This thread is making me itchy for a new soldering iron now.
I love my Weller. It's near perfect but those Hakko 951's look nice (as much as I want one, I can't justify a Metcal iron)
Why not?
If you shop carefully, you can get into a working MX500 dual output (okay, single switched output) for ~$150-200. I bought a used guaranteed MX-500 (Model MX-500P-11 which is 110VAC; for 220V you want MX500P-21) power station (ugly as hell, but to me pretty is as pretty does) for $75 delivered, and a used handle/2mm tip for
$50 $25 that turned into a DIY fixit project. Made my own "Sleep" base using a ceramic magnet out of an old speaker.
But even if you don't want to DIY, you can buy new Oki or Thermaltronics handles for ~$80-100, and cartridges for ~$15-35 any day of the week on fleaBay.
How can you NOT be able to justify that?
The MetCal ALSO has the absolute best solder sucker there is; it uses a venturi and compressed air, so actuates in milliseconds as opposed to more traditional models which have to build vacuum from an internal pump. But, you DO need to invest in an air compressor for your bench... which you really need anyways.
I have or have had them all, and now even a
Hakko 951/T12 compatible station I built myself
from pieces for ~$25. The T12 Station is the one I use most often because the
clone tips were cheap and I got a 10 piece assortment for $25; however the MetCal is still magical by comparison, at least for the tips I can compare side x side.
I have an Aoyue 2702 3-in-1 Rework station I converted to T12 cartridges years ago when my HAKKO station caught fire inside; I "upgraded" to an FX-951 so I could keep using my cartridges, but I sent it back a week later because it was such a complete PITA to use it had me literally fuming. The FX-951 is intended for a production environment; the firmware is utterly anti-intuitive to use, and the damned lockout key is right in your way whenever you want to change handles. F*** that noise.
I have a WTCPN that's been on my bench since I was a teenager; I converted it to TRIAC, then MOSFET switching decades ago. Those magneto-mechanical thermostat cartridges last forever when the contacts are only switching a few ma.
Under my bench I still keep a
Weller GT7 Temp-controlled 150W soldering gun and Ungar Heat-Shrink gun in quick-draw holsters so I'm never tempted to NOT use them when I know I should.
Is the Metcal PS-900 any good? That's actually affordable (£216 from RS inc VAT)
Get used MX stuff. Ebay is your friend, be patient and collect everything you can find...
eBay auction: #352221216694
eBay auction: #162785916755
you must act like a bee with flowers...take your time and that honey will be so sweet at the end.
Thats just rubbish, good they may be but to say you can't use anything else, come on., does it do the soldering for you? What would you do if Metcal stopped trading then, cease soldering would you???
It is like driving a FIAT Panda after you own a BMW 320d for a year (done that). You can drive but in your head there is just one thing, this:
.
PS: BTW I baked the EEVBlog DMM, second batch. I watched the Video, but I was not able to finish it I had already the credit card out of my pocket. TEA again.
Daaaang... those are going CHEAP so far. Should close out around $150-200 for the complete station and $75-100 for the handle/tips. If they shipped to the US for a reasonable rate, I'd put a snipe in on 'em.
GIXEN.COM is your friend.
![Wink ;)](https://www.eevblog.com/forum/Smileys/default/xwink.gif.pagespeed.ic.cldandycH0.png)
Cheers,
mnem
What about the MLink S4 and the Atten/RS Soldering Stations? *WIP*