does anyone hate the digital controls for soldering irons? I like the damn potentiometer.
Yes, I love the damn potentiometer! But the same people that thinks that a solder station (or a hammer for example) need to seem like a smartphone they love the displays and buttons and if have a big HD screen with visual effects and real time graphics better off course.
I not understand these people, when I use a solder station I'm concentrated in solder, not in the screensaver at the solder station, never need to change a firmware that was thought by people that knows a looooot more than me in solder circuits and tested it for years in factories.
I believe that a hammer it's not a better tool at all if it have screen and interface to hack, it's better if it have ergonomics, balance and off course the best steel.
I know people really big and respected at their work that still soldering with an old 936 and they solder better than most of people with fancy solder stations plenty of temp profiles, buttons lights and animated graphics in hd screens. These people are soldering or seeing a movie in their solder stations screen???
Nor does it take out the trash, pour you a frosty beverage or massage your aching muscles. Now, if it does the soldering job you need it to do and does it in a way that meets your expectations and doesn't annoy you, then you don't need a new one.
the best answer!
ironsniper1:
I had for years a 888D, worked like a charm, and still use it!. Buy by parts a FX-951 because I need to solder a LOTS of very small smd components under the microscope. Work better? Yes, but I think that barely justify the cost/benefit at the moment of solder a component. It justify the extra cost by their better ergonomics but principally the possibility of change the tip in seconds, but all the solder stations with cartridge tip share this improvement.
A friend of mine borrowed me a JBC. Nice solder station but the difference in price it's not justificable to me, maybe for people that solder very massive GND PAD's, but I solder it without problem with both of my solder stations.
If you are comfortable with your 888d, don't change it, invert this money in another gadget, your solder station would be work for decades.