Any thoughts on a 4in1 909D+ Rework Soldering Iron Desoldering Station? - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

DrTerror · 3rd Nov 2016, 7:23 pm

As the title says, I am thinking of getting one of these for my Christmas pressy, but does anyone know if they are any good?.
Here is the link...

http://diygeezer.com/saike-909d-review/

Now, I am no electronic expert!, but I seem to be soldering, and testing stuff, more and more these days!, so a nice little reflow tool would seem like a good idea, for all those 'dry joints' on all sorts of things, plus it has a PSU built in. I dont have a bench PSU, but would certainly like one!.

I mainly make up HQ audio cables, so this may be a bit overkill, but I do dabble with vintage audio (amps, cd players, turntables, receivers, cross overs,etc), and am learning as I go!.

Any thoughts?

Mods, sorry if this in the wrong section, but I did not know where else to put it...

mole42uk · 4th Nov 2016, 7:57 am

I'd be interested to know if spares are still readily available in a couple of years, or even in 30 years (like my Weller)
I'd also make an insulated cover for the power transistor on the rear panel, just in case!

Radio Wrangler · 4th Nov 2016, 8:21 am

There is a fan in the hot-air gun handle making it rather big, cumbersome and heavy. If you use it for surface mount work, the thing doesn't fit in between whatever sort of magnifier you use to see through and the thing being worked on. Someone at work bought a hot-air station with the same hand-piece. It worked but the power was a bit low. After being dropped on the bench, bits of glass were blown out of the end... they looked like sections of a test-tube. Spares? not a chance! We replaced it with a much more expensive non-chinese unit with a well known name. That burned out its heater at about 2 weeks old! the replacement unit is working fine. In soldering tools, nothing is truly trouble-free. Even hyper-expensive Metcal irons suffer failure of the RF source power transistors if people leave them running.

I'd suggest you pick something pretty common, pretty mainstream which ought to guarantee availability of bits and spares for several years. Start with a good iron, and use desoldering wick. A Weller TCP is still the gold standard for through-hole and point-to-point work and second hand ones are affordable. You get different bits which set different temperatures.

I'd suggest you go for separate things too. With combined units, when one part fails, you wind up chucking the whole thing.

David

60 oldjohn · 4th Nov 2016, 5:57 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by mole42uk

I'd also make an insulated cover for the power transistor on the rear panel, just in case!

Exactly my thoughts. If as much thought has gone into the rest of the unit....

John.

DrTerror · 5th Nov 2016, 2:04 pm

Thanks for the advice all!

I think I will go for a second hand Weller TCP and PSU, as parts seem easily available and it is tried and tested by those much more in the know than myself!

The 909 is a bit overkill for my needs, but as Radio Wrangler said above, if one part goes, the rest of the box is compromised, so even though the above review is favorable, I will pass on it.

I do see that on a eBay they sell sets of 'hot air gun' adapters, but surely the reduced flow would burn out a hot air gun? I am using an old, but faithful, ALDI hot air gun ATM, but only on low for heat shrink purposes. So, are these adapters for a different sort of hot air gun

.

Radio Wrangler · 5th Nov 2016, 2:45 pm

I sometimes used a large hot-air gun with a small jet sort of adaptor. It survived by having a second outlet through which most of the hot air blew, at right angles to the small tube that ditcted the wanted air. the massive heat output from the side blast had to be aimed away from anything sensitive... I lived in dread of cracking the objective lens of my stereo microscope. File these things under D-for-desperation!

The best hot air soldering station I ever used was a Pace, which needed a compressed air feed, but boy was it good. Controllable, as little or as much air as you wanted and it just looked after the temperature for you. The foot-pedal on/off switch was good too.

I've got a stupid amount of equipment. one bench magnifier and three different stereo microscopes. I use twin Metcals (one in each hand for desoldering) and there's even a TIG welder, but the Weller TCP1 on the bench to my right is what I go for first.

A TCP with a selection of bits is a great starting point. Remember that the bit fitted doesn't just set the shape you have to work with but also the temperature. Thre is a metal sample whose magnetic properties change at the set temperature crimped onto the non-business end of all the bits. The temperature is coded by a number stamped into this part.

