Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[bd139]

A metcal is what god would have soldered the universe together with, if he existed and could afford the cartridges.

[neo]

]I got a proper powered desoldering station so the tip melts the solder, give a little wiggle while squeezing the trigger to switch the vacuum pump on and the solder gets sucked up into a catchment chamber, easy peasy.

Sent from my SM-J510FN using Tapatalk

Same, i dont know how I did it before with solderwick! I must have been insane!

These days I frequently replace 64 pin 68000 sockets from battery damaged Amiga's and without the solder gun there's no way I could do it - I just dont have the time or patience now.

Even with solder wick i find it nigh impossible.

Metcal writ on the side wouldn't be bad. 

In all seriousness what's the magic term, i type in desoldering and get a whole lotta useless results sub $300.

Also, the only problem with the big one is the space it can fit in, and while on the topic of desoldering anyone got any tips for double sided boards? I can desolder single sided like a champ but double side has been a permanent vexation.

The answer is once again a proper desoldering station with or without Metcal written on the side, oh hang a minute, pass me that marker pen and I'll write it on for you if your so hung up a brand name..

So then what is available cheaply that wont drive me batty?

A metcal is what god would have soldered the universe together with, if he existed and could afford the cartridges.

  It is not the brand name i love it is the technology, i do things with my metcal i would otherwise need a 300 watt gun for.

EDIT: I heartily approve of the concept of god using metcal, though i believe he exists. Call it a character flaw or superstition if you like.

[Specmaster]

Metcal writ on the side wouldn't be bad. 

In all seriousness what's the magic term, i type in desoldering and get a whole lotta useless results sub $300.

Also, the only problem with the big one is the space it can fit in, and while on the topic of desoldering anyone got any tips for double sided boards? I can desolder single sided like a champ but double side has been a permanent vexation.

Here you go, look at these,
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/150W-Desoldering-Rework-Iron-Station-Digital-De-Soldering-Gun-Dual-LCD-UK/162332257199
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Pro-Dual-LCD-Digital-2-in1-Soldering-Desoldering-Vacuum-Rework-Station-ZD-917/282698372391
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Aoyue-474A-Desoldering-Station/232388501417
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/DURATOOL-D00672-DESOLDERING-STATION/142477115310

The last one is the same one that I've got, like I said it works a treat.

[djos]

A metcal is what god would have soldered the universe together with, if he existed and could afford the cartridges.

Sometimes us mere mortals need to work with what we can afford....


 

[Specmaster]

A metcal is what god would have soldered the universe together with, if he existed and could afford the cartridges.

Sometimes us mere mortals need to work with what we can afford....


 

Exactly, I'd love to drive a Rolls Royce and not a Skoda...

[djos]

Here you go, look at these,
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Pro-Dual-LCD-Digital-2-in1-Soldering-Desoldering-Vacuum-Rework-Station-ZD-917/282698372391

The last one is the same one that I've got, like I said it works a treat.

I've got this very unit myself, I'd love a Weller (trained on them) but for fixing my mates gear and my other hobby needs I cant fault it.

[Specmaster]

Here you go, look at these,
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Pro-Dual-LCD-Digital-2-in1-Soldering-Desoldering-Vacuum-Rework-Station-ZD-917/282698372391

The last one is the same one that I've got, like I said it works a treat.

I've got this very unit myself, I'd love a Weller (trained on them) but for fixing my mates gear and my other hobby needs I cant fault it.

Yep, apart from it being a dual tool, there is nothing wrong with this brand, they are well put together and almost identical to the one that Dave tested. I only have the single tool version, and looking at the price differences, this twin tool one is real bargain, snap one up today...

[djos]

Here you go, look at these,
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Pro-Dual-LCD-Digital-2-in1-Soldering-Desoldering-Vacuum-Rework-Station-ZD-917/282698372391

The last one is the same one that I've got, like I said it works a treat.

I've got this very unit myself, I'd love a Weller (trained on them) but for fixing my mates gear and my other hobby needs I cant fault it.

Yep, apart from it being a dual tool, there is nothing wrong with this brand, they are well put together and almost identical to the one that Dave tested. I only have the single tool version, and looking at the price differences, this twin tool one is real bargain, snap one up today...

The best bit is spares are cheap and widely available - even our national electronics chain (Jaycar) rebrands this gear so if im in a bind (which is rare) I scoot down to my local store for tips or filters.

[BU508A]

Everyone knows that size matters when it comes to equipment.

Nope. Not in that case.
I've bought this 2 years ago and it is the best desoldering pump I've ever had (Engineer SS-02):

https://www.ebay.com/itm/112648207623

[ChrisLX200]

Everyone knows that size matters when it comes to equipment.

Nope. Not in that case.
I've bought this 2 years ago and it is the best desoldering pump I've ever had (Engineer SS-02):

https://www.ebay.com/itm/112648207623

Those things are fine for some jobs (I have one) but they are a ball-ache when you have to desolder a centipede - and you can't wiggle the legs around in a circle while sucking to clear all the solder from through-hole parts so you end up prodding the thing with the soldering iron while pulling on it (bad). I'll stick with an electric vacuum gun I think.

