Originally posted by The Dude
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Cheap but good soldering station?
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"Take two placebos, works twice as well." Enzo
"Now get off my lawn with your silicooties and boom-chucka speakers and computers masquerading as amplifiers" Justin Thomas
"If you're not interested in opinions and the experience of others, why even start a thread?
You can't just expect consent." Helmholtz
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Point(s) well taken. I guess for the occasional hobbyist, maybe that price doesn't make much sense. I use mine every day- all day, since this is how I make my living. The prices you found aren't all that expensive in my situation. My Pace station has payed for itself multitudes of times."I took a photo of my ohm meter... It didn't help." Enzo 8/20/22
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Originally posted by The Dude View PostPoint(s) well taken. I guess for the occasional hobbyist, maybe that price doesn't make much sense. I use mine every day- all day, since this is how I make my living. The prices you found aren't all that expensive in my situation. My Pace station has payed for itself multitudes of times."Take two placebos, works twice as well." Enzo
"Now get off my lawn with your silicooties and boom-chucka speakers and computers masquerading as amplifiers" Justin Thomas
"If you're not interested in opinions and the experience of others, why even start a thread?
You can't just expect consent." Helmholtz
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FWIW my own soldering station is a Radio Shack digital (with the push buttons that daz hates, and I do too). But it's been a reliable unit for dozens of projects and dozens of repairs. I'm not a pro like some here but I've been impressed at how well this thing has held up. Let me put it this way,.. I'm sure I can't replace it with another unit at the same price point in this day and age. I had the same experience with my old B&K DMM that I purchased new some thirty years ago. I know from experience that I'll never get the same level of performance and reliability from current units in the same price point so I bought a refurbished Fluke 87 off *bay instead of something of a comparable price point for todays market. And I know I did the right thing. I'll do it the same when I replace my soldering station. And I'll be looking at the Pace units."Take two placebos, works twice as well." Enzo
"Now get off my lawn with your silicooties and boom-chucka speakers and computers masquerading as amplifiers" Justin Thomas
"If you're not interested in opinions and the experience of others, why even start a thread?
You can't just expect consent." Helmholtz
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I'm still impressed with my DIY T-12 station. It's been my main station since building it and is a real joy to use - so much so I ordered another complete set of parts to build another. Having a rotary control for temperature is really easy and it has a push boost for a short-term increase in temperature if needed. I got a set of additional assorted bits dirt cheap - they have the heating element and sensor built into each one. So far, though I've used a HD chisel bit for eyelet boards and a fine 0.8mm chisel for SMD work and they've held up really well. No tip burning or tinning failure. The auto power off is a real bonus and as soon as you pick up the iron its ready to use.
My huge 'Mother Of All Soldering Irons' is still used for soldering cap cans to chassis and re-flowing cracked grounding plate joints in old Fenders, but for everything else I use the T-12 station.
See post #26 here; https://music-electronics-forum.com/...ng-irons/page2
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I have the Hakko FX888D-23BY and really like it. It took a minute or two to figure out how to program the temperatures and how to switch between them, but mine is working well. I have it default to 700°F, but have settings above and below that which are accessible by just pressing the up or down button to cycle between the 5 preset temperatures. Are you certain your station's temperature is high enough when you are attempting to use it?
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Originally posted by Chuck H View Post
out of the price point being considered here I think.
Originally posted by EnzoI have a sign in my shop that says, "Never think up reasons not to check something."
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Originally posted by g1 View PostI'm not clear on what that is. Equivalent of $40 thirty years ago or something like that?
Not much out there in that range. My own Rat Shack station that has been working reliably for me with moderate use, but for a long time now must be better than I thought. I saw a lightly used one from the same era selling for a hundred bucks on *bay. And I thought it was just a cheap tool that just hasn't broken yet."Take two placebos, works twice as well." Enzo
"Now get off my lawn with your silicooties and boom-chucka speakers and computers masquerading as amplifiers" Justin Thomas
"If you're not interested in opinions and the experience of others, why even start a thread?
You can't just expect consent." Helmholtz
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Originally posted by glebert View Post$40 in 1992 would be $85 in today dollars.Last edited by catalin gramada; 11-23-2022, 09:02 AM."If it measures good and sounds bad, it is bad. If it measures bad and sounds good, you are measuring the wrong things."
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Originally posted by catalin gramada View Post
That's what is calling "progress"Last edited by glebert; 11-23-2022, 02:32 PM.
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Originally posted by glebert View Post
In 1992 average income in US was $32,200. Last year it was $70,800, so it at least makes up for the inflation (on a macro level). The prices go up, income goes up, most people still getting more stuff than they used to.
nosajsoldering stuff that's broken, breaking stuff that works, Yeah!
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No change here. Historically in the south our incomes have usually been 10 15years behind. Unless you have college degrees. But we do ok an ID never move anywhere Unless it's back to Whidbey.
nosajsoldering stuff that's broken, breaking stuff that works, Yeah!
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I may be late here, but there are tons of cheap stations between 25-50 bux.
Some have great reviews on Amazon.
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=soldering...-iron_k0_1_6_1
I have always liked weller stuff.
I'm tempted to buy for myself the cheap weller Wlc100 40 watt analog.
I have some tips that might fit it.
T"If Hitler invaded Hell, I would make at least a favourable reference of the Devil in the House of Commons." Winston Churchill
Terry
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