Temperature controlled iron - no sensor

[DL8RI]

Hi,

and the second question is... why should someone in Europe buy a Hakko FX-888?
First the Transformer-thing sucks, another block laying somewhere around. Second, importing every stupid Tip from the US, no thanks
For a quite similar price (100€ for the station + 20€ for the transformer), you can get an ERSA i-Con Pico for example.

[Simon]

much more expensive but not a bad contender

[DL8RI]

I can only speak for Germany, but here you can get it for 140.
And regarding the price of a FX-888+Transformer (I'd estimate 120€) that is not that much more. An since it seems nearly impossible to get even a single Tip for Hakko on the local market. That ruins the story at least for me.

[Simon]

and what if I'm supplying you tips ? of course I will not just get the irons but consumables as well

[DL8RI]

Ah, you have your own store... I didn't notice that. Well, then you could be the first "end-user"-distributer in Europe.

[Simon]

There is one in the UK but they have a basic 90's style website, with a price list, you email them and tell them what you want and they tell you the total with shipping then you send them a check and one day probably 10 days after you initially started trying to get the thing it turns up. I'm planning to source from them and sell on ebay and my own website so that there is easier UK/EU access to hakko gear.

[neslekkim]

The Hakko fx-888D in UK cost only €120, not sure if VAT is included or not though..
http://www.dancap.co.uk/soldering/fx888ddigitalpricelist.htm
As an comparision, I paid €218 for it from the supplier here in Norway..
(Not using it anymore though, jumped to the JBC instead.. )

[Simon]

The Hakko fx-888D in UK cost only €120, not sure if VAT is included or not though..
http://www.dancap.co.uk/soldering/fx888ddigitalpricelist.htm
As an comparision, I paid €218 for it from the supplier here in Norway..
(Not using it anymore though, jumped to the JBC instead.. )

VAT and delivery are not included, and I contacted him Sunday and am still waiting for a reply although monday I got a quuick email to say he was out and would be in touch when he got back. I've also contacted Hakko direct, there is another UK reseller and their website is slightly better and very very slow, again no means of direct purchase you have to ring up and send postal orders no doubt.

[neslekkim]

VAT and delivery are not included, and I contacted him Sunday and am still waiting for a reply although monday I got a quuick email to say he was out and would be in touch when he got back. I've also contacted Hakko direct, there is another UK reseller and their website is slightly better and very very slow, again no means of direct purchase you have to ring up and send postal orders no doubt.

And they also don't want to send outside UK I guess?
Because of all this hakko crap, I tried long to buy an FX951 from Dancap, but they did not want to sell it, so I bought from an US seller on ebay, they had 220v version, but when I got it I ended up with an fake, which I returned (costed me an fortune to return it), and got an new one, fake that one also.
I paid what is the going rate for fx951 in US, prices compared to http://www.tequipment.net/ etc, but all that seller had was fakes.

So, sitting with an fake 951, totally unusable, so I turned to the Norwegian supplier, was not allowed to buy from the swedish importer either, and I paid way more than the 888D is worth.
I'm not too crazy about Hakko for how they do things, the 888D should be sold at reasonable price (like the $89 in US), it's an good hobby iron.

But, when the FR300 comes to the marked, I'm kinda interrested in getting that, if it is possible to buy it somewhere and it's not an fake.. Not going to trust US sellers anymore..

[Simon]

Well I don't know who it is that decides of selling restrictions but I will see if I can get them direct and then make life simpler for the rest of us.

[baljemmett]

There is one in the UK but they have a basic 90's style website, with a price list, you email them and tell them what you want and they tell you the total with shipping then you send them a check and one day probably 10 days after you initially started trying to get the thing it turns up.

Or alternatively, such as when I bought mine, you pay by bank transfer and it turns up the next day...  I was a bit apprehensive (the website isn't hugely confidence inspiring, as you note) but it all went smoothly.  Did consider Grosvenor (I think you've discovered them too) but I think they were a little pricier and geared towards business sales.

My understanding of the 'these are the only UK distributors and they won't sell outside the UK' is that Hakko insist upon it, probably to protect the ludicrous pricing or somesuch.  It'll be interesting to see if you manage to get anywhere trying to obtain them for resale directly!