[BU508A]

Those things are fine for some jobs (I have one) but they are a ball-ache when you have to desolder a centipede - and you can't wiggle the legs around in a circle while sucking to clear all the solder from through-hole parts so you end up prodding the thing with the soldering iron while pulling on it (bad). I'll stick with an electric vacuum gun I think.

You are right, and I prefer an electric vacuum gun as well. But sometimes I can't use it (e.g. I'm involved in a thing which is called "Repair Bar" and I can't take my whole equipement to this place), therefore this desoldering pump is my second choice after the electric vacuum desoldering tool.

[Specmaster]

Everyone knows that size matters when it comes to equipment.

Nope. Not in that case.
I've bought this 2 years ago and it is the best desoldering pump I've ever had (Engineer SS-02):

https://www.ebay.com/itm/112648207623

Those things are fine for some jobs (I have one) but they are a ball-ache when you have to desolder a centipede - and you can't wiggle the legs around in a circle while sucking to clear all the solder from through-hole parts so you end up prodding the thing with the soldering iron while pulling on it (bad). I'll stick with an electric vacuum gun I think.

1000% agree with you 

[bd139]

I can't stand the vacuum desoldering pumps. I've had several and they make a right mess and chuck solder over everything.

I still think the best thing so far is, unless you're lifting one leg or something, snip the component out and use braid. Nice clean holes, no splatter. DIP? snip it out as well, solder a nice quality Harwin turned pin socket in at the same time (I have several tubes of them).

I'm going to be honest. I have got through the last 20 years with just braid so I'm going to stick with it for now

A roll of this lasts me about 3 months: https://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/desoldering-wicks-braids/7630709/

[Specmaster]

I can't stand the vacuum desoldering pumps. I've had several and they make a right mess and chuck solder over everything.

WTF!! How in the hell where you using it? All the ones I've seen leave no mess whatsoever and all the sucked up solder is retained in a small tank that needs to be emptied every now and then. I've never had any solder splattered all over the place at all?

[bd139]

It's the manual pump ones that do that. The vacuum pump driven ones are ok. The manual pump ones were banned when I did rework professionally. We used Weller DS801's which were pretty good (when they weren't clogged up!)

If you look carefully at a board after using a manual one for a bit, you will see lots of very tiny solder blobs over everything. They get into everything and cause trouble. The solder cools inside the nozzle and then when you re-arm it, they fall out before the thing has a chance to suck them back up again.

[Specmaster]

It's the manual pump ones that do that. The vacuum pump driven ones are ok. The manual pump ones were banned when I did rework professionally. We used Weller DS801's which were pretty good (when they weren't clogged up!)

If you look carefully at a board after using a manual one for a bit, you will see lots of very tiny solder blobs over everything. They get into everything and cause trouble. The solder cools inside the nozzle and then when you re-arm it, they fall out before the thing has a chance to suck them back up again.

Now that I can concur with, I have seen that many times and now I know why 

[ChrisLX200]

Not too happy with the spring solder catcher in the Aoyue 474A+ as it seems to be designed to never let go of it again. Only way of clearing it is to hold it with pliers and blast it with the hot air gun. Tried giving it a coat of silicone grease to stop it sticking but it made no difference, it's the shape of the thing. Other than that it's pretty effective.

[Specmaster]

Yes that spring has a neck that is too narrow

[bd139]

This thread is making me itchy for a new soldering iron now.

I love my Weller. It's near perfect but those Hakko 951's look nice (as much as I want one, I can't justify a Metcal iron)

[neo]

This thread is making me itchy for a new soldering iron now.

I love my Weller. It's near perfect but those Hakko 951's look nice (as much as I want one, I can't justify a Metcal iron)

I got my base for 120 used, came with some tips and a hand-piece base, a new handp-iece doesn't fit exactly the same but only cost me 80 and new tips only cost me 20 a pop. The tips last longer than the hand-piece if used properly.

[Zucca]

This thread is making me itchy for a new soldering iron now.

After I touched a Metcal I can't use anything else.... 

[nfmax]

This thread is making me itchy for a new soldering iron now.

After I touched a Metcal I can't use anything else.... 

Well not until the burns heal, anyway! 

[bd139]

Is the Metcal PS-900 any good? That's actually affordable (£216 from RS inc VAT)

Edit: cheaper on Rapid at £201 inc VAT
Edit 2: cheaper on Rapid via ebay at £185.39 inc VAT

[Specmaster]

This thread is making me itchy for a new soldering iron now.

After I touched a Metcal I can't use anything else.... 

Thats just rubbish, good they may be but to say you can't use anything else, come on., does it do the soldering for you? What would you do if Metcal stopped trading then, cease soldering would you???

[neo]

Is the Metcal PS-900 any good? That's actually affordable (£216 from RS inc VAT)

Edit: cheaper on Rapid at £201 inc VAT

I don't personally own it but, it has smart heat the big reason to want metcal. Besides that it is metcal so if your buying it new you almost can't go wrong.