YES !
I don't need a desoldering tool badly enough to justify the expense right now, seeing how little use it would get.
However my hot air station, the cheap 858+ I bought for 50 Euros 4/5 years ago... that I could justify because for little money it allowed me to tackle SMD stuff which I just could not do before.
It opened a new world of possibilities for only 50 Euros.
Here Vince, Defpom got one from Banggood to compare with a older one he's had for years:
Later he does some mods to it:
YES !
I don't need a desoldering tool badly enough to justify the expense right now, seeing how little use it would get.
However my hot air station, the cheap 858+ I bought for 50 Euros 4/5 years ago... that I could justify because for little money it allowed me to tackle SMD stuff which I just could not do before.
It opened a new world of possibilities for only 50 Euros.
Here Vince, Defpom got one from Banggood to compare with a older one he's had for years:
Later he does some mods to it:
Exact same one as my RS unit
Exact same one as my RS unit
US$179.39 using the Defpom to Banggood link.
Might be worth spending a little time to check every solder joint now you've found a few bad ones....
LAst week I touched up EVERY single joint on that back plane, each and everyone ! Yet that freaking ground wire still failed....
.. because yeah, "touching up" is not good enough, you NEED to suck/wick the joint completely to expose the pad and then only can you see if the pad is tinned/good, or just bare copper that the joint didn't stick to ! So that's a lot work to do ! 
No I don't have a power desoldering tool, just wick and manual pump/solder sucker.
So I'm guessing one of 3 causes... Just some WAG here...
Improper storage and/or subsequent lack of prep on PCBs caused them to have a wee bit too much oxide layer for proper wetting.
Crappy flux and/or solder made from recycled car batteries/impure lead. I'm thinking maybe post-war shortages of lead...?
Incomplete tinning of copper (or perhaps just crappy Paxolin PCB) allowed moisture/air oxidation to sublimate under what solder was there over many years.
mnem
Hmmm... given the age of the instrument... dooya think maybe it was manufactured using dip soldering instead of wave soldering...? 
Exact same one as my RS unit
US$179.39 using the Defpom to Banggood link.
Safe to say I've been had with the RS branded unit, but if you google on ProsKit SS-331 there are a lot better deals than Defpoms, even locally inside the EU...
Exact same one as my RS unit
US$179.39 using the Defpom to Banggood link.
OK so it's the RS one but at about half the price ! That's more like it
I would call that good enough value for money in my wallet/book...
Thanks for the ideas chaps. Now need to go work outside on the garage construction, weather is nice, need to make use of it...
Exact same one as my RS unit
US$179.39 using the Defpom to Banggood link.
Safe to say I've been had with the RS branded unit, but if you google on ProsKit SS-331 there are a lot better deals than Defpoms, even locally inside the EU...
Had a quick look on French Amazon and Ebay, same Price as Defpom. About 150/160 Euros shipped.
If you find cheaper in the Euro zone, please share !
OK gotta get some work done now... have fun people.
YES !
I don't need a desoldering tool badly enough to justify the expense right now, seeing how little use it would get.
However my hot air station, the cheap 858+ I bought for 50 Euros 4/5 years ago... that I could justify because for little money it allowed me to tackle SMD stuff which I just could not do before.
It opened a new world of possibilities for only 50 Euros.
I'll second Saskia's suggestion that perhaps you should invest a little time in developing your hot-air & SoldaPullt desoldering technique. Cost is well... a afternoon or so, some flux and scrap PCBs.
I'm of mixed opinion on desoldering stations... IME, even the good ones are a fair bit of assache when it comes time to clean the handset. The difference between the good ones and the cheap ones is how many desoldering cycles you get through before you have to stop and clean them. My Ayoue 2702 is middle-of-the-road at best.
-group-therapy-thread/?action=dlattach;attach=1462030;image)
So for most brief desoldering jobs, I'll still usually grab one of my cheap & cheerful Chinese clones of a genuine
SoldaPullt (really, the only design of these that works worth a shit) as I usually already have the Metcal in my hand.
mnem
*tssssssssst*
I see TM500, I buy TM500....
I'm of mixed opinion on desoldering stations... IME, even the good ones are a fair bit of assache when it comes time to clean the handset. The difference between the good ones and the cheap ones is how many desoldering cycles you get through before you have to stop and clean them.
There's truth to that, but there is a counterbalancing parameter: how long it takes to clean it out.
I've found these to be good. It is fast to clean: just pull it out and push it in (no unscrewing), and squeeze it to loosen blobs in the silicone tube. Flexible silicone tip deforms to where you need it to go. Plus they aren't expensive
https://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/desoldering-reworking-tools/3437253
I've got this one:
https://www.ebay.fr/itm/223636948431
Does what it's supposed to do.
Yep, that is the same one I have as well but with a different brand name on it. Works very well and comes with a selection of different size tips/nozzles.
Just posted another short video clip up on YT of where I was last Saturday, before I repaired the cassette deck, if anyone is interested, here is the link.
Boring Just for Fun Everyday Print #312: Sword Gamepiece 
So the other day my son decided he wanted a Claymore sword as a gamepiece...
Took us a good 30-40 minutes to draw this up, and because it is small (base diameter 30mm/75mm height), and I wanted it be sharp-ish looking, and I knew I'd need to get some infill grid inside the blade itself, I decided it was time to get into the finest setting available on the profile for 0.40 nozzle: 0.12mm LH. That's 625 layers!
So came about a fair bit of work tuning and tweaking the CR6-SE... it had gone a bit rough after the move. All that work paid off however... 3rd iteration printed beautifully! My son and I are both dead chuffed with the results. Honestly, I'm amazed we can get this level of precision from a V-roller build
at all.
-group-therapy-thread/?action=dlattach;attach=901704;image)
As always; for those who care, full details and 3DP Nerd-stats can be found on the 3DP Thread.Cheers!
mnem
-group-therapy-thread/?action=dlattach;attach=900426;image)
I see TM500, I buy TM500....
Slightly envious...
Although you missed a tiny fact: shouldn't that have read I see TM5000, I buy TM5000....?
I see TM500, I buy TM500....
Slightly envious...
Although you missed a tiny fact: shouldn't that have read I see TM5000, I buy TM5000....?
Eehh, what's an extra zero between friends?
Currently I'm updating the firmware on my newly acquired TDS784D from v6.4e to 7.4e.
I also have the Jitter Analysis, Eye Diagram Measurement and Communications Eye Diagram Measurement, and Enhanced Printing apps installed and working.
One day I'll find the Power Analysis (used with a current clamp) and disk drive measurement apps too, one day...
I see TM500, I buy TM500....
Slightly envious...
Although you missed a tiny fact: shouldn't that have read I see TM5000, I buy TM5000....?
Eehh, what's an extra zero between friends?
That depends on whether you have a fitting mainframe or not!
I got three TM5006 mainframes.
hahahaha
Too much stuff, help meeeeeee!
Wherever you are.
If you want to improve without spending a fortune:
