need reocommendation for soldering iron

[arvaser]

hello my friends, i decided to buy a new soldering iron.
until now i used YiHUA rework station (the heat gun is good but the soldering iron very not comftorable).
mostly i rework on iphone and galaxy motherboards, which iron tip it the most recommended for my soldering iron? maybe the problem that i can't work with my soldering iron is the tip? or maybe just the soldering iron is crapy?
anyway, i would like you to recommend me a good soldering iron for about 150$ (i think it's enough)

my rework station is YiHUA 898D
the problem with my soldering iron is that when i touch the "ground" soldering (for example when i try to add some solder i find it very hard since it takes a few seconds until the ground pad is heating up, also when i try to use soldering wick on that same pad i just have to hold the sodlering iron about 15-20 seconds until it starts to wick the solder.
sorry for my english, thank you.

also, i saw a lot of good comments on the "Weller WES51 Analog Soldering Station" which cost around 100$ on eBay, can you find me something better for around 100-150$ maybe other brand?
thanks

[nanofrog]

It would help make recommendations/provide links if you post your location.  Or better yet, set your location in your User Profile (puts a flag under the userID), as it's always visible in any thread.   

Now if you're in the US for example, you could get either the Weller WES51 or Hakko FX-888D within your budget, and still have enough to get a decent selection of tips. If in Europe, you'd pay more, and would likely have to increase your budget to get something decent (assuming new). Amazon is a good source for either of these stations.

Used might also be worth considering if you can get one with all the necessary parts (base + iron). JBC, Weller, Ersa, Hakko, or Metcal would be brands to check for, and might be able to get you a unit with more features than the basic stations mentioned above (i.e. setback capabilities, auto-off, ... types of things).

[arvaser]

Hi, thank you for your comment, i'm living in Israel, and in Israel it is pretty expensive so i prefer to buy it at online stores that can ship it to Israel.
In the place where i work there is hakko FX-951 and Metcal SP200 (the Metcal is awesome!!!!!) but it's very expensive for me.
i can invest maximum 150$, do you think i can get something good for that price ? as i told before i need it for rework on iphone and galaxy logic boards.

[nanofrog]

Shipping and customs/taxes will hurt from what I'm seeing.

Found a US seller on eBay that will ship a Hakko FX-888D to Israel, but it's ~$75 just for the shipping and customs fees (LINK). If you can get it for the first bid price, it will make your budget with ~$10 to spare. Other sellers end up ~$190 mark all-in.

And these are US voltage standard based models, so you'd need a step-down transformer to make it work. Also keep in mind, this is just to get you a decent station. Nothing really left for tips, or a pre-heating plate (i.e. compensates for the thermal losses resulting from power and ground planes), which you may find you need.

I'm thinking you might want to look for an Ersa iCon Nano for a new station (230V, so no transformer to add to the total cost). Weller would be another option, but you'll want to be sure you get a 230V model, as they tend to offer 3x variants for mains input (100V, 120V, and 230V).

Given your budget, you might want to try for a decent used station instead. Or be patient, and put additional funds aside to cover the difference on whatever model you decide on.

Lots of choices, but it looks like the cost is going to be ugly vs. the US in most cases. 

[Frost]

I'm thinking you might want to look for an Ersa iCon Nano for a new station (230V, so no transformer to add to the total cost).

I think a new Nano is out of the budget ~190 Euro + VAT -> ~280$ + VAT 
Maybe the Ersa Pico ~118 Euro + VAT -> ~175$ + VAT

[nanofrog]

I'm thinking you might want to look for an Ersa iCon Nano for a new station (230V, so no transformer to add to the total cost).

I think a new Nano is out of the budget ~190 Euro + VAT -> ~280$ + VAT 
Maybe the Ersa Pico ~118 Euro + VAT -> ~175$ + VAT

No idea what the Nano would go for in Israel, but it and likely anything else new, will exceed budget. Saw 175EUR for the Nano, and then there's shipping and customs on top.

Not a fan of the Pico as a general purpose iron (seems aimed at SMT to me, given the largest chisel tip is only 2.0mm wide), nor is it ESD compliant.

BTW, 230V Weller equivalent to the WES51, is the WS 81 (seller located in Dubai), and sells for 233EUR (= ~319USD, so more than double the OP's max budget). So given the current budget, I think used is going to be the best option. Otherwise, the OP will have to increase the budget to cover a station, and likely a pre-heater (el-cheapo from Asia will work).

[arvaser]

Hi, thank you for all your comments.
I have found a used weller WES51 analog soldering station for around 125$ including shipping
What do you think? Is it good choise?
Maybe there are other soldering iron from different brands that cost the same but are much better ?

[nanofrog]

Hi, thank you for all your comments.
I have found a used weller WES51 analog soldering station for around 125$ including shipping
What do you think? Is it good choise?
Maybe there are other soldering iron from different brands that cost the same but are much better ?

Given where you're located (similar pricing as Europe, and use a 230V power grid), it's probably the least expensive US voltage station you'll find (definitely cheaper than a 230V station from a major brand, if purchased new).

Keep in mind though, if you do purchase the WES51, you will need a step-down transformer of sufficient size to operate it on 230V (figure 200 - 300W for safety factor, as they're never 100% efficient), as the WES51 is designed for 120V. Which is an additional cost, along with a modest selection of iron tips, which will exceed the balance of your budget, so keep this in mind as well.

Regarding tips for the WES51 (ET series tips), make sure you can get them easily and inexpensively in Israel before you buy that station.

