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i haven't looked but does it take common Weller tips or is it some proprietary style? one tip type does not do all jobs. ar-jedi |
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I have a Hakko 936 that I got from fry's years ago. They have lots of tips available and it has served me well over the years. Its really nice having quality tools when you need to use them. It heats up fast and is temp controlled. handle never gets even warm in the hand and its very light. |
I have this Tenma for at least 16 years and it's still going. I still have the original "iron", but found a new one at a hamfest for cheap. The original lost the rubber insulator and was too hot to handle.
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The specs look good. Ham projects imply everything from soldering power wires to PCB boards. For the former you want temp control, for the latter heat and mass. Just as a warning, this iron likely has a lot less mass then a real 60 watt iron, and may only be the equal of a 45-50 watt iron. Most electrical connections don't care, it just takes longer, but for something like soldering PL-259s on foam dielectric cable this may be a bit anemic.
But I'm a fan of 200 watt irons as well. |
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For $40 it looks very nice.
Certainly worth a try and you can always return it. I have mostly Weller and have always been annoyed at the cost of their tips. They have [or used to] a good repair turnaround and price. That iron if it's as good as it looks and a D440 or a D550 Weller soldering gun should take care of most of your needs. Ebay has the guns a decent prices from time to time. |
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