David

mole42uk · 5th Nov 2016, 3:11 pm

I use TCP bits No7 for pretty much all my work. I've tried several other temperatures in the past 40 years but these seem to fit the bill.
Incidentally, is a Weller TCP like Abraham Lincolns axe? Mine has had new elements, a new handle, new cable but I swear it's the same one I've used for the past 20 years.

DrTerror · 5th Nov 2016, 3:24 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Radio Wrangler

I sometimes used a large hot-air gun with a small jet sort of adaptor. It survived by having a second outlet through which most of the hot air blew, at right angles to the small tube that ditcted the wanted air. the massive heat output from the side blast had to be aimed away from anything sensitive... I lived in dread of cracking the objective lens of my stereo microscope. File these things under D-for-desperation!

The best hot air soldering station I ever used was a Pace, which needed a compressed air feed, but boy was it good. Controllable, as little or as much air as you wanted and it just looked after the temperature for you. The foot-pedal on/off switch was good too.

I've got a stupid amount of equipment. one bench magnifier and three different stereo microscopes. I use twin Metcals (one in each hand for desoldering) and there's even a TIG welder, but the Weller TCP1 on the bench to my right is what I go for first.

A TCP with a selection of bits is a great starting point. Remember that the bit fitted doesn't just set the shape you have to work with but also the temperature. Thre is a metal sample whose magnetic properties change at the set temperature crimped onto the non-business end of all the bits. The temperature is coded by a number stamped into this part.

David

Hi David,
I am pretty sure non of those hot air gun adapters have a second outlet and some of them are fairly small reducing nozzles. I must off had this ALDI gun for about 5-6 years and it has never let me down, so it would be a shame to kill it trying to make it do a job it was not designed for!

I don't do any 'really' small board work, as my hands are too shaky! I tend to stick to the larger stuff, like vintage speaker cross overs and general blown cap replacement at the most .I am still a total newbie really!

A TIG welder? A bit overkill for my modest needs, although I keep on promising myself a MIG welder for car/trailer repairs, but seeing as my health is far from good, there is not much point!.

Thanks to you I am now going for a second hand TCP PSU, selection of tips (I mainly use a 1mm flat ATM,as those cables like a lot of solder) and a reel of desoldering braid, as the pumps just don't seem to work for me.

Thanks again for you solid advice David. I think my 'little projects' will be a lot easier from now on (when I get the TCP).

All the best.

Mike

MrBungle · 5th Nov 2016, 6:48 pm

Watch out for some of those Chinese rework stations. Some of the wiring is dangerous.

I'm using a Weller TCP and an Antex C15. The TCP was bought by my father in 1989 and is still going strong. Use the C15 for SMD work. I'll probably buy a metcal next year though.

DrTerror · 7th Nov 2016, 1:46 pm

Cheers buddy!

I am going to stay away from the cheaper Chinese stuff for now, as I am only really wanting a good soldering iron...

The other stuff was just an added bonus!, but like said above, if one bit dies the rest is compromised, just like a 70's 'music system', 80's 'music centre', or God forbid, a 90's 'midi/micro system'

. Saying that, I did spend a ridiculous amount on an early-mid 90's Kenwood Hi-Fi separates system, which ended up being a glorified midi system...

Was not all bad though, as I sold it to my stepbrother for virtually what it cost me...

7th Nov 2016, 4:44 pm

The TCP bits are marked with a number which is in hundreds of degrees Fahrenheit.

mole42uk · 7th Nov 2016, 5:11 pm

Every day is indeed a schoolday!

DrTerror · 7th Nov 2016, 6:17 pm

Indeed it is!,but that is why a relative newbie like me,is here!,to pickup knowledge from the 'Old Hands' of the trade!.
Another lesson learnt,from the lessons learnt on here,can only be a good thing,so to speak!.

mole42uk · 7th Nov 2016, 8:11 pm

Well, as I say many times, I've been using the same Weller TCP for 40 years but today is the first time that I knew that my favourite No7 bit is rated at 700˚ and that the ones I don't like, the No6 are rated at only 600˚

Thyristor · 7th Nov 2016, 9:50 pm

Weller and Antex here too.
Weller TCP for general use, and Antex 18W for fine work.
Both with fine chisel tips; can't stand those awful 'flat round' tips that seem to come with soldering irons.

