Soldering iron cheap choice

[maverick96]

I am looking for a soldering iron/station, unfortunately I live in Serbia... Really shitty country for buying anything not made here.

So I can't get a Hakko 888, most on the internet are 110v plus the import prices would add another 30% on the price.

So there are 3 options Weller, Ersa and ZD.

Both Weller and Ersa are like 3 times the regular price, for example WES51 is 300$ and more...

So the question is should I get a branded (Ersa/Weller) soldering PENCIL or chinese soldering station (ZD)?

Here what I can get:

• Ersa 30W: http://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/soldering-irons/0674443/
• Weller SP25

Soldering stations:

• CT-936CL
• ZD-929C
• ZD-937

I mostly do DIY's and solder maybe 2-3 times a month.

Thank you in advance!!!

[daybyter]

You cannot get the yihua from hobbyking there?

[maverick96]

You cannot get the yihua from hobbyking there?

I don't think they ship here. But we have a rebrand of yihua its called Baku and there is a 936 clone.

[KL27x]

The ZD iron works fine for what it is, but it has a very limited tip selection. I have one that has been used hard. The handpiece snapped in half after a few years, but the replacement was only 7 bucks.

A hakko clone would be miles ahead just for tip selection. Check out some of the reviews if you can. Big Clive on youtube has taken a good objective look at several of the better clones. I have used Hakko 888 about 8 years straight, and it's all original parts, still. I haven't worn out or broken anything. I have acquired a nice collection of useful tips. Even if a clone requires new heater/handpiece here or there, it should work out quite cheap.

There are also a number of "T12 clones" and/or controller boards out there. The two I have work very well, so far, but you have to do a little research to get exactly what you want. And to get or make a decent stand for the handpiece.

Ersa and Hakko are great stations. But if it cost me 2 or 3x as much, I would consider alternatives, for sure. Just not ZD.

That particular Ersa looks like a firebrand. Fixed power at 30W. Probably not a good tip selection, either. I wouldn't pay more than $12.00 for that kind of iron, no matter what name is on it. I'll take a Baku over that, anyday.

Lastly, you always need at least 2 irons. In case one goes down, you need another to fix it. So a cheap brand station is a fine thing to have on hand.

[maverick96]

The ZD iron works fine for what it is, but it has a very limited tip selection. I have one that has been used hard. The handpiece snapped in half after a few years, but the replacement was only 7 bucks.

A hakko clone would be miles ahead just for tip selection. Check out some of the reviews if you can. Big Clive on youtube has taken a good objective look at several of the better clones. I have used Hakko 888 about 8 years straight, and it's all original parts, still. I haven't worn out or broken anything. I have acquired a nice collection of useful tips. Even if a clone requires new heater/handpiece here or there, it should work out quite cheap.

There are also a number of "T12 clones" and/or controller boards out there. The two I have work very well, so far, but you have to do a little research to get exactly what you want. And to get or make a decent stand for the handpiece.

Ersa and Hakko are great stations. But if it cost me 2 or 3x as much, I would consider alternatives, for sure. Just not ZD.

That particular Ersa looks like a firebrand. Fixed power at 30W. Probably not a good tip selection, either. I wouldn't pay more than $12.00 for that kind of iron, no matter what name is on it. I'll take a Baku over that, anyday.

Lastly, you always need at least 2 irons. In case one goes down, you need another to fix it. So a cheap brand station is a fine thing to have on hand.

Thank you really much for the input it means a world to me.
Unfortunately I feel really bad when everyone is talking about 888 lasting for dozen of years ant it only costs 100$... Here a ZD station is like 80 bucks       

[player_one]

I bought baku 936D, 30e from serbia, btw i live in montenegro. And i regreted it. Tip and heater have realy poor connection, so you don't have termal regulation, even that 936d have nice 7seg display with temperature on it. Now i'm considering this
https://tbk-onlineshop.de/produkt/hakko-fx-888d-16-by/

Last month i bought Braymen BM867 from welectron.com (Germany) and i was not charged with VTA (PDV) or any customs.

Sent from my 7043Y using Tapatalk

[KL27x]

^ I am fully aware that that the baku handpiece is bad. I'd still buy one if I could buy a decent replacement for the handpiece and the heater. The better handles are bakelite plastic for long life, and Hakko sells replacement heaters. I dunno what they cost in Serbia, though.

Again, this is where you need two irons, lol. If you want to replace the heater and/or change the connector on a replacement handpiece, you need another iron.

Here a ZD station is like 80 bucks

I paid about $50.00 for mine. (With inflation, that is probably $120, today, lol). I got my $$ worth, several times over. I can say the same for the firebrand I used before that. Used the heck out of 'em. It's almost better I did that; I appreciate my $100.00 Hakko that much more.

