Hot Air Rework Stations

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Toriessian

Limp Gawd
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Jan 10, 2017
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So I'm looking to start learning a little about electronics. I'm never going to be a master, but I would like be able to recap things and maybe solder a new i/o port or some RAM on a board. I've got a butane fueled soldering iron now, and I've been practicing with wires. From what I've read I really need a hot air rework station of some sort and a proper desoldering gun. I've never desoldered anything lol. I'm in that I have no idea what to get stage.

If I have a budget of $150-$250 for a basic hot air station, and maybe another $100 to $150 for a desoldering gun what should I get? Do I need to spend more/less realistically?
 
Toriessian said:
So I'm looking to start learning a little about electronics. I'm never going to be a master, but I would like be able to recap things and maybe solder a new i/o port or some RAM on a board. I've got a butane fueled soldering iron now, and I've been practicing with wires. From what I've read I really need a hot air rework station of some sort and a proper desoldering gun. I've never desoldered anything lol. I'm in that I have no idea what to get stage.

If I have a budget of $150-$250 for a basic hot air station, and maybe another $100 to $150 for a desoldering gun what should I get? Do I need to spend more/less realistically?
Click to expand...
A lot more for a quality hot air rework station.
 
I'm no electrical engineer, but recapping electrolytics doesn't require anything special. A $12 PID soldering iron will do, as long as you can get, or it comes with what sometimes is called a modified chisel tip. It sort of cradles the lead and spreads the heat faster reducing extraction time. A regular chisel tip is still a couple steps above the regular pointy tip many leave on the iron full-time.

tip.jpg


For hot air, I use an 858D, which is a generic temp-controlled hot air gun for less than $50. Quality control issues are massive, but if you get a good one, you'll know. And replacements are cheap.
 
 
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Toriessian said:
So I'm looking to start learning a little about electronics. I'm never going to be a master, but I would like be able to recap things and maybe solder a new i/o port or some RAM on a board. I've got a butane fueled soldering iron now, and I've been practicing with wires. From what I've read I really need a hot air rework station of some sort and a proper desoldering gun. I've never desoldered anything lol. I'm in that I have no idea what to get stage.

If I have a budget of $150-$250 for a basic hot air station, and maybe another $100 to $150 for a desoldering gun what should I get? Do I need to spend more/less realistically?
Click to expand...

You are asking for two different things.

1. To recap stuff or solder an I/O port any decent soldering iron from Hakko or Weller is perfectly fine and is super easy.
2. Reflowing BGAs like RAM is a totally different story. To do this properly, we use JBC hot air stations with all the ancillary tools, a PCB pre-heater, etc.

I have actually reflowed BGAs with shitty Chinese $100 hot air stations from China, but it's a lot harder than it is using something like the JBC. Using the JBC for the first time blew my mind. If you are reflowing stuff with hot air, you will also want kapton tape in various sizes to shield surrounding components.
 
drutman said:
https://www.amazon.com/Hakko-FX888D-23BY-Digital-Soldering-Station/dp/B00ANZRT4M/ref=sr_1_2?crid=3ED1HEN48ZDG3&keywords=hakko+soldering+iron&qid=1661699032&sprefix=haikko,aps,89&sr=8-2
https://www.amazon.com/American-HAKKO-Products-FR301-03-Desoldering/dp/B07BFVFMS9?ref_=ast_sto_dp
https://www.amazon.com/CO-Z-Solderi...ocphy=9027887&hvtargid=pla-488983806394&psc=1
We use the soldering station for our business. Other products are pricy but top notch. Be careful if price is too low it is counterfeit out of China, we bought ours from a local Industrial electronics store.(Authorized dealer)
Click to expand...

Very helpful links thanks much :)
 
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