New Soldering Station

[HPIguy]

So I couldn't take it anymore, I went down to the local Radio Shack and bought one of the stations after the frustration of completing my new lipos this week. I will be sticking with electric rigs after all. The reasons I bought this over the Hakko or Team Checkpoint stations are as follows

1. I'm impatient, I wanted it now so I can finish up some soldering work I still need to do. And I'm dying to get outside and play this weekend, been cooped up inside for way too long (almost two weeks now).
2. My Radio Shack is a franchise store, and locally owned in an area that was hit HARD by the economic downturn. Those guys have always been awesome anytime I go in there, and they need the sale. I'm all about supporting local small businessmen.
3. I'm a gadget junkie, and I'm not ashamed to admit it. The digital temperature readout is not only cool, it seems very practical to me.

I've got some more soldering to do, and then I'll post up my impressions of it. I can tell you this though, I was shocked at the weight of it, and it has a ceramic element inside under the tip, and some other nice touches like three temperature preset buttons, etc.

Also, a little joke at my expense. I've never owned a soldering tool this nice, so even though the box clearly states DO NOT ATTEMPT TO TOUCH TIP OF SOLDERING IRON (which I laughed at thinking why would anyone need to be told not to touch it), the performance just seemed to good to be true. Once I powered it up, according to the display it heated up way faster than I thought possible. So, as I'm reaching for the tip (after super cooling my finger with saliva of course) thinking the whole time "There is no way it's already hot en.....OWWW! SON OF A ______"

 

[Skwerly]

LOL! Oh man, the touching the tip bit was FUNNY! I actually LOLd pretty good at that.

PLEASE let us know how it does! That looks like a nice unit! I, too, am a gadgeteer and tinkerer of the extreme. I rarely even go into Radio Shacks anymore because every time I do I come out #@#$%! broke.

If I may ask, what did you pay for that bad boy? Congrats on the buy, too.

 

[bergoff]

That looks like a nice set up. I really need to get something different also. The iron I'm using is older than me. Let us know how it does for you.

Sent from my Eris using Tapatalk

 

[Rolex]

I'm also curious as to what you paid for it. I'd buy it just because it looks so cool.

Just a reminder....don't touch the tip.

 

[Skwerly]

haha, i'm still chuckling over that one.

 

[HPIguy]

I paid $80 for it. I did a couple of old stick packs with Dean's plugs for practice. Dare I say it, I can see how this might actually be enjoyable. SO much easier that what I was dealing with, especially after reading all the links posted in the other thread. I need to order a bevel tip, but other than that if it holds up I'm liking it so far.

 

[Skwerly]

Excellent! Eighty sounds a bit steep for me but I really like that digital readout bit. super cool.

 

[abadk9420]

From the looks of it I think you made a good investment, I am old schools and like my soldering gun, but would not mind and may some day get a soldering station.

By the way don't touch the tip, IT'S HOT!!!!! LOL!!! One other word of advise if you don't already do this when soldering deans plugs put a male and female together, if your not quick enough they can heat up and have the pins move a little on you and then they don't do together as smoothly. at least that was my experience a couple of times, LOL!!

 

[slowngreen]

Oh God do not touch it! I've grabbed the tip/tube on my iron with it all the way up more than once, not fun and apparently didnt learn the first time.
Congrats on the new station, it makes a world of a difference.

 

[hamz9561]

My only question is: Do they carry replacement tips? I bought a couple of Radio Shack irons and Radio Shack doesn't carry them.

 

[HPIguy]

abakd, I never thought of using another plug for a heatsink, that's brilliant. I did however solder up two females and one male deans last night without any problems. With the old iron, I had the same issue you describe.

SNG, thanks man it definitely makes soldering something to look forward to instead of dread. I did up the deans plugs last night, and was out of things to solder as was like that can't be it, I wanna mess with this thing some more.

hamz, I didn't see any replacement tips. But in my case, I can't get tips for anything other than the cheapie Radio Shack irons locally, so no matter what I bought I would have to mail order them. Hakko 900M tips work on this BTW.

 

[abadk9420]

abakd, I never thought of using another plug for a heatsink, that's brilliant. I did however solder up two females and one male deans last night without any problems. With the old iron, I had the same issue you describe.

Glad you liked the idea, and glad you are know enjoying your new toy, LOL!!!! The right tool for the job makes thing much easier and more enjoyable for sure, and if you have not already picked up a 3rd hand tool, get one it makes soldering that much more enjoyable because your not burning your fingers trying to hold onto the hot wires or plugs you are soldering, or trying to hold onto a pair of pliers and get it all lined up at the same time.

 

[moe7404]

i make a rig like yours. useing a light dimmer to control current. mine is NOT as good as yours cause yours controls the temp at the iron, mine only controls current.

 

[broken_civic]

i really lol'd at the touching the tip part, mostly because it sounds EXACTLY like something i would have done word for word.

i prob. would have laughed at the warning saying do not touch it, like yea who really needs warned.

then i know i would have sat there and been like humm, i'm curious if it's hot, i doubt theres any chance it got hot that quick and burnt my finger. i prob. would not have used saliva though lol

 

[Rolex]

"That's hot." (Paris Hilton)