I don't want to offend anyone. I don't know my geography and politics and international trade agreements. But I notice that 90% of the "Bakon 950D" video reviews are Russian, so maybe it's cheap/available there? It's a capable soldering iron. Of course it only cost $27.00, here.

Definitely give a quick look at Big Clive's iron reviews. He knows a thing or two about soldering things, and he takes the stations down to bits and shows any obvious weakness/failure point. If you can get one of the clones he has favorably reviewed, I think you might come out ahead of the curve.

[jpc]

This isn't the exact same model I use as for some reason it has gone missing from my Ebay history but it is very similar and has the advantage that it comes with a suitable power brick, 120/240V 24V/4A. Even with your 30% import duty it should only cost around 30-35 Euro. I do a little more soldering than you but not that much more nowadays and find these perfect for my needs. I actually bought three as they were on special offer when I bought them last year and I have one with a 1.6mm tip for fine work, a 2.4mm tip for most through hole work and a bigger knife tip that I use for heavy duty soldering and cutting plastic. I can also run them off a li-ion pack I built which gives me a solid two hours working time. Different T12 tips can be bought for around 5 Euros from China.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Soldering-Iron-Temperature-Control-For-Hakko-w-T12-Tip-110-220VAC-Power-Adpter-/252514394922?hash=item3acb07e32a:g:SUwAAOSwCkZZTM4v

Note:there are a whole range of these that are very similar if not identical, some come with and some come without a power brick.

Found the one more like mine though I managed to get mine from a German wharehouse so it only took 7 or 8 days to arrive.

https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2047675.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0.H0.XBQLZR+T12-K+Temperature+Soldering+Iron+DC12-24V+75W+200-400%C2%B0.TRS1&_nkw=BQLZR+T12-K+Temperature+Soldering+Iron+DC12-24V+75W+200-400%C2%B0&_sacat=0

I don't know if I would recommend them to someone doing a lot of soldering a lot of the time, as mine only get used once or twice a week so I don't know how well they would handle heavy usage. But for someone like myself, or yourself by the sound of it, I find they can't be beat and in the nearly a year I have been using them I have had no problems with them.

[maverick96]

I bought baku 936D, 30e from serbia, btw i live in montenegro. And i regreted it. Tip and heater have realy poor connection, so you don't have termal regulation, even that 936d have nice 7seg display with temperature on it. Now i'm considering this
https://tbk-onlineshop.de/produkt/hakko-fx-888d-16-by/

Last month i bought Braymen BM867 from welectron.com (Germany) and i was not charged with VTA (PDV) or any customs.

Sent from my 7043Y using Tapatalk

Thank you for the input neighbour, I will look into importing one... Because all the Chinese models have a problem with a tip.

[maverick96]

I came to a general conclusion. Chinese suck with the tip and headpiece. So I will try to import a Hakko FX-888D because it will be like 30-40e more expensive but it will last much longer, also no need to change the tip so often.

Thank you ALL

[Zero999]

I came to a general conclusion. Chinese suck with the tip and headpiece. So I will try to import a Hakko FX-888D because it will be like 30-40e more expensive but it will last much longer, also no need to change the tip so often.

Thank you ALL

I have a Hako too but wouldn't buy one again. There's nothing wrong with it. It's a perfectly good soldering iron. It's just there are equally soldering irons available where I live, for a lower price, once the cost of shipping and imported it is taken into account. It's also difficult to get a genuine 230V model. I have the 110V model and lugging around a transformer is a pain.

Have you considered Weller? They're as good as Hako and are much easier to get hold of in Europe.

[MosherIV]

It's just there are equally soldering irons available where I live, for a lower price, once the cost of shipping and imported it is taken into account. It's also difficult to get a genuine 230V model.

Have you considered Weller? They're as good as Hako and are much easier to get hold of in Europe.

Yes, Hakko have just started to become easily available in Europe thanks in part to the hobbiest market and their popularity in the hobby markets.

If you want Hakko quality but at a budget price, get a chinese iron that takes Hakko T12 tips.
I have seen several favourable references to the Bakon BK950D here in thus forum.
I do not have one myself. I have a Metcal sp200, could not speak more highly of it 

 

[Simon]

I'd never buy a Hakko, they are japanese and micromanage all of their distributors and make everyone's life a nightmare, I really don't know why they are so popular.

You won't find any 240V ones on ebay because they won't let any of their distributors sell them on ebay and will shut down any distributor that does. Why suppot such a backward company ? as Hero999 said there are plenty of decent irons out there these days. Just have a good look at what is available in your country.

