Soldering Stations Question
Locked
 
|
I recently purchased a Xytronic 379 Auto-Temp soldering station.
I also purchased several optional tips. I was mainly interested in the XY-B03 fine tip for circuit boards with tiny pads such as the K2 SSB board. I've found the long Xy-B03 fine tip to be worthless due to it being made out of hollow steel that wont hold the heat. The all steel tip that came with the iron is just fine if your careful in tight areas. So my question is: Do any of the soldering stations currently being sold come with real brass or copper tips? I'm not talking about the soldering stations purchased 10 yrs ago. I mean the current production irons. Most - if not all - of todays offerings appear to be made in China and my guess is all them have gone to 100% steel tips. The irons I have used previously from 25 yrs ago had brass or copper alloy which have a protective layer of iron on the tip. And they hold the heat perfectly, unlike these new all steel tips. Even though this Xytronic 379 has auto temp control, it cant keep up with the heat loss of the B03 hollow tip and I've found it completely useless for even a tinniest of pads. Frank W7IS _______________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Post to: [hidden email] You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com |
RE: Soldering Stations Question
|
|
Frank W7IS asked:
recently purchased a Xytronic 379 Auto-Temp soldering station. I also purchased several optional tips. I was mainlyinterested in the XY-B03 fine tip for circuit boards with tiny pads such as the K2 SSB board. I've found the long Xy-B03 fine tip to be worthless due to it being made out of hollow steel that wont hold the heat. The all steel tip that came with the iron is just fine if your careful in tight areas. So my question is: Do any of the soldering stations currently being sold come with real brass or copper tips? I'm not talking about the soldering stations purchased 10 yrs ago. I mean the current production irons. Most - if not all - of todays offerings appear to be made in China and my Guess is all them have gone to 100% steel tips. The irons I have used previously from 25 yrs ago had brass or copper alloy which have a protective layer of iron on the tip. And they hold the heat perfectly, unlike these new all steel tips. Even though this Xytronic 379 has auto temp control, it cant keep up with the heat loss of the B03 hollow tip and I've found it completely useless for even a tinniest of pads ---------------------------------------------- My Hakko uses steel tips, but has no problems providing lots of heat, but it's not because the tip retains heat. Many of the newer and better temperature-controlled stations specifically do *not* want the tip to retain a lot of heat. That's because when you turn down the heat you expect the iron to cool rapidly to the new lower temperature, and when you take the iron off of the work, they don't want the temperature of 'overshoot' when lots of calories are no longer being delivered to the solder joint. Instead of a large tip mass, the depend upon robust heaters and good thermal conductivity to the tip to pump in the calories as needed to hold up the temperature when soldering and then they instantly level off when the tip is no longer in contact with the work. I don't know the Xytronic specifically, but one thing that often causes trouble with adequate heat in these types of irons is a bad thermal path from the heater to the tip - usually some black carbonized dust, etc. that gets between the heater and the tip itself. That can make an otherwise FB iron really anemic! Try disassembling the unit and carefully cleaning all the parts from the heater core to the tip! Ron AC7AC _______________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Post to: [hidden email] You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com |
Re: Soldering Stations Question
|
|
In reply to this post by W7is
This is why you need to get a Weller WTCPT which still uses real
copper, iron-clad tips and is made in the USA. I swear by my Weller, life is too short for junky irons! 73 de Alex NS6Y. On Jul 21, 2006, at 11:55 AM, [hidden email] wrote: > I recently purchased a Xytronic 379 Auto-Temp soldering station. > I also purchased several optional tips. I was mainly interested in > the XY-B03 fine tip for circuit boards with tiny pads such as the K2 > SSB board. I've found the long Xy-B03 fine tip to be worthless > due to it > being > made out of hollow steel that wont hold the heat. The all steel > tip that > came > with the iron is just fine if your careful in tight areas. > > So my question is: Do any of the soldering stations currently > being sold > come with real brass or copper tips? I'm not talking about the > soldering > stations purchased 10 yrs ago. I mean the current production irons. > Most - if not all - of todays offerings appear to be made in China > and my > guess > is all them have gone to 100% steel tips. > The irons I have used previously from 25 yrs ago had brass or > copper alloy > which have a protective layer of iron on the tip. And they > hold the > heat perfectly, unlike these new all steel tips. Even though this > Xytronic 379 > has auto temp control, it cant keep up with the heat loss of the > B03 hollow > tip > and I've found it completely useless for even a tinniest of pads. _______________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Post to: [hidden email] You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com |
