I eagerly await my secret membership card in the mail :-)
I currently have the STTC-136 chisel tip, the SMTC-188 slot tip,
and the SMTC-1175 hoof tip.
So, say I wanted to solder a VQFP-100 or TQFP-208. I was
thinking you would drag solder those with a hoof tip. Are you
saying it's better to use the STMC-160 blade tip instead,
presumably by laying down a line of solder paste first?
I can see using two of the blade tips to quickly remove
two-sided SOICs. Normally, I'd use hot air, but I'd think using
two blades would be much faster. That's why I got the slot tip --
I change SMD resistors often enough that it's faster to use
that tip than the hot air.
I take it Thermaltronics is knocking off expired Metcal patents?
The Metcal is a huge step up from the Weller, which itself was
a huge step up from some Radio Shack wiring pencil thingy
from decades ago....
Scott