Is importing stuff a problem ?

[maverick96]

I'd never buy a Hakko, they are japanese and micromanage all of their distributors and make everyone's life a nightmare, I really don't know why they are so popular.

You won't find any 240V ones on ebay because they won't let any of their distributors sell them on ebay and will shut down any distributor that does. Why suppot such a backward company ? as Hero999 said there are plenty of decent irons out there these days. Just have a good look at what is available in your country.

Is importing stuff a problem ?

Importing isn't a problem, if they deliver to Serbia that would be great. We pay 20% TAX and +10% if the price is above 50e.

So for a 100e iron that would be 130e.

I have been reading around the internet that Weller is having a bit of quality issue like getting a crooked soldering stick and other external problems.

The other thing that is really strange is there are little to none weller station on Ebay from European sellers, all are from US and Australia...

[mauroh]

+1 for the Bakon BK950D soldering station.
I was suspicious and bought one just to evaluate it.
For the price it get the job done pretty well and I love the T12 tips / cartridge.

Just for fun I made an Umboxing and Review video
Mauro

[maverick96]

+1 for the Bakon BK950D soldering station.
I was suspicious and bought one just to evaluate it.
For the price it get the job done pretty well and I love the T12 tips / cartridge.

Just for fun I made an Umboxing and Review video
Mauro

Didn't see this "station" before... It has a really strange design, its like a power brick 

Getting a Chinese iron and a genuine tip seems like a good choice.

Can some one refer me to side where I can get a genuine Hakko tips (T12)?

[maverick96]

I found this TS100 "Weller killer"

Does someone own it?

[MosherIV]

Hi

Yes, the TS1000 is also doing the rounds and sounds very good.
It is meant to be the go to portable iron because you can run it off a battery (Not sure where you are goning to get a 21V battery, 24V maybe)

Be ware - the tips are custom to the iron and there is little information on where to get them.

[mauroh]

Didn't see this "station" before... It has a really strange design, its like a power brick 
Getting a Chinese iron and a genuine tip seems like a good choice.
Can some one refer me to site where I can get a genuine Hakko tips (T12)?

The output of the "station" is 19V and also inside it looks like a repurposed power brick with a small temp regulator in it (based on an Atmega8)

The tip included is branded Bakon but I've purchased Hakko branded T12 tips from Banggood
The price is so low I don't know if they are genuine Hakko but they work perfectly.
I like the T100 but it is much more expensive and you must use custom tips.

I added an auxiliary DC imput to my Bakon to be used with external battery like the T100 

Alternatively I like also the attached kit

Mauro

[KL27x]

Lots of good reviews on the TS-100. Personally, I don't like any of the design decisions. It's "a stunt" that they put all of the electronics and UI and even LCD display into the handpiece. The main benefit of this is that you can unplug it and take a picture of it with no cord! You have to plug it into a power supply or battery, anyway. They could have put the entire control circuit/UI into a connector adaptor on the other end of the cord. And made a more conventional/swappable handpiece for it.

The clones are here, now. You can get the same type of handpiece that is used by the FX951 (the FM2027/8) and it will no longer cost you over $100.00. You can buy Bakon handpiece. You can buy 8801 style (hakko 936) handpiece that takes T-12 tips. The actual electronics to run it can be small enough to fit in the handle, if you like that design. You can essentially make a TS-100 iron, but one which takes T12 tips, which have a great tip selection.

It is trivial to make any of these clones run on battery. They already run on DC. They (most of them, anyway) just need a separate 5V rail to power the control circuit.

Regarding Bakon, I can also endorse it as a capable station. But FYI, you will need to buy or make a stand for it. The tip isn't held particularly tight, allowing it to spin or fall out when cleaning the tip.* And the PSU is only 19.5V. This gives plenty of power, but the tips are actually designed to use 24V. So it's leaving something on the table. According to t12-clone sellers information, you can even run as much as 27V with some of the controllers, but this is considered to shorten the tip life by burning out the heater, prematurely. I have a 24.5V clone, as well. Other than the warmup time being faster, I don't think the practical performance is any different to the 19.5V Bakon for 99.9% of my soldering. So 19.5V is plenty, IMO.

*That said, I think the Bakon handpiece is lightyears better than the 936 style handpieces that come with most of the other clones. And it's trivial to rewire an FM 2208 handpiece with a new connector to use with any of these clones.

[maverick96]

I ordered the Bakku 950D... We will see when it arrives!

Thanks every one

[KL27x]

Bakku makes a 950D? Or did you order a Bakon 950D?

If the former, link? I'm curious.