russg Posted March 4, 2014 Share Posted March 4, 2014 I'm trying to install a composite jack on a 600XL. I have an old Proskit soldering iron with 20 and 40 watt choices. I have a point tip, it has screw on tips. There are 13 resistors, 3 capacitors a coil, a bunch of stuff to solder in a very small space. Any solder bridge, cold solder or other error will ruin it. Is there a soldering solution for such small soldering problems, that doesn't cost too much? What do competent solder people use? Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bryan Posted March 4, 2014 Share Posted March 4, 2014 The best thing to look into is a temperature controlled soldering station. They run about $50 and up. The Hakko 936 was very popular for a while but has been replaced by newer models. The difference between cheap hobby irons and stations like this is the way it heats. A cheap iron is simply a heating element that dissipates the rated wattage as heat. It takes a while to get hot and begins cooling down when you touch something with it. The tips tend to be cheap and wear out quickly too. A variable soldering station has a much more powerful heating element and it uses a thermostat to cycle it on and off to maintain a set temperature. When the iron is touched to the object being soldered the element is better able to keep the tip hot (this is called fast recovery) and this makes it suitable for a wider range of jobs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bryan Posted March 4, 2014 Share Posted March 4, 2014 Looks like the 936 can still be had from China... http://www.aliexpress.com/item/110V-Hakko-936-Soldering-Station-907-Soldering-Handle-5pcs-free-tips-2pcs-Welding-line-1pcs-A1321/1162642803.html Search 'budget soldering stations' for some options, though. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrMartian Posted March 4, 2014 Share Posted March 4, 2014 I can't agree more about having a temperature controlled iron, and a fine tip. I have a Weller station I bought 10+ years ago, and it still serves me wonderfully. You can dial down the heat a bit to be easier on the board, or dial it up to get plenty of heat to melt a large blob of solder... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keilbaca Posted March 4, 2014 Share Posted March 4, 2014 Looks like the 936 can still be had from China... http://www.aliexpress.com/item/110V-Hakko-936-Soldering-Station-907-Soldering-Handle-5pcs-free-tips-2pcs-Welding-line-1pcs-A1321/1162642803.html Search 'budget soldering stations' for some options, though. I didn't know the stations were so cheap. Buying one asap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tep392 Posted March 4, 2014 Share Posted March 4, 2014 I also recommend the soldering station, even if a less expensive model. I'm putting together Donkey Kong XM boards, installing two ROM chips with a total of 56 joints. I'm able to knock them out in a couple minutes with my Weller station. The problem with the constant power irons is that they always start too hot, risking damage to the board and then quickly become too cold, risking bad joints. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keilbaca Posted March 4, 2014 Share Posted March 4, 2014 All I have used were the smaller irons... except when I was working at computer connections, and they had a soldering station. I looked up his model and it was going for $300-400 (I forget the model now). So the fact that I can get one for $55, that doesn't act like one of the tiny irons, makes me very happy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mathy Posted March 4, 2014 Share Posted March 4, 2014 Hello guys I bought this one ages ago. Don't solder much, but is was recommended by the electronics store (where the owner knows how solder smells). It's sold by many companies with different brand names on it. Sincerely Mathy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rybags Posted March 4, 2014 Share Posted March 4, 2014 I've got a temp controlled one in standard form factor - only a few bucks more than you'd pay for a standard one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Centurion Posted March 5, 2014 Share Posted March 5, 2014 The Hakko FX888 is a nice iron as well 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+MrFish Posted March 5, 2014 Share Posted March 5, 2014 Looks like the 936 can still be had from China... http://www.aliexpress.com/item/110V-Hakko-936-Soldering-Station-907-Soldering-Handle-5pcs-free-tips-2pcs-Welding-line-1pcs-A1321/1162642803.html Search 'budget soldering stations' for some options, though. I've got a couple 936's; they work great. That's a nice price, if you don't mind waiting a little. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wickeycolumbus Posted March 5, 2014 Share Posted March 5, 2014 The Hakko FX888 is a nice iron as well I love my Hakko FX888. Went through many genaric plug into the wall models and a low end Weller station before I got mine. Wouldn't ever consider going back to that! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SIO2 Posted March 5, 2014 Share Posted March 5, 2014 I have been using a Kendal 852D for a while. I like having the hot air handy for shrink tube. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+wood_jl Posted March 5, 2014 Share Posted March 5, 2014 How about a Hakko-brand 936-equivalent that CAN BE ORDERED FROM U.S.A? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
