Reddit reviews Hakko Soldering Station, FX-951-66 (One Pack)

I solder for a living and am shocked at the price of this thing. I might get one to try out on some shit boards because, if this can match anything near the performance of my FM-203 or my FX-951 I'll be shocked and thrilled.

You certainly can use that soldering gun but it won't be fun or easy because it is so large (that's what I started with and used for a few years). I'd suggest picking up a Hakko FX-888D or Hakko FX-951 if you have a desire to continue with electronics.

Definitely add more solder because it has flux in it which will clean the oxides and allow the solder to flow out. You will also need to use a bit of solder wick/desoldering braid to clean up the pad before fixing it. You'll want to get some Kester leaded solder to work with.

Watch these Pace soldering tutorials before you begin to understand the basics. Heat the pad and wire then touch the solder wire to the joint. If you add it to the tip of the gun/iron the flux will burn away and it will start to oxidize. Doing it that way certainly has it's place but it isn't for this type of work as you'll need to add extra flux to protect the joint.

There is no local place that I have found that sells the top quality stuff. I do macbook logicboard Repair’s. Phones and random crap as well. Microsoldering etc. Amazon is where I typically grab parts. Or if you wanna help out an awesome guy that has countless YouTube videos on repairing MacBooks http://store.rossmanngroup.com to buy like me the quick hot air station. Here’s a wire I use very very thin great for jumping bad vias

Remington Industries 44SNSP.125 Magnet Wire, Enameled Copper Wire Wound, 44 AWG, 2 oz, 9975' Length, 0.0022" Diameter, Natural https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076CB54ZR/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_NpvDDbAFK1ZHD

Great solder station. And then buy the micro pencil

Hakko Soldering Station, FX-951-66 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0012B8NW8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_OfvDDb1QAAF78

This is beyond your budget (it is $200+), but this is what we use in our high-tech firm for general-purpose work:

Hakko FX-951

However, if you ever use lead-free solder, you absolutely have to use something like this. It lowers the tip temperature significantly when the iron is in the holster. This is critical for extending tip life - the lead-free stuff corrodes the tips VERY quickly otherwise. Our lives became much easier once we figured this out and moved to these soldering stations.

Anyway, lead-tin solder is still available in North America, but the whole industry is moving to lead-free...

I am out of town, but can try to help..

Cheap soldering kits make it hard to get a good, consistent temperature on the tip, and the recovery time (time for the tip to get hot again after bringing it down by cleaning, etc) is poor. You'd want to get an adjustable one if possible. You could easily be working too hot and causing yourself problems. Lead free solder is harder to work with. I have a Hakko that I love, but something in this range would be a worthwhile investment and a fine iron.

As for the soldering, you really are just jamming the iron into the two pieces of metal you are trying to join, and then slowly feeding the solder into the junction. Use as little as you need to get a tiny, clean joint, and never a 'bubble'.

Removing solder is a horse of a different color. That is a pain in the ass. For that, you will want a lot of flux and a hot-hot iron (as hot as you can go before you start damaging things/burning down the house like you say). It's not fun to remove these components. Sometimes you get lazy and snip out the old one and try to work out the lead with a needle-nose and the iron (fluxed up hole) at the same time. Helping hands or a good vise can be crucial for this.

I'm no great master at it, but it's really one of those things you can pick up watching a few youtube videos or hearing instructions (with the right equipment) and pick up. I taught a friend the other day for a project they are working on. It really is just practice to get good, and that seems to happen quickly once you get a feel for working the solder.

Right before I graduated from college I was getting into soldering and decided once I got my diplomas I would treat myself to some nice HAKKO equipment using the 30% discount while I was still considered a student. The stuff below is what I purchased. Note that the 30% discount is only applied to the soldering station nothing else. Anyway, if you can splurge, I highly recommend the FX-951-66. It is truly fucking AWESOME. If you are on a tight budget and not sure if soldering as a hobby will stick, get the cheapest HAKKO they sell and it will still be a good unit. I am a huge fan of hakko so clearly I am biased but they are a well-known reputable brand

Hakko Soldering Station, FX-951-66

Hakko T15-JS02 Conical Bent Tip R0.2 / 30deg x 1.6 x 7.9mm for FX-951

Hakko CHP 3-SA Stainless Steel Non-Magnetic Precision Tweezers with Very Fine Point Tips for Microelectronics Applications, 4-3/4" Length

Hakko CHP-170 Micro Soft Wire Cutter, 1.5mm Stand-off, Flush Cut, 2.5mm Hardened Carbon Steel Construction, 21-Degree Angled Jaw, 8mm Jaw Length, 16 Gauge Maximum Cutting Capacity

This is the one we use at the shop: https://www.amazon.com/AMERICAN-HAKKO-PRODUCTS-INC-FX-951/dp/B0012B8NW8/ref=sr_1_3?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1482558487&sr=1-3&keywords=hakko+soldering+station

But that's probably a little too much for something you're going to use once. Remember, all the soldering iron is going to do is just melt the solder.

Get something like this: https://www.amazon.com/Soldering-Ceramic-Heating-Element-Ergonomic/dp/B00IKMC2N8/ref=sr_1_1?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1482558529&sr=1-1&keywords=15W+soldering+iron

And just practice on some shitty PCB you have lying around.

I use a Hakko 951: https://www.amazon.com/AMERICAN-HAKKO-PRODUCTS-INC-FX-951/dp/B0012B8NW8

It works great, comes up to temp in less than 5 seconds, and stays at the temp you set it at. It is pricey, so not for everyone, but if you are going solder more than just your keyboard, it is definitely worth it. I also recommend the Hakko desoldering tool. I am still a beginner to soldering/desoldering, but with that tool, I was able to desolder an entire keyboard in about 7 minutes. It is a real time saver. Again, its not something you would buy just to use once, but definitely a good addition to any workbench.