|
|
I use a METCAL soldering station and a METCAL Desoldering station. This
is a real high end and expensive set-up and not for everyone. Weller is good but not made in the USA. At least not anymore. Components are made in China and Mexico like everything else. Get whatever you are comfortable with. Many soldering stations are overkill for most hobbiest. Pace makes a nice small soldering station called the Heatwise and like the METCAL uses the Currie effect to maintain very stable tip temp regardless of thermal load. Bottom line is to get something that your comfortable with and won't empty your wallet. Robert VE3RPF _______________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Post to: [hidden email] You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com |
Re: Soldering Stations Question
Administrator
|
I met two Metcal engineers (retired) at the SVARO.org swap meet and they
showed me a lot. They said they operate on 13.52MHz. They will go through a solder ingot one minute and solder SMT's the next. They said early models had no SWR foldback and they added 2 zeners for protection. Also look for small bolts near the F connector on the "power supply" (really transmitter) body. If they are missing, it generates RFI up to 800 MHz. 73, Leigh/WA5ZNU On Fri, 21 Jul 2006 4:03 pm, Robert wrote: > I use a METCAL soldering station and a METCAL _______________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Post to: [hidden email] You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com |
Re: Soldering Stations Question
|
|
In reply to this post by Robert-223
I'm glad you brought that up since I love the Metcal. You can get
decent Metcal stuff on Ebay. If I had to choose one iron, and I did, since I had a Metcal too, I'd choose my Weller. There's another brand, Japanese, called Hakko and imitators of the Weller stuff but that's ok they're good. The Weller WTCPT is the sweet spot, the most high quality iron for the cheapest price, spend $120 and you have a good soldering iron for life. Mine is USA-made, as far as I can tell the tips are, I don't know about the new stuff, they'd better not be making it in China but you'd better check the label if you want to avoid paying the people putting us out of work. Yes, the Weller Magnetrol system uses the Curie effect, it's really neat! 73 de Alex NS6Y. On Jul 21, 2006, at 4:03 PM, Robert wrote: > I use a METCAL soldering station and a METCAL Desoldering station. > This is a real high end and expensive set-up and not for everyone. > Weller is good but not made in the USA. At least not anymore. > Components are made in China and Mexico like everything else. > Get whatever you are comfortable with. Many soldering stations are > overkill for most hobbiest. Pace makes a nice small soldering > station called the > Heatwise and like the METCAL uses the Currie effect to maintain > very stable tip temp regardless of thermal load. > > Bottom line is to get something that your comfortable with and > won't empty your wallet. > > Robert VE3RPF > > > _______________________________________________ > Elecraft mailing list > Post to: [hidden email] > You must be a subscriber to post to the list. > Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): > http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm > Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com _______________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Post to: [hidden email] You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com |
|
|
In reply to this post by W7is
I agee with these comments. Weller has a good reputation but is also a very high end product price wise here in Hong Kong. Hakko, Goot, though 'made in Japan' are similar and also made with outsourced parts and probbaly labour. A Hakko 936 runs about $150 and a Hakko 808 desoldering gun around $200 here. Importing from the US is not very satisfactory, as local voltage here is 220VAC
