Going to buy a soldering station

[UberStrike88]

Hi guys

Well my soldering iron broke today (it really broke in half) so i need a replacement
As i don't want those ones that go in the socket that i had i looked for a small soldering station that was cheap and that i could get
So i found these 2 stations:
(translated pages)
http://goo.gl/aNfGa0 (the tip: http://goo.gl/CI8XJM)
http://goo.gl/cNcQay (the tip: http://goo.gl/Orvgjq)
So which one of these would you choose if you was me?
I'm not a professional i'm just doing this as a hobby nothing more really.

[con-f-use]

I'd get none of them even if I wasn't that serious about soldering. And I'd certainly not by from Conrad because everything costs twice as much there and the service sucks. Buy a used analogue Weller or Hakko station off of ebay. Far better value for the money and won't break that easily.

[UberStrike88]

Well conrad seems to have nice prices here,
I haven't seen something more than that they ask.
But i don't want to buy a second hand one because most of the time they will add about 20$ shipping cost and then i also have to pay 30-50 bucks to get it to my home
+conrad gets it within 3 days

[wraper]

This is a total crap. I got one such for free. Crappiest hakko clone is much better than this. Stock tip is just unusable.
Edit: ZD99 to be precise but they are almost the same. And they are not temperature controlled, only variable power, just useless.

[nanofrog]

IF you're on a really tight budget, you might want to look for a good quality used unit instead. Just make sure it has the bare minimum to make it work (base unit + iron), and that spare tips are still available.

[Rasz]

DONT

this is basically a triac dimmer in a soldering station enclosure

[nctnico]

I agree. The soldering station from Conrad is total crap. You can probably buy that for 4 euro on Ebay with free shipping from China.
I'd save up for an Ersa. I like Ersa for 2 reasons: the tips last extremely long. Longer than any other soldering station I used before (Weller and JBC) and the tips are very easy to change. For electronics work you need at least 3 different tips to be able to tackle a soldering job. When I assemble a board I change tips all the time.

[VK5RC]

If you haven't tried a good soldering station,  I would try to find an acquaintance who has one and try it,  you will be surprised at the difference.  I mean units such as Weller,  JBC,  Metcal,  Ersa etc.  The price is a big jump over the hobby stuff but for me a good soldering station and a good dmm are never regretted.  Some guys will have preference,  one brand over another,  but I think the extra money you will not regret.

[rqsall]

Since you're in The Netherlands, as I am, I'll throw my two cents in as my first post (been lurking for some time). I would get something out of this list: http://www.eleshop.nl/solderen/soldeerstations/conventioneel.html?___store=eleshop_nl

I have the 3210 since May or so and very happy with it. I also know someone who bought the 936 or 937, don't remember which one exactly from that store and he's also very happy with it. He's had it for a year or 2 and uses it in earnest (within hobby context).

Good luck.

[Refrigerator]

Well if you need something dirt cheap you can look up some of these.
http://hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/RC_PRODUCT_SEARCH.asp?strSearch=soldering+station

[nctnico]

I'd stay away from the Ayoue soldering stations. The tips are utter crap. I have the SMD tweezers from Ayoue somewhere but I consider it a complete waste of money.

[con-f-use]

My Aoyue 2703A+ is of really nice quality for the money. I'm used to my Weller at home and lately to a new JBC at work, so high standards. Even if the tips were crap (mine are not), tips are now argument with the Aoyue. You can always get genuine Hakko ones. They are compatible.

[Kostas]

If you consider buying an Aoyue station keep in mind that the 936 is only 35W. While this might be more that enough for the vast majority of the jobs you are likely to do, it will prove to be underpowered in some cases. Trying to desolder components connected to large groundplanes - anything with large enough mass that can act like a heatsink will be very difficult.

[UberStrike88]

Wow a lot of replies
Well i don't solder that often and my budget is really small :/
I was thinking about the aoyue 936 but i thought you can better but a 888 if you are going for quality.
+ it will be a lot for shipping so it will be like 60 for the aoyue :/
Can anyone find me a used or new one for around 20? (it will be temp until i have enough to buy a really good one)
Thanks for all the help guys!