3rd Nov 2016, 7:23 pm	#1
DrTerror Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Aug 2016 Location: Blofield, Norfolk, UK. Posts: 36	Any thoughts on a 4in1 909D+ Rework Soldering Iron Desoldering Station? As the title says, I am thinking of getting one of these for my Christmas pressy, but does anyone know if they are any good?. Here is the link... http://diygeezer.com/saike-909d-review/ Now, I am no electronic expert!, but I seem to be soldering, and testing stuff, more and more these days!, so a nice little reflow tool would seem like a good idea, for all those 'dry joints' on all sorts of things, plus it has a PSU built in. I dont have a bench PSU, but would certainly like one!. I mainly make up HQ audio cables, so this may be a bit overkill, but I do dabble with vintage audio (amps, cd players, turntables, receivers, cross overs,etc), and am learning as I go!. Any thoughts? Mods, sorry if this in the wrong section, but I did not know where else to put it... Last edited by AC/HL; 3rd Nov 2016 at 9:35 pm. Reason: Forum rules

4th Nov 2016, 7:57 am	#2
mole42uk Nonode Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Resolven, Wales; and Bristol, England Posts: 2,608	Re: Any thoughts on a 4in1 909D+ Rework Soldering Iron Desoldering Station? I'd be interested to know if spares are still readily available in a couple of years, or even in 30 years (like my Weller) I'd also make an insulated cover for the power transistor on the rear panel, just in case! __________________ Richard Index: recursive loop: see recursive loop

4th Nov 2016, 8:21 am	#3
Radio Wrangler Moderator Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Fife, Scotland, UK. Posts: 22,869	Re: Any thoughts on a 4in1 909D+ Rework Soldering Iron Desoldering Station? There is a fan in the hot-air gun handle making it rather big, cumbersome and heavy. If you use it for surface mount work, the thing doesn't fit in between whatever sort of magnifier you use to see through and the thing being worked on. Someone at work bought a hot-air station with the same hand-piece. It worked but the power was a bit low. After being dropped on the bench, bits of glass were blown out of the end... they looked like sections of a test-tube. Spares? not a chance! We replaced it with a much more expensive non-chinese unit with a well known name. That burned out its heater at about 2 weeks old! the replacement unit is working fine. In soldering tools, nothing is truly trouble-free. Even hyper-expensive Metcal irons suffer failure of the RF source power transistors if people leave them running. I'd suggest you pick something pretty common, pretty mainstream which ought to guarantee availability of bits and spares for several years. Start with a good iron, and use desoldering wick. A Weller TCP is still the gold standard for through-hole and point-to-point work and second hand ones are affordable. You get different bits which set different temperatures. I'd suggest you go for separate things too. With combined units, when one part fails, you wind up chucking the whole thing. David __________________ Can't afford the volcanic island yet, but the plans for my monorail and the goons' uniforms are done

5th Nov 2016, 2:04 pm	#5
DrTerror Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Aug 2016 Location: Blofield, Norfolk, UK. Posts: 36	Re: Any thoughts on a 4in1 909D+ Rework Soldering Iron Desoldering Station? Thanks for the advice all! I think I will go for a second hand Weller TCP and PSU, as parts seem easily available and it is tried and tested by those much more in the know than myself! The 909 is a bit overkill for my needs, but as Radio Wrangler said above, if one part goes, the rest of the box is compromised, so even though the above review is favorable, I will pass on it. I do see that on a eBay they sell sets of 'hot air gun' adapters, but surely the reduced flow would burn out a hot air gun? I am using an old, but faithful, ALDI hot air gun ATM, but only on low for heat shrink purposes. So, are these adapters for a different sort of hot air gun.

5th Nov 2016, 2:45 pm	#6
Radio Wrangler Moderator Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Fife, Scotland, UK. Posts: 22,869	Re: Any thoughts on a 4in1 909D+ Rework Soldering Iron Desoldering Station? I sometimes used a large hot-air gun with a small jet sort of adaptor. It survived by having a second outlet through which most of the hot air blew, at right angles to the small tube that ditcted the wanted air. the massive heat output from the side blast had to be aimed away from anything sensitive... I lived in dread of cracking the objective lens of my stereo microscope. File these things under D-for-desperation! The best hot air soldering station I ever used was a Pace, which needed a compressed air feed, but boy was it good. Controllable, as little or as much air as you wanted and it just looked after the temperature for you. The foot-pedal on/off switch was good too. I've got a stupid amount of equipment. one bench magnifier and three different stereo microscopes. I use twin Metcals (one in each hand for desoldering) and there's even a TIG welder, but the Weller TCP1 on the bench to my right is what I go for first. A TCP with a selection of bits is a great starting point. Remember that the bit fitted doesn't just set the shape you have to work with but also the temperature. Thre is a metal sample whose magnetic properties change at the set temperature crimped onto the non-business end of all the bits. The temperature is coded by a number stamped into this part. David __________________ Can't afford the volcanic island yet, but the plans for my monorail and the goons' uniforms are done

