I tried to order it in the past but had nothing but troubles. First they didn't had it, then I got a wrong one (they sent me a FX 9501 - lapsun - stay away from them!).
Since FM 2028 is an original from Hakko and is a little bit bulkier I really wanted to have it but I will not pay full price. Fake ones are nowhere to be found.
If anyone have it, please share the feeling how they are.