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desoldering stations

genec

Jul 26, 2015
13
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Jul 26, 2015
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13
hello all! i'm in need a desderoing station or gun. i'm not sure which is better..help? it needs to be under $200. also wanted to know if there is a station that has the hot air+desoldering gun both to one single station.
 

(*steve*)

¡sǝpodᴉʇuɐ ǝɥʇ ɹɐǝɥd
Moderator
Jan 21, 2010
25,510
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Jan 21, 2010
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25,510
For surface mount, the reflow tool can be used to solder or remove devices.

For through-hole work, a vacuum tool is probably the best. I'm pretty sure I paid well under $US200 for mine. If you take a look at Dave Jones' review of a desoldering pump on eevblog.com, mine is similar.

There are other options, including those having the pump in the handpiece. They're cheaper, but I've not had any experience with them.

In order to get good performance I had to modify mine. I replaced a spring in the solder collection chamber with some material cut from a wire solder sponge. It traps more solder and allows greater airflow.

It's also a tool you really need to learn to use. It's *really* easy to do a very bad job with them -- in this case "bad" means damaging the PCB.
 

genec

Jul 26, 2015
13
Joined
Jul 26, 2015
Messages
13
well i wish i could get dave's pump, but where he got it from in australia they only sell locally, so thats a bust. i think i'm going to get just a station with a pump/vacuum type deal....so i get the station pump deal do i stil need the hot air wand thingy.
 

(*steve*)

¡sǝpodᴉʇuɐ ǝɥʇ ɹɐǝɥd
Moderator
Jan 21, 2010
25,510
Joined
Jan 21, 2010
Messages
25,510
well i wish i could get dave's pump, but where he got it from in australia they only sell locally, so thats a bust. i think i'm going to get just a station with a pump/vacuum type deal....so i get the station pump deal do i stil need the hot air wand thingy.

You will need the hot air want thingy if you're planning to do any reflow soldering or remove surface mount components.

You can do it with a normal soldering iron (at least for the larger stuff) and for the really small stuff you really need an oven as the rework tool can easily blow components off the board :-(
 

genec

Jul 26, 2015
13
Joined
Jul 26, 2015
Messages
13
well i'm working on psu from a computer and i'm horrible at the wick and solder iron.
 
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