11 ms·
A few years back I bought a Chinese hot air rework station for <$200. Maybe like “Ayoye” or something with a lot of vowels. It has a soldering iron with a vacuu
by salmo 4y ago
A few years back I bought a Chinese hot air rework station for <$200. Maybe like “Ayoye” or something with a lot of vowels. It has a soldering iron with a vacuum pump as well.
I never really use the hot air part but am in love with the iron. I can dial in the temp and avoid breathing fumes directly. It is so much nicer to use than my old Weller with a temp dial.
- JKCalhoun 4y agoYeah, I have been disappointed with Weller. Still, anything's probably better than the Radio Shack pencil iron I started out with (and thought I was bad at soldering).
- spookthesunset 4y agoLiterally, right? No wonder so many people think they suck at soldering! I know I did! Turns out it’s not me, it’s the tools! Once I got a real iron, a real solder, and a real part holder my skills are infinitely better. I enjoy soldering now!
- salmo 4y agoSame. I still break out my Radio Shack desoldering iron from time to time, but only for things that can take the abuse.
- Ccecil 4y agoThe Aoyue hotair station I have has a soldering iron which is a clone of a hakko 936. Uses the same tips even. I almost exclusively use my Metcals now...the Aoyue has a tip for inserting heat set brass inserts to 3d prints nowadays, I don't use it to solder much. Sidenote: My hotair station is almost 8 years old...still works fine. So for the money it was worth it for sure.