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Soldering Stations
Soldering Stations
8470
Chief Product OfficerHey Everyone, <br /><br />Doesn't look like soldering stations are going to work out for now. Thanks for all the votes and ideas! Looking forward to seeing you in other, hopefully more successful, polls.
199
Will
If the normal weller, hakko, etc aren't worknig out, you can always look at more expensive stations like OKI/metcal, edsyn loner, jbc, pace, etc.<br /><br />You can get an OKI PS900 with smartheat for $200 or $250 or so. Edsyn makes a whole range of adjustable stations under their loner brand that are similar in features to weller and hakko, but internally are very well designed and repairable (all he connectors are easily swappable, etc.) These are more "professional" grade than the "hobbyist" grade weller/hakko, and almost certainly a step above Chinese brands like aoyue.<br /><br />Of course, these stations can get expensive as the features go up, a higher-end metcal is easily over $1000, and jbc replacement tips are like $25+
8470
Chief Product OfficerHi Guys,
We've called Hakko and Weller about six times each over the last week trying to get a definitive answer for ya'll. They have yet to give us a decision but we're hopeful that Hakko can give us the final word within the next few days.
Wish we could give you better news. Hopefully we'll be able to soon.
8470
Chief Product Officer@kbar
Thanks for asking! I finished talking with Hakko yesterday and they're not interested in offering a worthwhile price to the group.
By the time shipping costs are factored in, the price was worse than what you can get on amazon. Weller was much the same. We're working on other possibilities but nothing immediate. What other soldering stations would ya'll be interested in?
Will
Thanks for looking into this some more. I've run out of time and ordered a Aoyue 968A+ from sra-solder.com . Would have liked a "massdrop" price, but I'll be dropping out of this one now.
Hi Massdrop,
Is there any update on this? Even a 'no, its not happening.' would be good. Though I do hope something is being worked out :D
I think giving up on this is a safe bet yeah.
Are we going to do this or not? My Erogodox arrived on Monday. Should I go out to Fry's and buy one or wait for this?
Mojosam
I bought the Aoyue 968A+ from sra-solder.com a few weeks before my ergodox was delivered and I don't regret it. The hot air gun really made the smd diode soldering a breeze. I used SS3013-85 solder paste. The rework station are so low in the voting pool, they'd need their own pool, but don't expect that be done promptly.
Mark
Any word yet?
Max
Yea I'm really hoping this group buy will happen soon, really need a decent soldering station thinking about just picking one up from Amazon.
Any word?
305
Yessss!!!! I need a soldering iron so badly.
I'd rather have the analogue than the digital but I'll be happy with any.
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I voted for the digital version because the analog looks like its made by Fisher Price.
349
Strelok
@Dustin Outside the US, the analog was available in several other colors - but for some reason they only imported that rather distinctive blue/yellow scheme here. It may well be a moot point, as unless Hakko has an FX-888 inventory backlog to offer there's nearly zero chance the analog version could be bought new en masse.
135
I personally after using both prefer the analogue its just simpler to change temps but I selected the digital because the analogue is no longer being made.
majkeli
Sorry, meant to reply.
There seems to be a consensus that the FX-888 is preferable to the FX-888D. Yet, the digital station is still winning the pool. I assume it is because it already had more momentum then the other options ? I would be interested to see how the vote would fall if this pool was restarted with all its current choices set and fixed from the beginning.
Actually, i'll make this a general suggestion for MD : I think all pools should have two phases. In the first phase, people can submit choices and discuss them, then in the second phase, the choices should be fixed (no addition) and people would be allowed to start voting on them.
Consensus might not be the right word, but it can't be denied that no one has commented in favor of the FX-888D yet. I personally voted after reading the comments and it did influence my vote and I feel that having a discussion time-off before voting would lead to a more informed vote.
I can't think of one instance IRL where people can vote on the members of a list of candidates before the list is fixed in size AND before discussion on the candidates had time to take place. Yes, you can change your vote later on, but how many people actually do it ?
p.s.: Since the webs are notoriously bad at conveying tone, I feel I should state that the above is meant as a constructive criticism, not a rant.
J.eff
I agree with your suggestion. This would decrease the chaos and confusion.
2
Kind of late, but I just added the X-TRONIC 4040 rework station. Worth looking into if there's still time. It has lots of good reviews in Amazon.
349
If Hakko had old stock of the analog FX-888 they wanted to get move out of the supply chain, this Massdrop could be a great opportunity for them and us.
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