What happens after having a cheap chinese soldering station for some time.

[daybyter]

And how much did that Hakko cost? I have a genuine Weller adjustable soldering iron - the transformer still works great, but the handpiece cable has fallen to bits. Does that make it bad or just indicate that things wear out? It could be thirty years old or it could be ten - I've had it about 8 years. For the cost of the replacement handset, I bought a YiHua with hot air - something I wouldn't buy in a Hakko or Weller because I don't have $800 spare.

What did you do with this cable? My 30+ years old weller works great. No cable, transformer,... issues.

[Jidis]

I have a genuine Weller adjustable soldering iron - the transformer still works great, but the handpiece cable has fallen to bits. Does that make it bad or just indicate that things wear out? It could be thirty years old or it could be ten - I've had it about 8 years. For the cost of the replacement handset, I bought a YiHua with hot air - something I wouldn't buy in a Hakko or Weller because I don't have $800 spare.

You guys should be thankful if there are replacement handsets (despite the high price). The only reason I have my Chinese desoldering station is that Weller stopped producing tips for the one I paid many hundred for. I'm thinking that with as many of these as they're pumping out, tips will probably be around a while, but at least it will be a much less expensive paperweight if not.

Take Care

PS- In their defense, here's an attachment of the gun I use for heavy stuff (inherited from Uncle).

[SeanB]

You guys should be thankful if there are replacement handsets (despite the high price). The only reason I have my Chinese desoldering station is that Weller stopped producing tips for the one I paid many hundred for. I'm thinking that with as many of these as they're pumping out, tips will probably be around a while, but at least it will be a much less expensive paperweight if not.

Take Care

PS- In their defense, here's an attachment of the gun I use for heavy stuff (inherited from Uncle).

You do know that that soldering gun has a lifetime warranty on it from Pep Boys? It is older than me, though I have the Bosch version, which is very good for doing soldering that is too big for a small soldering iron, but where the MAPP torch or the acetylene torch is a little overkill.

[Jidis]

You do know that that soldering gun has a lifetime warranty on it from Pep Boys?

And just my luck, something with such a great warranty never ends up breaking on me. 

I'd love to see the look on their faces if I went in there with that receipt though.

This thread got me wondering on those desoldering tips though if I could turn one out of copper bar on a lathe I got. Didn't know if unplated tips would work for something like that. I've got a few wide flat ones I ground for tinning boards which have done OK, but I thought I heard that solid copper doesn't hold up too long.