new soldering iron

[fred0000]

pretty excited for this. i've been putting off buying a soldering station for just over 2 years now, I kept telling myself that the iron I have works fine, (it does, and I can solder VERY well with it) but for how much i'm into the hobby something a little bit nicer would be pretty awesome. (current iron is a $8 60watt hobbico)

I got this HAKKO 936C clone off of eBay for $48 shipped to my door, not to bad (hobbyking has the same one in their AUS and USA warehouses, just never been in stock)

mine arived today, very pleased, reaches max heat in under a minute, just one gripe, the included soldering iron tip is to small, it'll do for some jobs but plugs and connectors i'd like something bigger, I ordered a variety 10 pack of tips off of eBay for just under $6 shipped. (search HAKKO 907 tips)

 

[bicyclemonkey]

Nice...that's a very tiny tip indeed.

 

[Ak Flyer]

That's a nice setup. I could have used one of those super small tips the other day doing linear servos.

 

[sandblaster]

I ordered one from HobbyKing when they first appeared in the US warehouse. Really good buy. As for the tip, I use the small tip for connectors. So far it has worked very well. In fact with the XT60 connectors, one has to be careful of not getting them to hot and distorting them. Works great with 12 ga wire. Have not needed to use it on anything bigger yet.

Now we know why the US warehouse has non. Someone buys them out and resells them on Ebay at a nice profit. Use to be the same with HK lippos but that has stopped. Personally I refuse to play that game and support those who bulk buy to control the market. I would back order from HK and wait. Let the Ebay seller not be able to sell and the bulk buying will stop. Better deal for us all.

 

[Manfet]

In fact with the XT60 connectors, one has to be careful of not getting them to hot and distorting them.

Well that is not really a good sign. Because either it didn't get the lead hot enough or you were too slow while soldering it.
But I had the same problem. It's probably both for me since I use a relative small tip for those (better reach) and am not really good at soldering. My friend gave me a good tip. Just solder them always with another unsoldered connector plugged in and they can't twist anymore after getting hot.

 

[fred0000]

I ordered one from HobbyKing when they first appeared in the US warehouse. Really good buy. As for the tip, I use the small tip for connectors. one has to be careful of not getting them to hot and distorting them. Works great with 12 ga wire. Have not needed to use it on anything bigger yet.

great buy I agree at $15 on HK it can't be beat (but 1700gram ~$30 shipping)

as for your melting plugs issue, that just shows the tip is to small, and you are using to much heat to make up for it (also have to keep the iron in contact far to long to get the solder to flow, causing melted plugs), a bigger tip would do you much better for those plugs, thanks for proving my point.

Now we know why the US warehouse has non. Someone buys them out and resells them on Ebay at a nice profit.

doubtful, i'm sure there are many overseas manufactures cloning this model. to get the one from hobbyking would cost me the same or more after shipping. thats why I just went with the eBay one so I could get it sooner, spending the same or possibly even less. (also the "name brand" in the photo is not the same, just similar model)

edit: also, why would a seller in China buy pruduct housed in the USA?

Personally I refuse to play that game and support those who bulk buy to control the market..

cause hobbyking doesn't do this?

 

[sandblaster]

Actually what it means is I had the heat set to high the first time. Turned down the heat and it works great. I place the tip across the cup part of the connector. Take no time at all for the solder to flow.

And what I mean, back in the day before the US warehouse and lipos had to come from HK, a certain battery was used in RC trucks. Was very had to get from HK. When they came in they sold out in hours, but was always a seller on EBay had stock at very high prices. Discuss on forums of wishing HK would limit the amount one person could buy at a time so the supply would go around. Eventually HK caught up and the seller on evil bay moved on as his price was way to high.

Same as this. Free enterprise and all. One can choose where to spend ones own money. I just hate being gouged by a reseller, any reseller. I shop careful to make my few funds go as far as possible. Have been ripped off to many times and regret everyone, have learned many lessons the hard way.

Not trying to start a fight, just expressing my own views.

 

[fred0000]

I was just thinking that, it's probably awesome as is for bullet type connectors, i'll likely try it as is since I can't wait to use the thing and report back on how it works (I use T-Conectors myself)