Quick Review: Quick 957 Analog Rework Station

[nidlaX]

After hearing good things about the Quick 957D, I decided to pick up this analog version Quick 957 hot air rework station during Black Friday for around $36.

Here's what it looks like. Comes with three nozzles and correctly installed mains wiring.


Complaint #1: my hose is kinky right off the bat.


Like other cheapo rework stations: the handpiece holder can be switched to the left side, the protruding lip will catch on the rim of the handpiece to prevent it from sliding off, and there are magnets inside which will actuate a switch/sensor in the handpiece for the auto-off function.


Fit and finish is about as good as that of a free after rebate PC power supply.


Well... it looks like I got what I paid for.


(Aoyue) 857A... I don't see a micro anywhere, so I guess the LM324 is driving the whole operation?




It does actually work ok. Temperature control was verified with my UT71B, and I was able to desolder a few parts off of this PCI modem with little trouble.


And now a question for you guys: should I keep this unit, or should I return it and grab an 858D clone instead? For what I paid, I wouldn't consider this a bargain, and the kinks in the air hose interfere with airflow unless I hold it at specific angles. Are there any advantages to having the blower inside the base as opposed to the handpiece?

Thanks for looking!

[Rasz]

Quick 861DW it is not
looks like any other 858, the sad part is its a legit Quick product http://www.quick-usa.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=60&product_id=93
just looked at their other products and its 90% typical auoye crap, I only knew them from 861(very good hotair)

[wraper]

And now a question for you guys: should I keep this unit, or should I return it and grab an 858D clone instead? For what I paid, I wouldn't consider this a bargain,

Are you crazy? For what you paid for it it is ultra bargain. 858D is crap with a blower inside the handle.

[wraper]

just looked at their other products and its 90% typical auoye crap, I only knew them from 861(very good hotair)

They are not, insides are very different from Aoyue even if the outer look may be similar. This one is very different too, and PCB is much better actually when compared to Aoyue and other crap. They even use quiet decent Jamicon capacitors.

looks like any other 858

I don't see anything similar at all, except nozzles. Different case, different handle (no vibrating blower inside the bulky handle).

[nidlaX]

just looked at their other products and its 90% typical auoye crap, I only knew them from 861(very good hotair)

They are not, insides are very different from Aoyue even if the outer look may be similar. This one is very different too, and PCB is much better actually when compared to Aoyue and other crap. They even use quiet decent Jamicon capacitors.

Hmm, interesting. I still don't like the way the hose shipped to me. Unlike what you see in their pictures, it's very stiff and those kinks are pretty damn annoying.

Also, it does bear a striking resemblance to some older Aoyue designs that have the blower inside the base. I see some Baku units too with the 857D/957D design. Maybe someone with a 957D could comment or post a teardown?

[wraper]

just looked at their other products and its 90% typical auoye crap, I only knew them from 861(very good hotair)

They are not, insides are very different from Aoyue even if the outer look may be similar. This one is very different too, and PCB is much better actually when compared to Aoyue and other crap. They even use quiet decent Jamicon capacitors.

Hmm, interesting. I still don't like the way the hose shipped to me. Unlike what you see in their pictures, it's very stiff and those kinks are pretty damn annoying.

The hose don't look right, although I don't have 957, in 861 which I have, the hose is attached exactly the same but without any kinks. Try to write Quick what they can say about this. Do those kinks happen only in a few particular places? Probably it was packaged badly, so the hose was bent in particular places where those kinks now happen.

[wraper]

Also, it does bear a striking resemblance to some older Aoyue designs that have the blower inside the base. I see some Baku units too with the 857D/957D design. Maybe someone with a 957D could comment or post a teardown?

Auyue never had a blower inside the case AFAIK. They had diaphragm pump, and still have in more expensive models.

[amyk]

"my hose is kinky" would have a very different meaning if it weren't for the context...

My biggest concern with the reliability of this design would be the use of a brushed motor in the blower - it's probably quite loud too. The 858-style uses a brushless fan.

[wblock]

No nut on that bolt in the lower heatsink, and the hole is visibly larger than the bolt.  Secured by wishful thinking?  Can't tell on the upper heatsink.

[SeanB]

Looks like the top one already has a gap. a nut would not be amiss. They probably used a self threading screw, and the hole is at the outer limit for the screw to generate a thread, though it might have just managed a few curls to hold initially.

[wraper]

No nut on that bolt in the lower heatsink, and the hole is visibly larger than the bolt.  Secured by wishful thinking?  Can't tell on the upper heatsink.

IMO the hole is deburred, no need to worry. Like in this picture.

Looks like the top one already has a gap. a nut would not be amiss. They probably used a self threading screw, and the hole is at the outer limit for the screw to generate a thread, though it might have just managed a few curls to hold initially.

These are not self tappers.

[Shock]

Get a thin strip of paper and wrap it around the hose a few times to straighten it into shape then tape it in place, it should eventually hold shape by itself.

I'd email the supplier saying you're doing so, that way if you're unhappy you can always bail out later under warranty or they might even have a spare hose they can send.