This is why I keep thinking about used stations perhaps being a better alternative, and specifically sourced from countries that use 230V single phase power systems (i.e. Europe, Australia, NZ, Asia <excluding Japan>, ...). Worst case, you might have to change the plug this way, but wouldn't need a step-down transformer. Tips would likely be more commonly available to you as well, given the 230V specification.

[Sbampato12]

I used a WES51 for 2~3 years, 3 years ago on my previus job. This is a very good option. In my actual job, we have a WESD51, which has a digital display for the temp, just this diference. In my particular bench, I have a WD1. For me, Weller is a great choice.
As someone alredy told here, see if you could get the tips for your iron before. Here in Brazil, the prices (for stations and tips) are ridiculous high, but this is here. By what I see on newark, in US the prices are very, very better than here  .

[nanofrog]

In my particular bench, I have a WD1.

Same here. Picked up a Stop-n-Go stand that works with both irons, WMP and WSP80. Tips are widely available in the US, and not horribly expensive. In the case of the LT series, Plato tips offer a slightly less expensive alternative tip source, and the QC seems to be more consistent than Weller (small sample sizes though due to hobbyist use).

Might want to look into them, if they're available. Or see if a friend in the US would reship them to you.

As someone alredy told here, see if you could get the tips for your iron before. Here in Brazil, the prices (for stations and tips) are ridiculous high, but this is here. By what I see on newark, in US the prices are very, very better than here  .

Costs for stations, consumables, T&M gear, ... seems to get crazy outside the US. 

[IanB]

Instead of looking for a new iron, maybe see if you can find a good deal on a used Metcal or JBC?

[nanofrog]

Instead of looking for a new iron, maybe see if you can find a good deal on a used Metcal or JBC?

This is the point I've been trying to make as well, given the budget.  Even expand the brands a bit to include Weller or Ersa to give more options (their 230V models should be easier to locate than Hakko on the used market). Perhaps not as quick/responsive as JBC or Metcal, but not garbage by any means, and would be an improvement from what the OP currently has.

I just don't see a new station coming in at 150USD shipped, and having everything needed to make it work in a 230V mains country (OP keeps looking at US voltage stations to meet budget, but means he'd need to add ~$30 + shipping for a step-down transformer <US prices>). I've the impression the latter part of this hasn't sunk in ATM.

[Sbampato12]

In my particular bench, I have a WD1.

Same here. Picked up a Stop-n-Go stand that works with both irons, WMP and WSP80.
[/quote]

So, we really could say SAME.
I have a WMP and a WSP80, too.
The WMP is a really good iron to work with some smd components.

[nanofrog]

So, we really could say SAME.
I have a WMP and a WSP80, too.
The WMP is a really good iron to work with some smd components.

Nice setup, for sure.  WMP was made specifically for SMD work, and it does well at it. Can do some PTH, but it's not all that great at it in my experiments. WSP80 kicks it to the curb for PTH (don't see it as a power issue, but more to do with tip mass, as the power difference is only 15W). The WSP80 is even better suited to larger SMD devices, or devices that sit on/around ground planes.

The new stand has improved tip life (not having to clean them as much <tip cleaner compound, not normal tip tinning with solder wire>, as I've programmed setback to engage immediately when the iron is placed in). But given the cost of these stations, I was disappointed that Weller requires users to spend even more $$$ to fully enable this feature, as it's not included (has timers otherwise, but didn't work as well for me). By the time I added it all up, I've spent enough to have picked up a JBC (w/ the smaller 210 iron) instead with change left over. Worse yet, the Hakko FX-951 includes this feature, and still comes in cheaper than the WD1002. Makes Weller a bit light on value in this segment IMHO.

[arvaser]

hi, i was able to get the Weller WES50 for free ! and now it got very thick tip which isn't good for iphone / galaxy soldering works.
i need such a tip that i will be able to get with him to a very small places but that it will be good enough for wick desoldering.
i saw this one and it looks perfect for it, what do you think ?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/FOR-Weller-Soldering-Station-Solder-Iron-Tip-ETL-2-0MM-NEW-/150856967853?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item231fc6a6ad

also, the price of the tip is ok?
and is the wes50 and wes51 tips are the same ?
thank you very much !!!!

[nanofrog]

hi, i was able to get the Weller WES50 for free ! and now it got very thick tip which isn't good for iphone / galaxy soldering works.
i need such a tip that i will be able to get with him to a very small places but that it will be good enough for wick desoldering.
i saw this one and it looks perfect for it, what do you think ?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/FOR-Weller-Soldering-Station-Solder-Iron-Tip-ETL-2-0MM-NEW-/150856967853?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item231fc6a6ad

also, the price of the tip is ok?
and is the wes50 and wes51 tips are the same ?
thank you very much !!!!

Yes, the WES50 uses the same tips as the WES51 (both use ET series).

Linked tip is from China. Have a couple of them (LT series) for testing from the same seller, but don't have much time on them. So far, so good, but I can't say how they'll hold up long-term.

Regarding pricing, they're very close to genuine Weller prices. LINK is even cheaper as pre the selling price, but given your location, they may not be after shipping and customs get added.

Is the station 230V or 120V (Weller offered both IIRC)?

[beda]

hi, i was able to get the Weller WES50 for free ! and now it got very thick tip which isn't good for iphone / galaxy soldering works.
i need such a tip that i will be able to get with him to a very small places but that it will be good enough for wick desoldering.
.........

Do you think your problem is because the 898D 45W power is insufficient to maintain a hot temperature for desoldering ground connections. The Weller WES50 is 50W which is only 5W extra but since you got it for free, you might as well try it.