any experience with desolder gun for the thermaltronics TMT-9000

[julianhigginson]

I need a desoldering gun occasionally, so I'm looking about at the moment.

I'm considering the thermaltronics DS-KIT-1 to go with my TMT-9000s

but don't hear much about it.. does anyone here have one, and is it any good?

Also - I don't have "shop air" so if I was to get this I'd need to add a compressor. I see no specs for pressure and air consumption this thing needs, but ideally I'd like to be able to run it off something small and compact with basically no reservoir if possible.

Experiences and thoughts welcome!

[julianhigginson]

eh, ok... a bit too obscure I guess.

[wasyoungonce]

I've got 2 older Royel Desolder/Solder stations, twin iron, one also has resistance tweezers/thermal wire strippers.  Picked from fleabay all for less than $100 aust (incl irons).  It has inbuilt vac pump that can also provide positive pressure.  Also picked up qty 2 single Royel systems that use same irons.  I just saw one selling new unused for under $100.  I paid $45 for one of the single irons systems and its in absolutely top nick, changed tip check cal and it was within 8degrees C of 

Yes they are older but some irons are almost not used.  So you can pick up decent cheap equipment.  This stuff is ex military absolutely top shelf stuff.  Also managed to pick up a number of spare irons and desolder irons and around 200 new tips (desolder and iron tips)

edit: don't buy new Royel stuff its rubbish.

So for all up under $200you can get top class equipment, no need for expensive vac and pressure equipment.  Just have to be patient trawl the sale sites.  Fairy tales do come true.

[eKretz]

If those are the same as the Metcal MX-DS1 (they look very similar) they will be excellent desoldering tools. I use a small homemade compressor for mine that I made from an old portable air conditioner compressor. (Very very quiet - can be used even while the kids are sleeping, but only about 2CFM).

[LaurentR]

I have an MX-DS1 that I use occasionally. It does the job well.
It needs a 80-120 psi source, which is not easy to find.
Some options:
* Big garage compressor (noisy and big, but not necessarily expensive)
* Small and quiet(er) compressor. The airbrush compressor are a bit underpowered (typically in the 50psi). You could go for a Silentaire compressor (my wife has one and they are awesome but pricey).
* In my case, since I don't need the desoldering gun very often, I use paintball CO2 cartridges. As much pressure as you need, cheap to refill, very compact and quiet  . It's a great solution for me, but if you need it very often, you'll need a compressor.

There some more forum posts and links in this thread:
https://www.eevblog.com/forum/reviews/pressure-(and-compressor)-for-metcal-desoldering-gun/msg1052913/

[LaurentR]

Please also note that you can often find MX-DS1 on EBay (they are much more common than the Thermaltronics).
Just make sure they come with the whole kits, including the hose, connectors, stand, filters...
At Metcal, the whole kit is called MX-UK5 while the MX-DS1 is just the gun (useless by itself but some sellers advertise the kits as MX-DS1, so worth looking).

I got my MX-UK5 New Old Stock for about $200 a couple of years ago.

Metcal tips can calso be found at good prices (New Old Stock or barely used).

Laurent

[julianhigginson]

aha... they do look very very similar... should have realised the TMT-9000 being basically a clone of the earlier metcal unit, might mean that the metcal gun is the same thing to ask about and possibly also even use.

Looks like it would be the same, thermaltronics seem to be saying that their desolder gun tips are usable in both guns

So, I'll look into that! maybe first I'll see if I can grab an old portable aircon to pull apart (We had 2 we gave away last year!) for a compressor.. I work in an office and don't really have space for a compressed air tank. Also don't have plans for any other compressed air gear.

[julianhigginson]

* In my case, since I don't need the desoldering gun very often, I use paintball CO2 cartridges. As much pressure as you need, cheap to refill, very compact and quiet  . It's a great solution for me, but if you need it very often, you'll need a compressor.

ooh! this sounds really useful for me.. though in my country we're not so lax with gun availability... just casually buying supplies for a paintball gun might be a problem. I'm wondering if there's something that might work with small beer kegs that i could repurpose... think I've seen things for tapping small kegs at home.

 

[Someone]

I work in an office and don't really have space for a compressed air tank. Also don't have plans for any other compressed air gear.

* In my case, since I don't need the desoldering gun very often, I use paintball CO2 cartridges. As much pressure as you need, cheap to refill, very compact and quiet  . It's a great solution for me, but if you need it very often, you'll need a compressor.

ooh! this sounds really useful for me.. though in my country we're not so lax with gun availability... just casually buying supplies for a paintball gun might be a problem. I'm wondering if there's something that might work with small beer kegs that i could repurpose... think I've seen things for tapping small kegs at home.

If there is room for a beer keg then you have room for a small compressor with an accumulator, they are available in very small sizes:

Hidden under a heavy bench/table its not too noise to run in an office periodically (quieter than many colleagues).

[lmaokore]

I have an MX-DS1 that I use occasionally. It does the job well.
It needs a 80-120 psi source, which is not easy to find.
Some options:
* Big garage compressor (noisy and big, but not necessarily expensive)
* Small and quiet(er) compressor. The airbrush compressor are a bit underpowered (typically in the 50psi). You could go for a Silentaire compressor (my wife has one and they are awesome but pricey).
* In my case, since I don't need the desoldering gun very often, I use paintball CO2 cartridges. As much pressure as you need, cheap to refill, very compact and quiet  . It's a great solution for me, but if you need it very often, you'll need a compressor.

There some more forum posts and links in this thread:
https://www.eevblog.com/forum/reviews/pressure-(and-compressor)-for-metcal-desoldering-gun/msg1052913/

What kind of regulator do you use for the paintball CO2 cartridges? How long do those cartridges last?

[LaurentR]

What kind of regulator do you use for the paintball CO2 cartridges? How long do those cartridges last?

I use this:
http://www.airgraver.com/CO2.htm
That's from a store catering to metal engravers and they use CO2 instead of compressed air when they need portability. I can try to find the actual reference, but I am out of town right now.

I am not sure how long they last. I have had to fill 2-3 bottles and I used it probably on a few hundred solder joints. It is clearly not a solution if you are going to use this daily.

[julianhigginson]

still working on this.

does this look like a good option for a compressor for me?
https://sydneytools.com.au/lincoln-l6v-6l-1-8kw-direct-drive-air-compressor
it does up to 118psi and seems to have pressure control set via a dial on the front so I wouldn't need a secondary regulator?
looks small enough. And might be useful for other things in future... though I'm not sure how great it'd be for most air tools.


looking on ebay the pickings are pretty poor.
the place is flooded with people selling exactly the same compressor for makeup and airbrushing, but they don't even make it to 60psi.
https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/1-5HP-Airbrush-Air-Compressor-With-3L-Air-Tank-Mini-Hobby-Stencils-Nail-Tattoos/112538452803?hash=item1a33d08343:g:PcEAAOSwxbpZnnQQ
or you get the big 2nd hand ones that wouldn't fit in my office and probably sound like a helicopter taking off..

[jeryray]

Yes, I have 7 metcal DS-1 units

Watch out for ebay units, I got some and one leaked bad.

The Thermaltronics is a copy of sorts.
The air fitting is different and not interchangeable with metcal.

Air chamber filters are interchangeable. RF Cable seem to be the same.

The stand however is not machined correctly, so if your not real careful the handle drops down enough to starts the tip heating on.
These stand use magnets to activate the tip saver built in to the tips.