When I reworked our solder stations 10 years ago at work ,20 total, I 
went with the PACE 5000's.   We had the older non-temperature controlled 
variable voltage SMD units from PACE.    The 5000's do it all, solder 
vac, jet, smt reflow, solder iron, solder tweeze, resist tweeze, rotary 
tool, cutting, and thermal conformal coating removal, it has vacuum pic 
and place as well as other accessories for doing LSI circuits, AC and DC 
pulse voltages, as well as plating accessories.    They are fully 
temperature controlled and programmable so that it can be pre-set and 
not changed.    I don't work for PACE, I did use them in the Navy, in 
the late 70's they placed the SMD units on all commands, and that is 
what I recommended to PG&E when I joined them in '82.     I have used 
Hakko, and numerous others but I always go back to the PACE units. 
They have several MP-1 and MBT units for field use, I made up complete 
ESD field kits for the techs to use in the field.

I have a PACE MP-1 for home extractor use, and a Weller temp controlled 
micro-iron for SMT, and soldering.   I don't use the MP-1 for soldering 
as the tips are too large for most fine stuff, but the MP-1 is AC-DC so 
it goes with me when I go camping and radio playing.     I have been 
looking to get my hands on a SMD unit that is being retired.    I can't 
afford the 5000 for home use, they run about 8K, although I wouldn't 
turn one down that was given to me.

pat goodyear PGE retired.


On Fri, Dec 13, 2013 at 2:38 PM, Steve Gregory wrote:

> Hi Phil,
>
> The Hakko 485 is a solder fountain type of rework station. The AirVac
> PCBRM-12 is what I've always used, but that was for standard tin/lead
> solders. The new lead-free model is the PCBRM-15 and all the pump
> components and flow wells (nozzles) are titanium which can put the 
> price
> tag  easily around $15K or more if you want a lot of nozzles. Doesn't
> seem like a lot to some people, but to us it is...at this time anyway.
>
> AirVac has pretty much dominated in these type of rework stations 
> mainly
> because there isn't too many others that make them. I don't know why,
> because there still is a lot of through-hole stuff around...
>
> Steve
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Nutting, Phil [mailto:[log in to unmask]] Sent: Friday, 
> December 13, 2013 3:23 PM
> To: TechNet E-Mail Forum; Steve Gregory
> Subject: RE: [TN] Through-hole rework station...
>
> Steve,
>
> I have no experience with the Kakko units.  However, my favorite PTH
> de-soldering systems is by far the old Pace (was MBT) glass tube 
> units.
> I find the newer cardboard tube versions aren't as effective.  But 
> I'll
> opine that each unit's performance is directly related to the level of
> daily maintenance it gets.  My experience has been the units on the
> production floor sit gathering dust in favor of the Soldapulit hand
> de-solderers.  If I'm on the floor the first thing I would have to do 
> is
> do a full cleaning before using the tool.
>
> But then I'm a fussy curmudgeon.
>
> Phil
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: TechNet [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Steve Gregory
> Sent: Friday, December 13, 2013 12:01 PM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: [TN] Through-hole rework station...
>
> Hi All,
>
>
> For through-hole rework stations, I've always been a AirVac PCBRM guy.
> But I'm being asked to look at a Hakko 485, mainly because of the 
> price.
>
>
> I've never worked with the system, but from what I see in the online
> literature, it seems very bare bones and might be okay for very basic
> kind of through-hole rework on very simple assemblies.
>
>
> Have any of you ever worked with this Hakko unit? Am I off-base with 
> my
> assessment? My thinking is that there is a very good reason that it is
> inexpensive...
>
>
> Steve
>
>
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