[SeanB]

Self threading screw is not a self tapping screw, but one with a trilobular shaped thread such that it will make a thread into the base material. Pretty much all PC screws are that way now, as they only have to punch the thin plate to form the shoulder, and the power driver provides the torque to form the thread on first insertion.  Look closely and you will see the first few threads are shaped to rol a thread into the base material, though here it looks like they used a machine tap to do the threads.

Note the lack of any thermal interface material, just bare case to bare coated extrusion. even a drop of oil or grease would improve things immensely.

[wraper]

Note the lack of any thermal interface material, just bare case to bare coated extrusion. even a drop of oil or grease would improve things immensely.

I certainly see some specks of the thermal paste on the back side of the heatsink.

[Carrington]

No, it does not look good, so best avoid this model. 
However other models seem to be well constructed, like the Quick 861DW or 861DS (obviously it is more expensive).

@ nidlaX: Thanks for these revealing pictures.

[wraper]

No, it does not look good, so best avoid this model. 
However other models seem to be well constructed, like the Quick 861DW or 861DS (obviously it is more expensive).

@ nidlaX: Thanks for these revealing pictures.

It's certainly not perfect but what should you expect when buying bottom of the range at this price? You won't get any better in this price range. At least with quick you get a quality heater element which won't burn in a few minutes at the max temp.

[wraper]

"my hose is kinky" would have a very different meaning if it weren't for the context...

My biggest concern with the reliability of this design would be the use of a brushed motor in the blower - it's probably quite loud too. The 858-style uses a brushless fan.

Of course I don't know for sure but their webpage says that the fan is brusheless.
http://www.quick-usa.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=60&product_id=93

[SeanB]

That motor in the teardown is brushed, the telltales are the holes for the brush dust to escape and the 10n ceramic disc capacitors to the case to reduce the RF noise from the brushes. To be fair though the brushes do not really wear out before the bushes in the motor wear out, they often are still good when the bush is making a horrid noise from wear and lack of lubrication as the oilite bushes have dried out. A drop of motor oil applied to them regularly always helps to prolong the life of these bushes.

[Carrington]

It's certainly not perfect but what should you expect when buying bottom of the range at this price? You won't get any better in this price range. At least with quick you get a quality heater element which won't burn in a few minutes at the max temp.

Regardless building quality or actual user experience, this is wayyyy better than a 858D.

Yeah, that's right, I agree.

[timb]

Looks pretty good to me for the price! Having a blower in you're base is way better than using your hand. Especially when yo ho's be kinky!

I've got one of the more expensive Aoyue all in one stations (soldering iron w/ fume sucker, hot air wand, desoldering gun) that uses a diaphragm pump. It all works okay (except the soldering iron, it's crap) but if I had to do it over again, I'd buy a cheap analog model like yours until I was in a position to need a higher quality unit.

Pro Tip: Get some big ass rubber feet and put on the bottom of the case. It'll reduce vibrations significantly!

[nidlaX]

Pro Tip: Get some big ass rubber feet and put on the bottom of the case. It'll reduce vibrations significantly!

Actually, the unit already comes with some nice big rubber feet, it's just that the metalwork isn't great so the whole case seems a bit warped. The blower body appears to be anti-vibration mounted as well.

[amyk]

That motor in the teardown is brushed, the telltales are the holes for the brush dust to escape and the 10n ceramic disc capacitors to the case to reduce the RF noise from the brushes. To be fair though the brushes do not really wear out before the bushes in the motor wear out, they often are still good when the bush is making a horrid noise from wear and lack of lubrication as the oilite bushes have dried out. A drop of motor oil applied to them regularly always helps to prolong the life of these bushes.

It's the same type of high-speed DC motor used in small vacuums. On the other hand, they don't vibrate as much as the reciprocating pumps.

[nidlaX]

Regardless building quality or actual user experience, this is wayyyy better than a 858D. I was excruciated by a 858D for over 2 years before getting a 957DW. It is way better.

I believe 957DW is exactly the same as a 957, just with added fancy temperature display. Control parameters and heater/blower are the same.

Blueskull, I think it would be very interesting to see some pictures of the insides of your 957DW. Quick USA replied to me today and said that the US version 957 and 957D use brushed motors, whereas the W versions use brushless motors.

[nanofrog]

Given it's market segment, it's actually better built than Aoyue and similarly constructed units (W.E.P., ...). So for $36, you got a heck of a bargain.  I prefer the pump inside the enclosure as there's no intake vents in the handle that can get clogged with dust or can be inadvertently covered up by the user, thus starving the unit for air (safety POV; less likely to start a fire).

Regarding the kinks in the hose, my 861DW's hose was kinked as well due to how it was packaged up at the factory. They've pretty much come out on their own as I lay it out in a large arc (no kinks from being wrapped in too tight a curve). I'll have to try the wrapping the hose in paper strips idea to see if I can't finish them off for good though. 

[nidlaX]

Nice pictures, thanks! I have been in contact with Quick USA customer service, and I'll follow up on this soon after my case is resolved.