I bought a Gordak 936A (China made clone of the Hako 936ESD) to build my K2. Cost $35. It worked perfectly satisfactorily although I did buy a Hakko 'made in Japan' steel tip, 1.6mm for the job. I used it for every solder joint in the K2, the tip still has llife left in it. I treated it to the recommended Kester 44 solder, which I had to import from Mouser, as I would be reluctant to trust 'brand x' China made solder at this stage of their development, warranty issues apart. Also have a Aoyue 936A which is similar. I also have a Aoyue 808 desoldering gun (China clone of the Hakko 808, cost about $55). That worked ok too using the standard (China made alloy) nozzle, as the Hakko nozzles were $25 here which I felt was too expensive. As things turned out I only had to use the desoldering gun a couple of times. Maybe it will fall apart in due time but it has served its purpose to date. The China made products seem reasonably well made and are good value for money out in thispart of the world. I have a Aoyue 474 desoldering station (Hakko 474 clone) waiting in the wings unused for that time! Wyn, VR2AX Weller is good but not made in the USA. At least not anymore. Components are made in China and Mexico like everything else. Get whatever you are comfortable with. Many soldering stations are overkill for most hobbiest. Pace makes a nice small soldering station called the Heatwise and like the METCAL uses the Currie effect to maintain very stable tip temp regardless of thermal load. Bottom line is to get something that your comfortable with and won't empty your wallet. Robert VE3RPF _______________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Post to: [hidden email] You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com |
Re: Soldering Stations Question
|
|
OK here's what you do. You get the handpiece to the Weller WTCPT and
you just run it on DC. The base unit is just a transformer. Actually maybe not DC, run the handpiece on AC, use a transformer to step down your wall voltage and there you go. The temp control is all in the handpiece with these. Yes, Curie was a genius. Goot makes good (or goot?) stuff. Hakko is also good. For desoldering, I just use braid these days. I know enough about Pace desoldering stuff to go work for 'em rebuilding their stations, but I just use braid. 73 de Alex NS6Y. On Jul 21, 2006, at 10:56 PM, Wyn Hughes wrote: > I agee with these comments. Weller has a good reputation but is > also a very high end product price wise here in Hong Kong. Hakko, > Goot, though 'made in Japan' are similar and also made with > outsourced parts and probbaly labour. A Hakko 936 runs about $150 > and a Hakko 808 desoldering gun around $200 here. Importing from > the US is not very satisfactory, as local voltage here is 220VAC > I bought a Gordak 936A (China made clone of the Hako 936ESD) to > build my K2. Cost $35. It worked perfectly satisfactorily although > I did buy a Hakko 'made in Japan' steel tip, 1.6mm for the job. I > used it for every solder joint in the K2, the tip still has llife > left in it. I treated it to the recommended Kester 44 solder, which > I had to import from Mouser, as I would be reluctant to trust > 'brand x' China made solder at this stage of their development, > warranty issues apart. > Also have a Aoyue 936A which is similar. I also have a Aoyue 808 > desoldering gun (China clone of the Hakko 808, cost about $55). > That worked ok too using the standard (China made alloy) nozzle, as > the Hakko nozzles were $25 here which I felt was too expensive. As > things turned out I only had to use the desoldering gun a couple of > times. Maybe it will fall apart in due time but it has served its > purpose to date. The China made products seem reasonably well made > and are good value for money out in thispart of the world. I have a > Aoyue 474 desoldering station (Hakko 474 clone) waiting in the > wings unused for that time! > > Wyn, VR2AX > > > Weller is good but not made in the USA. At least not anymore. > Components are made in China and Mexico like everything else. > Get whatever you are comfortable with. Many soldering stations are > overkill for most hobbiest. Pace makes a nice small soldering > station called the > Heatwise and like the METCAL uses the Currie effect to maintain > very stable tip temp regardless of thermal load. > > Bottom line is to get something that your comfortable with and > won't empty your wallet. > > > Robert VE3RPF > _______________________________________________ > Elecraft mailing list > Post to: [hidden email] > You must be a subscriber to post to the list. > Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): > http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm > Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com _______________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Post to: [hidden email] You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com |
«
Return to Elecraft
|
1 view|%1 views
| Free forum by Nabble | Edit this page |