[wraper]

If you are serious about soldering and intend to keep doing it for a few years just get a Hakko. Pay for a genuine one, they are not that expensive and will last forever. No mucking about, no frustration, just a quality, robust system that will allow you to get on with making stuff instead of trying to cope with an inadequate iron.

Seriusly, in Europe? Other than buying knockoff from China there is no way to get one cheap. For the price it cost here you can go right away to i-con nano or pico (even cheaper than 888D here, no ESD safe however) which are in absolutely different class.

[wraper]

Wow a lot of replies
Well i don't solder that often and my budget is really small :/
I was thinking about the aoyue 936 but i thought you can better but a 888 if you are going for quality.
+ it will be a lot for shipping so it will be like 60 for the aoyue :/
Can anyone find me a used or new one for around 20? (it will be temp until i have enough to buy a really good one)
Thanks for all the help guys!

Never buy 888 (discontinued) or 888D from ebay, aliexpress or DX and anywhere from China. They all are fake. And as in Europe Hakko is ridiculously expensive, like 2.5 US price it is better to just get something else.

[UberStrike88]

Wow a lot of replies
Well i don't solder that often and my budget is really small :/
I was thinking about the aoyue 936 but i thought you can better but a 888 if you are going for quality.
+ it will be a lot for shipping so it will be like 60 for the aoyue :/
Can anyone find me a used or new one for around 20? (it will be temp until i have enough to buy a really good one)
Thanks for all the help guys!

Never buy 888 (discontinued) or 888D from ebay, aliexpress or DX and anywhere from China. They all are fake. And as in Europe Hakko is ridiculously expensive, like 2.5 US price it is better to just get something else.

Ohhh thanks for the tip!
Well i don't have 100 euro for a soldering station
Well you know anything in my price range (around that in the first post)

[nanofrog]

If you are serious about soldering and intend to keep doing it for a few years just get a Hakko. Pay for a genuine one, they are not that expensive and will last forever. No mucking about, no frustration, just a quality, robust system that will allow you to get on with making stuff instead of trying to cope with an inadequate iron.

+1 

Just get it from a reputable source (i.e. authorized dealer).

Batterfly sells the FX-888D, and it's the best price I'm aware of for EU members.

They also have a bundle deal going on with a Rigol DS1054Z for 380EUR, if you're also in the market for an entry level DSO (scope is a steal for what you get IMHO).

OP, I'm guessing you're in a hurry, but it's really in your best interest to save up for one. There's that much of a difference between these and the cheap Chinese knockoffs.

[wraper]

You can get Yihua 936 for EUR 19.55 shipped from Hobbyking EU warehouse. It happens to be in Neterlands so shipping is very cheap . http://hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__32515__Soldering_Station_with_Adjustable_Heat_Range_with_EU_plug_EU_warehouse_.html

[UberStrike88]

If you are serious about soldering and intend to keep doing it for a few years just get a Hakko. Pay for a genuine one, they are not that expensive and will last forever. No mucking about, no frustration, just a quality, robust system that will allow you to get on with making stuff instead of trying to cope with an inadequate iron.

+1 

Just get it from a reputable source (i.e. authorized dealer).

Batterfly sells the FX-888D, and it's the best price I'm aware of for EU members.

They also have a bundle deal going on with a Rigol DS1054Z for 380EUR, if you're also in the market for an entry level DSO (scope is a steal for what you get IMHO).

OP, I'm guessing you're in a hurry, but it's really in your best interest to save up for one. There's that much of a difference between these and the cheap Chinese knockoffs.

That seller only sells in italy and it is out of my budget .

You can get Yihua 936 for EUR 19.55 shipped from Hobbyking EU warehouse. It happens to be in Neterlands so shipping is very cheap . http://hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__32515__Soldering_Station_with_Adjustable_Heat_Range_with_EU_plug_EU_warehouse_.html

Wow thats dirt cheap will get it i think. Will check the review again

[wraper]

You can also mod it later by getting genuine hakko tips and heating element. Will show similar performance to genuine hakko.

[Kostas]

One more thing, regarding the Aoyue and any other station* that uses Hakko clone tips: All of them come with a standard conical 0,8mm tip. While it is usable, it's not exactly the best option out there. IMHO, a good all around tip is the T-3C. It gives a much better surface area that can be used to quickly transfer heat from the tip to the component, but it's also quite pointy if you ever need to use it so. Can be used for smd drag soldering too. You can get clone tips very cheaply on ebay and most of them come in Hakko bags, but they are not the real thing. That said, they are fine for the price.

* Yes, that Yihua 936 also uses these tips.

[nanofrog]

That seller only sells in italy and it is out of my budget .

Actually, they do sell to other EU nations.  If you check their Delivery Informations page, you'll see they ship to the Netherlands for  16.66EUR + VAT (second line).

As per being out of budget, I'm aware of that. But keep in mind, this station is worth saving up for, as the cheap Chinese Hakko knock-offs tend to be unpleasant to use. For example, you may experience handles that get too hot to hold, cords that are stiff, tip/s that come with it don't transfer heat very well (loose fit over the heating element), and tips that don't last sorts of things. There may also be electrical faults internally that should be dealt with before use. Tip issue can be solved with genuine Hakko tips, but that incurs additional costs (difference in cost shrinks between this and an FX-888D).

The cheap stations are built to a price point at the extreme, so what kind of quality do you really think you're going to get for 20EUR?    I see it as a penny wise, pound stupid situation. YMMV, but it shouldn't take that long to increase your budget by ~110EUR (130EUR should cover it to your door, assuming 20% VAT & above shipping rate). Maybe some odd jobs on the side, as they would help get you there rather quickly (raking leaves, shoveling snow,.... whatever you can manage that puts extra EUR in your pocket). 

[wraper]

BTW if decide to buy on hobbyking, keep the product page open for some time, there should appear a popup offering some discount, it will cost EUR 13.69. Price will be with such a "discount" by default if you are logged in already. Don't know if it shows discounted price for the new accounts. Anyway you can get it EUR 18.53 shipped with a small effort.

[ManCave]

keep in mind, this station is worth saving up for, as the cheap Chinese Hakko knock-offs tend to be unpleasant to use. For example, you may experience handles that get too hot to hold, cords that are stiff, tip/s that come with it don't transfer heat very well (loose fit over the heating element)

+1 !!!

They really can be pretty bad. You might think you save a bit now, but the grief they give you for few months or maybe a year, until you realise that you need a better iron because this is an absolute crap, is really not worth it. Wait a month or two and save up for a good station. I've had "Precision Gold" or "Tenma" ,same thing, and although it seems ok for some light jobs, it WILL help you destroy PCBs due to it's crappy construction, bad heat transfer from the element to the tip...

Using Weller WSD80 is absolutely incomparable! I would never go back to a cheap station. It's not just a matter of how good the job is done. It pretty much is a difference between a job done or not...

[UberStrike88]

Thanks for the help guys!
I'll get a 888D later on but for now i want to complete a project of me
So i think i'm going to buy the knock of and then i'm going to get a real hakko!
Thanks for all the tips given !

[wraper]

As Kostas said it is a good idea to order a chisel tip, something like 3 mm. Stock tip is good enough only for a small job, end not the best tip even for that.

[UberStrike88]

Will order those tips tomorrow.
But i can't find real ones(atleast i think that they are fake)
Do you have a link for me where to buy the real ones?

[Kostas]

Will order those tips tomorrow.
But i can't find real ones(atleast i think that they are fake)
Do you have a link for me where to buy the real ones?

I'm not sure if you'd like to buy a genuine Hakko tip if your budget only allows you to buy a 20 euro soldering station...  This seems to be a real chisel Hakko tip (1,6 mm wide), but it will cost you about 22$. On the other hand, a lesser quality clone like this beveled tip costs less than 2$ and you don't have to break the piggy bank.  Ok, it's not as good, but it's usable and much better than the standard conical tip. Just make sure to tin it from the first use and keep a blob of solder on it when not in use. This will take care of oxidation. Use leaded solder, but avoid using any corrosive fluxes. This should give you at least a reasonable tip life.

[Rasz]

The cheap stations are built to a price point at the extreme, so what kind of quality do you really think you're going to get for 20EUR?    I see it as a penny wise, pound stupid situation.

fact is this 20euro station will work just fine and deliver 90% of genuine hakko experience, certainly a LOT better than Conrad triac dimmer joke one

[Robyn]

Does anyone know if this atten solder tips, fit to the hakko936  with the 907 Iron handle?
They cost each  ~5€ . http://www.batronix.com/shop/soldering/tips.html

My pcb is a genuine hakko 936 pcb. the 907 iron handle is one from china for 5,5$  and it does not make the job very well. I want to change  to a better  tip  and perhaps a better heating Element.
Does  the  Atten  AT980D Heating Element, 4 wire  fit? ( The Hakko is 4 wire)
http://www.batronix.com/shop/soldering/accessory.html

[nanofrog]

I'm not sure if you'd like to buy a genuine Hakko tip if your budget only allows you to buy a 20 euro soldering station... 

Saw genuine Hakko chisel tips on Batterfly for 5EUR. Unfortunately, the shipping cost alone ruins it (16.66EUR to the OP).

So for a cheap station to be used as a stop-gap solution, such as the units at HobbyKing, the cheap tips make better financial sense.

One area I would highly recommend you not cut corners on, would be the rest of your supplies (solder, extra flux, and wick). Bad results from no-name cheap supplies can cost you more money in damaged boards & components than you save, not to mention and the aggravation that accompanies it. Cheap supplies really aren't worth it, even for the most budget conscious. Solder is where you'll take a hit (initially expensive, but lasts a really long time). 250g sizes exist from reputable brands, which will make this easier on your wallet to get started.

fact is this 20euro station will work just fine and deliver 90% of genuine hakko experience, certainly a LOT better than Conrad triac dimmer joke one

Work better than the triac dimmer + fire stick? Absolutely.  But keep in mind, the OP was looking to blow that 20EUR on one of these. 

But that 20EUR temperature controlled station is going to struggle in instances the genuine article doesn't however. The Hakko has more power (50W vs. 35W), and there's also improved thermal transfer to consider. 

90% of the experience of a quality station? YMMV, but I'm not convinced it's that high. Especially when I think about hot handles during extended use (iron is on 1hr +). Stiff cords come in second on a nuisance factor for me.

Financially speaking, the repair/replacement costs add up, consuming at least some of the savings. Possibly to the point it's even more expensive than a quality entry level station over the latters lifespan. Especially here in the US due to pricing. Might take longer in the EU, but it appears the argument still holds from what I've read here.

Does anyone know if this atten solder tips, fit to the hakko936  with the 907 Iron handle?
They cost each  ~5€ . http://www.batronix.com/shop/soldering/tips.html

My pcb is a genuine hakko 936 pcb. the 907 iron handle is one from china for 5,5$  and it does not make the job very well. I want to change  to a better  tip  and perhaps a better heating Element.
Does  the  Atten  AT980D Heating Element, 4 wire  fit? ( The Hakko is 4 wire)
http://www.batronix.com/shop/soldering/accessory.html

Tips will fit.

IICR, the two different 4wire heating elements have different resistance values (fit mechanically). Can't recall which one is which. But why not get an original Hakko element (P/N = A1321) if you've an original 936 PCB?

[rqsall]

This place in The Netherlands: http://soldeerpunt.nl/ claims to sell genuine hakko tips. I have been using the 0.8mm conical that came with my aoyue until now and it's usable, but a chisel/screwdriver tip would probably be better. However, I will buy a genuine hakko tip from this place shortly, if only to see if they're all that everyone says they're cracked up to be. They say they'll ship tips in a normal envelope, so the shipping charges will be lower than the listed standard shipping costs which are about 8 euro incl. vat.

If I'd known about the hakko 888D on batterfly my choice would have been harder, but I probably still would have gone for the aoyue. I don't regret my purchase at all.

I would still go for the slightly more expensive aoyue than the 15 euro yihua on hobbyking, fair chance you won't have to save up for a hakko in a long time. This is relevant in my opinion, because the hakko 888D is discontinued as far as I understand and by the time you've saved enough batterfly might not have them anymore.

On a sidenote, suggesting hakko and/or "get a used one from ebay" to a person on a budget from The Netherlands is pretty much useless advice. Although undoubtedly everyone that gives this advise means well, personally, it's still a source of mild irritation. All that's available on the local used market is 30 year old Wellers of which you seriously need to critically wonder what the reason for selling is. And don't get me started on the asking prices.

Good luck.

[nanofrog]

On a sidenote, suggesting hakko and/or "get a used one from ebay" to a person on a budget from The Netherlands is pretty much useless advice.

Regarding used, what about looking outside of the Netherlands, such as Germany?

[rqsall]

On a sidenote, suggesting hakko and/or "get a used one from ebay" to a person on a budget from The Netherlands is pretty much useless advice.

Regarding used, what about looking outside of the Netherlands, such as Germany?

On the face of it, that's a reasonable suggestion, and when I was looking for one I tracked it for a few weeks, however there are several hurdles.

There's virtually no Hakko on the used market anywhere in Europe (one FX-951 on ebay.de right now at EUR 215 "buy it now") as far as I can tell. It's 90% Weller and the rest is mostly Ersa. The average asking prices for 30 year old Wellers is well... significantly above the OPs budget certainly and those can be had inside The Netherlands also. Then the next issue with ebay.de is that a very large part of the sellers won't ship outside Germany or guaranteed German speaking countries like Austria. Now I have it on good authority that they can often be persuaded to ship to The Netherlands, but that requires you can communicate somewhat comfortably in German. Besides that, the shipping costs can run the gambit from just under 10 euro up to 40 euro.

Electronics enthousiasts across the world have good reasons to be jealous of their American friends 

[nctnico]

If you ask nicely many (9 out of 10) German Ebay sellers will ship to the Netherlands even when the listing says they don't. Transferring money to Germany is a piece of cake with the IBAN/BIC account numbers if the seller doesn't have Paypal.

[UberStrike88]

If you ask nicely many (9 out of 10) German Ebay sellers will ship to the Netherlands even when the listing says they don't. Transferring money to Germany is a piece of cake with the IBAN/BIC account numbers if the seller doesn't have Paypal.

I know but then ebay won't invastigate it when it doesn't arrive 

[nanofrog]

On the face of it, that's a reasonable suggestion, and when I was looking for one I tracked it for a few weeks, however there are several hurdles.

There's virtually no Hakko on the used market anywhere in Europe (one FX-951 on ebay.de right now at EUR 215 "buy it now") as far as I can tell. It's 90% Weller and the rest is mostly Ersa.

Regarding the split, I'm not surprised as Hakko doesn't have much presence in the EU market (not sure they're even all that interested  ). 

FWIW, Ersa is almost unheard of here in the US (primary interest seems to be their production line equipment, not their hand work products). Procurement of spares would be limited to Ersa's corporate office here, as there are no distributors that carry their products in the US (nothing, not even tips).

The OP's budget of 20EUR made matters particularly difficult.

[Yago]

On the face of it, that's a reasonable suggestion, and when I was looking for one I tracked it for a few weeks, however there are several hurdles.

There's virtually no Hakko on the used market anywhere in Europe (one FX-951 on ebay.de right now at EUR 215 "buy it now") as far as I can tell. It's 90% Weller and the rest is mostly Ersa.

Regarding the split, I'm not surprised as Hakko doesn't have much presence in the EU market (not sure they're even all that interested  ). 

FWIW, Ersa is almost unheard of here in the US (primary interest seems to be their production line equipment, not their hand work products). Procurement of spares would be limited to Ersa's corporate office here, as there are no distributors that carry their products in the US (nothing, not even tips).

The OP's budget of 20EUR made matters particularly difficult.

Grass is always greener, and I thought Ersa too!( perhaps there are few examples.. )

$20 is asking too much, bite the bullet and save, be practical.

I had a look at the used market in Europe for a while, when I was looking for a station, and there seemed to be a lot of Weller Magnastat about.
Not the best, but is temp controlled of sorts, parts are available and they clearly last.