5th Nov 2016, 3:11 pm	#7
mole42uk Nonode Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Resolven, Wales; and Bristol, England Posts: 2,608	Re: Any thoughts on a 4in1 909D+ Rework Soldering Iron Desoldering Station? I use TCP bits No7 for pretty much all my work. I've tried several other temperatures in the past 40 years but these seem to fit the bill. Incidentally, is a Weller TCP like Abraham Lincolns axe? Mine has had new elements, a new handle, new cable but I swear it's the same one I've used for the past 20 years. __________________ Richard Index: recursive loop: see recursive loop

5th Nov 2016, 6:48 pm	#9
MrBungle Dekatron Join Date: Jun 2016 Location: London, UK. Posts: 3,687	Re: Any thoughts on a 4in1 909D+ Rework Soldering Iron Desoldering Station? Watch out for some of those Chinese rework stations. Some of the wiring is dangerous. I'm using a Weller TCP and an Antex C15. The TCP was bought by my father in 1989 and is still going strong. Use the C15 for SMD work. I'll probably buy a metcal next year though.

7th Nov 2016, 1:46 pm	#10
DrTerror Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Aug 2016 Location: Blofield, Norfolk, UK. Posts: 36	Re: Any thoughts on a 4in1 909D+ Rework Soldering Iron Desoldering Station? Cheers buddy! I am going to stay away from the cheaper Chinese stuff for now, as I am only really wanting a good soldering iron... The other stuff was just an added bonus!, but like said above, if one bit dies the rest is compromised, just like a 70's 'music system', 80's 'music centre', or God forbid, a 90's 'midi/micro system' . Saying that, I did spend a ridiculous amount on an early-mid 90's Kenwood Hi-Fi separates system, which ended up being a glorified midi system... Was not all bad though, as I sold it to my stepbrother for virtually what it cost me...

7th Nov 2016, 4:44 pm	#11
Guest Guest Posts: n/a	Re: Any thoughts on a 4in1 909D+ Rework Soldering Iron Desoldering Station? The TCP bits are marked with a number which is in hundreds of degrees Fahrenheit.

7th Nov 2016, 5:11 pm	#12
mole42uk Nonode Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Resolven, Wales; and Bristol, England Posts: 2,608	Re: Any thoughts on a 4in1 909D+ Rework Soldering Iron Desoldering Station? Every day is indeed a schoolday! __________________ Richard Index: recursive loop: see recursive loop

7th Nov 2016, 6:17 pm	#13
DrTerror Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Aug 2016 Location: Blofield, Norfolk, UK. Posts: 36	Re: Any thoughts on a 4in1 909D+ Rework Soldering Iron Desoldering Station? Indeed it is!,but that is why a relative newbie like me,is here!,to pickup knowledge from the 'Old Hands' of the trade!. Another lesson learnt,from the lessons learnt on here,can only be a good thing,so to speak!.

7th Nov 2016, 8:11 pm	#14
mole42uk Nonode Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Resolven, Wales; and Bristol, England Posts: 2,608	Re: Any thoughts on a 4in1 909D+ Rework Soldering Iron Desoldering Station? Well, as I say many times, I've been using the same Weller TCP for 40 years but today is the first time that I knew that my favourite No7 bit is rated at 700˚ and that the ones I don't like, the No6 are rated at only 600˚ __________________ Richard Index: recursive loop: see recursive loop

7th Nov 2016, 9:50 pm	#15
Thyristor Pentode Join Date: May 2015 Location: Hove, East Sussex. Posts: 147	Re: Any thoughts on a 4in1 909D+ Rework Soldering Iron Desoldering Station? Weller and Antex here too. Weller TCP for general use, and Antex 18W for fine work. Both with fine chisel tips; can't stand those awful 'flat round' tips that seem to come with soldering irons.