576XE Posted March 5, 2014 Share Posted March 5, 2014 I have 2 130xe mobos with bad memory and my problem is to DESOLDER stuff and then carefully socketing it again. All knows that 130XE PCBs are suicidally inclined and I'm afraid to desolder something without vacuum desoldering pump. I beleive that buying some temperature controlled iron is NOT universal decision. We also needs desoldering station too. But It may be too expensive to have both. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mclaneinc Posted March 5, 2014 Share Posted March 5, 2014 When I was doing a lot of soldering I used an 18W Antex irom with a 1mm tip, was perfect for circuit boards and fine work, don't go up to 25W unless you are careful as tracks can lift real easy if you linger too long. Also, try and get the leaded solder, the lead free stuff tends to blob and not flow nicely..... I had to do a little bit of soldering recently even tho due to eye sight and hand motion I find it very difficult, had to use that lead free solder, nightmare... Refused to flow..Gave up... 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillC Posted March 5, 2014 Share Posted March 5, 2014 I have 2 130xe mobos with bad memory and my problem is to DESOLDER stuff and then carefully socketing it again. All knows that 130XE PCBs are suicidally inclined and I'm afraid to desolder something without vacuum desoldering pump. I beleive that buying some temperature controlled iron is NOT universal decision. We also needs desoldering station too. But It may be too expensive to have both. The easiest way to remove the RAM chips without damaging the circuit board is simply to clip all the legs off with diagonal cutters, then desolder each leg individually. Of course this method is only recommended for low value commonly available chips, or known defective chips of higher value. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
576XE Posted March 5, 2014 Share Posted March 5, 2014 Hello BillC. It's exactly my case. I can't find bad chips and can't even eliminate finding them by total exchanging with good ones. I only sit and wait when I'll get two new mobos from El Dorado. B&C. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Stephen Posted March 5, 2014 Share Posted March 5, 2014 How about a Hakko-brand 936-equivalent that CAN BE ORDERED FROM U.S.A? I use this. Shipping is super fast. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bryan Posted March 5, 2014 Share Posted March 5, 2014 How about a Hakko-brand 936-equivalent that CAN BE ORDERED FROM U.S.A? Check out MCM. It appears they sell a 936 clone for cheap! http://www.mcmelectronics.com/browse/Soldering-Stations/0000001214 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bryan Posted March 5, 2014 Share Posted March 5, 2014 By the way, there's a difference between "Temperature controlled" and "Adjustable". Temperature controlled means the iron has excess wattage for fast recovery, usually a ceramic heater, and a thermostat to regulate the temperature. Adjustable means it is a standard iron but you can control the amount of current going through it (like a dimmer switch). Two very different things. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+orpheuswaking Posted March 5, 2014 Share Posted March 5, 2014 I use this at the recommendation of several people from here, it's fairly inexpensive at about$65. (If you plan on doing a lot of desoldering they also make a dual station with a desoldering gun included for about $160) http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000I30QBW/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&tag=atariage&creativeASIN=B000I30QBW&linkCode=as2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bryan Posted March 5, 2014 Share Posted March 5, 2014 Just found this as well (Hakko 936 for $50): http://www.cutedigi.com/tools/hand-tools-soldering/60w-soldering-station-us-version.html Another source for cheap Hakko clones: http://www.circuitspecialists.com/soldering-stations Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
russg Posted March 6, 2014 Author Share Posted March 6, 2014 Just found this as well (Hakko 936 for $50): http://www.cutedigi.com/tools/hand-tools-soldering/60w-soldering-station-us-version.html Another source for cheap Hakko clones: http://www.circuitspecialists.com/soldering-stations Thanks everyone. I started Googling and, in addition to temperature setting soldering stations, there are 'work' stations and 'air' devices. These are for de-soldering and fixing motherboards. I don't understand the 'air' devices, I guess you point the hot air at what you want to de-solder and then suck the solder off with a vacuum pump type de-solderer. Definitely the temperature control solder station, with a really fine solder tip would probably make things a lot neater. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bryan Posted March 6, 2014 Share Posted March 6, 2014 Hot air is more for surface mount devices. It can be used to temporarily melt all the connections so you lift an IC off the board, or it can be used to solder a part in place using solder paste (a mixture of finely ground solder and flux). Watch this video: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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