3 ms·

Hakko fx888 is a good quality iron but quite outdated tech. The biggest downside is it doesn’t measure the temperature at the tip, but at the heater.

blahlabs 2y ago
When I first bought mine I tried to adjust the temperature in what felt like the natural way to do so, without rtfm first of course. Then I quickly learned that I had adjusted the temperature calibration. I reverted what I had done but now I am not confident about the temperature its operating at, at all. Seems a terrible interface design.
- XorNot 2y ago
  Yep I did that too. I recalibrated by using the thermocouple on my multimeter. That's not my biggest problem though - my biggest problem has just been keeping tips tinned properly. I've succeeded once, but it constantly feels like a struggle.
  - pkolaczk 2y ago
    I found that brass wool works better at keeping tips tinned. A sponge removes all the solder and you have to quickly tin the tip immediately after wiping, otherwise it oxidizes. Wiping with brass wool leaves a thin layer of solder on the tip. Also keeping the tip at moderate temperature range helps avoid oxidation - most manufacturers recommend to never exceed 400 C. JBC recommends to not exceed 370 C. Hope this helps.
BraverHeart 2y ago
Can you suggest an alternative please?
- auxym 2y ago
  In the hakko line, fx-951 is the step-up which uses a heater and sensor in the tip (t15/t12 tips). The alternative, for a hobbyist, would be something like this new iFixit iron, the Pinecil, Miniware TS80/TS100 or one of the variety of chinese irons from amazon and Aliexpress that take Hakko T12 tips (Quicko and similar). On the high-end, professional side, it's JBC and Metcal. Expensive.
  - dannas 2y ago
    I recommend https://eleshop.eu/jbc-bt-2bqa-soldering-station.html https://eleshop.eu/jbc-bt-2bqa-soldering-station.html The handle is so light! Active tips! Heats up in 2 seconds. Goes to standby mode when you put away the handle to save the tips. There's even a lighter compatible precision handle that you can buy. Luke Gorrie posted a bunch of Twitter threads where he compare the sizes of soldering handles. Can't find it now but https://github.com/lukego/soldering https://github.com/lukego/soldering might lead you to them.
    - dannas 2y ago
      Here's the photo of different soldering handles: https://x.com/lukego/status/1308366430849716226/photo/1 https://x.com/lukego/status/1308366430849716226/photo/1
- aconbere 2y ago
  I upgraded to a Pace ADS200 and it’s dope.
  - chuho 2y ago
    I'm a ADS200 fan, too. Bought one recently after way too many years of using a 30W Weller. Having a big choice of tips is nice. As a bonus, it's made in the US. I've been able to tackle projects that I'd never have even thought of trying with the old soldering iron.
- pkolaczk 2y ago
  For affordable, semi-professional grade equipment, it is hard to beat Quick. I have Quick 202d + Quick 861dw. The tips on 202d are integrated with thermocouples and heating is indirect but inductive, which strikes a nice balance between the price of the tips (3x more affordable than cartridge tips) and performance (heats just like cartridge tips). The handle is light and has short grip-to-tip distance. I still use the original tips I bought a few years ago, so they last. I always soldered lead free and I’m shocked people on the internet find lead free hard. Some even said I must be nuts to solder lead free at 600-650F.

blahlabs 2y ago

When I first bought mine I tried to adjust the temperature in what felt like the natural way to do so, without rtfm first of course. Then I quickly learned that I had adjusted the temperature calibration. I reverted what I had done but now I am not confident about the temperature its operating at, at all. Seems a terrible interface design.

XorNot 2y ago
Yep I did that too. I recalibrated by using the thermocouple on my multimeter. That's not my biggest problem though - my biggest problem has just been keeping tips tinned properly. I've succeeded once, but it constantly feels like a struggle.
- pkolaczk 2y ago
  I found that brass wool works better at keeping tips tinned. A sponge removes all the solder and you have to quickly tin the tip immediately after wiping, otherwise it oxidizes. Wiping with brass wool leaves a thin layer of solder on the tip. Also keeping the tip at moderate temperature range helps avoid oxidation - most manufacturers recommend to never exceed 400 C. JBC recommends to not exceed 370 C. Hope this helps.

BraverHeart 2y ago

Can you suggest an alternative please?

auxym 2y ago
In the hakko line, fx-951 is the step-up which uses a heater and sensor in the tip (t15/t12 tips). The alternative, for a hobbyist, would be something like this new iFixit iron, the Pinecil, Miniware TS80/TS100 or one of the variety of chinese irons from amazon and Aliexpress that take Hakko T12 tips (Quicko and similar). On the high-end, professional side, it's JBC and Metcal. Expensive.
- dannas 2y ago
  I recommend https://eleshop.eu/jbc-bt-2bqa-soldering-station.html https://eleshop.eu/jbc-bt-2bqa-soldering-station.html The handle is so light! Active tips! Heats up in 2 seconds. Goes to standby mode when you put away the handle to save the tips. There's even a lighter compatible precision handle that you can buy. Luke Gorrie posted a bunch of Twitter threads where he compare the sizes of soldering handles. Can't find it now but https://github.com/lukego/soldering https://github.com/lukego/soldering might lead you to them.
  - dannas 2y ago
    Here's the photo of different soldering handles: https://x.com/lukego/status/1308366430849716226/photo/1 https://x.com/lukego/status/1308366430849716226/photo/1
aconbere 2y ago
I upgraded to a Pace ADS200 and it’s dope.
- chuho 2y ago
  I'm a ADS200 fan, too. Bought one recently after way too many years of using a 30W Weller. Having a big choice of tips is nice. As a bonus, it's made in the US. I've been able to tackle projects that I'd never have even thought of trying with the old soldering iron.
pkolaczk 2y ago
For affordable, semi-professional grade equipment, it is hard to beat Quick. I have Quick 202d + Quick 861dw. The tips on 202d are integrated with thermocouples and heating is indirect but inductive, which strikes a nice balance between the price of the tips (3x more affordable than cartridge tips) and performance (heats just like cartridge tips). The handle is light and has short grip-to-tip distance. I still use the original tips I bought a few years ago, so they last. I always soldered lead free and I’m shocked people on the internet find lead free hard. Some even said I must be nuts to solder lead free at 600-650F.