sOLDER STATIONS/ DIFFERENT TYPE OF SOLDER/ DESOLDERING HELP

[directcurrent1]

HAY FOLKS, I NEED SOME HELP HERE;
** NEED TO BUY A GOOD SOLDERING/DESOLDERING STATION -- ONE THAT CAN DEAL MICRO/SMD'S/ AS WELL HAS ELECTRONIC KIT AND PROJECT BUILDING, ROBOTIC BUILDING. i ALSO NEED TO KNOW ABOUT FUMICATORS --- i NEED YOUR ADVICE ON WHICH ONE TO GET?

ALSO I WOULD LIKE SOME FEED BACK ON THE DIFFENANCE IN SOLDER TYPES--WHAT i MEAN IS THAT i HAVE NOTICE THAT SOLDER BOARDS FROM CHINA AND JAPAN USE SOME WHAT OF A SOLDER THAT IS MUCH HARD TO MELT AND DESOLDER - YOU'D BURN THE BOARD BEFORE YOU MELT THE SOLDER-- oTHER SOLDER HAS A FASTER MELT DOWN MAKING IT UNSOLDERABLE---WHAT IS THE DEFERENCE.

GOD BLESS DC

[haklesup]

a good starting point is your budget. DOes no good to recommend an excellent tool if its out of range. However if you have $100 to spend, I think you can have some good choices. I don't have a specific recoommendation beyond making sure you know about the replacement tips, know where to get them and how much they cost and especially if it has a wide selection of tip shapes. I generally only use a long conical tip with a pretty fine point for PCB work. Something with variable temperature is nice especially if you plan to work with lead and lead free boards or boards with large heat sucking connections like ground planes or terminal lugs. 12W to 15W is fine for light duty board work but 20-25W is nice if you also want to do heavier work. ( more power than that is unnessary unless your also into stained glass windows or plumbing )

As for solder, you are asking about the differences of Lead/tin solder vs lead free solders which do have a higher melting point. If paired with a suitibly high quality PCB that solder won't necessarily damage the board. It only takes a little more heat and a little more time (not a lot more heat and the same amount of time) to melt. Cheap PCBs from china or anywhere for that matter may not stand up to the higher temp for more than one cycle. Theses plenty of websites discussing lead and lead free solder to research.

If you are building your own projects, I recommend you only use only 60/40 lead/tin solder and don't bother with lead free, that's for manufacturers who must comply with european environmental laws in consumer products that limit lead content among other things. You however as an individual are not so required, just wash your hands after handling any solder.

If you are reworking or repairing your own boards, mixing lead and lead free solder usually won't cause any short term problems. If you are soldering very fine pitch connections, it's still best to match the type of solder. Unfortunately, its hard to tell by sight of eye which is which.

One final note, don't overlook the flux, get some paste flux and some liquid flux and use it on the solder joints, it makes everything flow smoothly and improves the quality of the joint. Get a water clean up flux, for that matter get water clean up flux core solder as well and make things easy to clean up after, you can use plain water and soap to clean off the boards after assembly, in many cases wash in the kitchen sink or just dab with a cotton bud. The point is no solvents or alcohol needed (though still useful for cleaning and rinsing). Boards should be baked dry or dried overnight after washing before powering up again.

[directcurrent1]

Thank you for the info.

Reason is my 30 yrs old equip. is out dated and parts no longer avaiable, conpany is out of business.

I build me a flume-agaitor hot box, added a magifier to it to make it easyer to see soldering and solder connections, This way my face nor my hands touch the solder while work on it. Works well as a inspection unit as well.

Again you very much
God Bless Dc.

Now if I can figure out how to mark this post solved, I am in good shape? hehehehe