[Simon]

Well we will have to see what happens. I don't doubt dancap but like I say it's not very inspiring and you have to know exactly what you are after. Yes grossenover looked pretty useless.

[Zero999]

The transformer can put some people off but I was thinking of a small autotransformer, like the one linked below:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/US-to-UK-step-down-voltage-converter-from-240-to-110-120-volts-AC-85-watts-/191024274400?pt=UK_TravelTickets_Accessories_RL&hash=item2c79ef1be0

[Simon]

well it will just add sourcing costs and hakko are not very cooperative:

Dear Mr. Simon Turner,


Thanks for your contact.

Possibly there may be some problems to be improved by us with
our UK distributors, but we have no intention of increasing the
number of Hakko distributor there at least right now.

Your understanding is appreciated.



Best Regards - Higashino
*********************************
HAKKO CORPORATION
4-5, Shiokusa 2-chome, Naniwa-ku,
Osaka 556-0024    Japan

Phone:  81-6-6561-3225
Fax:  81-6-6561-8466
E-mail:  sales@hakko.com
URL: http://www.hakko.com

[DL8RI]

Hi,

they don't want to sell. That's stupid, but fine. There are a lot competitors with more expensive but better stations.
As for me, I thought "fuck you, Hakko" 2 or three years ago.

[Simon]

Well I don't know what their game is, I can sell tenma shit any day and make money on it but I'd rather sell something people have confidence in as I don't like the hassle you get from selling junk. Once I have managed to fully evaluate the tenma station I'll decide if I'm going to sell them.

[nctnico]

Well I don't know who it is that decides of selling restrictions but I will see if I can get them direct and then make life simpler for the rest of us.

For your information: Don't use Royal Mail if you want to send things to mainland Europe. It's more like Royal Snail. A lot of packages are delayed for weeks. If I order something from Germany it takes 2 or 3 days to arrive. From the UK it takes at least a week.
Actually I don't know if there is any good courier in the UK besides Fedex or UPS. The regular mail companies are causing a lot of problems for UK based companies trying to sell their products abroad.

[amyk]

Sensor is in series with the heater, nothing special about that.

If you want something more powerful get an AT315D; 150W of power with an MCU-controlled SMPS.

[Simon]

Well I don't know who it is that decides of selling restrictions but I will see if I can get them direct and then make life simpler for the rest of us.

For your information: Don't use Royal Mail if you want to send things to mainland Europe. It's more like Royal Snail. A lot of packages are delayed for weeks. If I order something from Germany it takes 2 or 3 days to arrive. From the UK it takes at least a week.
Actually I don't know if there is any good courier in the UK besides Fedex or UPS. The regular mail companies are causing a lot of problems for UK based companies trying to sell their products abroad.

On the whole I don't have problems but so far i am selling components only so mostly goes by letter mail. There is also surface mail so maybe you have had problems with people using that instead of air mail (both royal mail)

[Simon]

Sensor is in series with the heater, nothing special about that.

If you want something more powerful get an AT315D; 150W of power with an MCU-controlled SMPS.

There is no sensor at all, I took the whole thing apart but having said that I think I made the mistake of not putting solder on my tip as soon as i heated it so heat is not transferring properly. I'm still testing it to see if it's any good. many people complaining may just be ignorant of how to solder.

[neslekkim]

Well I don't know who it is that decides of selling restrictions but I will see if I can get them direct and then make life simpler for the rest of us.

For your information: Don't use Royal Mail if you want to send things to mainland Europe. It's more like Royal Snail. A lot of packages are delayed for weeks. If I order something from Germany it takes 2 or 3 days to arrive. From the UK it takes at least a week.
Actually I don't know if there is any good courier in the UK besides Fedex or UPS. The regular mail companies are causing a lot of problems for UK based companies trying to sell their products abroad.

On the whole I don't have problems but so far i am selling components only so mostly goes by letter mail. There is also surface mail so maybe you have had problems with people using that instead of air mail (both royal mail)

I hav had shipments from UK, ranging from two days to 4 weeks, but mostly its like one week, which is acceptable, but longer, I guess it's the shipper who is not rushing it.
Oh, and thats to Norway.