high technology. keep yourself up to date or die.

[JC@]

I purchased a soldering / desoldering station.
A clone one, cheap but good. Not a hot air one, the more "traditional" through hole model.

Though my soldering iron has been serving me for years and years just having to replace periodically the tip, I have to admit that the upgrade is nice.

Well while I was at it, I purchased a few spare tips and such, typical, and a tip temperature thermometer because the deal was good compared to other sellers.

Well, I haven't received the thermometer yet and I have been soldering a lot since I bought the station, quite worried and feeling impatient for the arrive of the indispensable thermometer because I like to have it all, and all, right.

Well, then I took a break to think about it. How could I have survived for so long with my trusty iron without frying opamps, germanium transistor and the like?

[Alex R]

Yeah they seem to sell those hot air ones for SMD mainly, mobile phones etc. They're getting quite cheap. Are they any good for speedy clean-up of 'traditional' boards?

I have a hakko temp controlled iron. It is excellent and apparently the tip is everlasting. Wouldn't mind a desoldering unit as good.

[JC@]

>Are they any good for speedy clean-up of 'traditional' boards?

Well at least mine is. I wouldn't mind if the pump had a little more suction power but that's because point to point circuits usually have bigger solder points.

On normal 'traditional' boards you desolder one leg of a resistor and when you do the other leg the component usually drops down free and clean.

[Alex R]

On normal 'traditional' boards you desolder one leg of a resistor and when you do the other leg the component usually drops down free and clean.

Oh man. What is it I want one.

[JC@]

Oh man. What is it I want one.

A desoldering gun. Mine is part of the station, but there are stand alone units just for desoldering.
The trick as I have learned is to keep the inside of the gun completely clean and not to wait for too long because it looses suction power quite easily.

[Enzo]

And keep the filters clean.