Hello everyone,
I run a boutique cable assembly business, and I've been running the heck out of a Chinese-made 852D+ Rework Station (you know those with the heat gun built in?), but I'm looking to upgrade to a better unit. I don't know how much longer mine will last after hundreds (maybe thousands) of hours over a few years of constant use, plus the handle gets hot and the temperature not super consistent. And I'd like something nicer.
What's your recommendation for a good quality production iron, suitable for daily, constant use? For years, decades maybe, I was a Weller girl and have been looking at their basic adjustable irons, but lately I've been leaning towards Hakko, and their FX888D sure looks nice. It's not super important to have a thermometer in the tip, as long as the heat is constant. I do use a lot of very high grade solders that are difficult to melt with some irons, if that matters (like the Cardas Quad Eutectic, Mundorf SilverGold Supreme and WBT silver solders).
I'll also be doing a lot of PCB work soon, mostly through hole but some SMD, so an iron that's good for both this kind of work, and cable assembly, would be nice.
What's best out there without shelling out hundreds of dollars?
Thanks!
RB
I run a boutique cable assembly business, and I've been running the heck out of a Chinese-made 852D+ Rework Station (you know those with the heat gun built in?), but I'm looking to upgrade to a better unit. I don't know how much longer mine will last after hundreds (maybe thousands) of hours over a few years of constant use, plus the handle gets hot and the temperature not super consistent. And I'd like something nicer.
What's your recommendation for a good quality production iron, suitable for daily, constant use? For years, decades maybe, I was a Weller girl and have been looking at their basic adjustable irons, but lately I've been leaning towards Hakko, and their FX888D sure looks nice. It's not super important to have a thermometer in the tip, as long as the heat is constant. I do use a lot of very high grade solders that are difficult to melt with some irons, if that matters (like the Cardas Quad Eutectic, Mundorf SilverGold Supreme and WBT silver solders).
I'll also be doing a lot of PCB work soon, mostly through hole but some SMD, so an iron that's good for both this kind of work, and cable assembly, would be nice.
What's best out there without shelling out hundreds of dollars?
Thanks!
RB