Recommendatons for a new reflow station / hot air gun?

[Mac84]

Hello everyone!

I think it's finally time to replace my Yihua hot air gun (pictured below). I've stopped using the soldering iron when I got a new one, but I've been relying on this for my repairs.

Sadly, it seems to be slowly losing it's juice. The air doesn't seem to be coming out as hot or as fast as it used to.

Without spending a fortune, can anyone recommend some good quality hot air guns which would be suitable for electronics work?
It doesn't have to be the best of the best, I'm fine with budget models and clones, etc.

Thanks!

 

[Branchus]

Take a look at the ATTEN ST-862D.

 

[Mac84]

Thanks Bruce! I think I'll go ahead and order that one, I found a decent deal on eBay. I'll let everyone know how it turns out.

 

[alxlab]

Been using a VIVOHOME 862d+ and pretty happy with so far. I was impressed it was wired properly to not kill you right out of the box (ie switch on hot instead of neutral)!

Doesn't seem to be available on amazon.ca anymore. From what I remember it was around $100 CAD at the time.

 

[reallyrandy]

I have this one in my Amazon list due to good reviews: https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B07T9KL...olid=152GJFJEL3MM4&psc=1&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it

 

[Drake]

I have this one in my Amazon list due to good reviews: https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B07T9KL...olid=152GJFJEL3MM4&psc=1&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it

This unit is rebranded a million times over and typically priced the same. I have one myself now 2 years on and no complaints really. It does the work I ask and right now that's all I need!

 

[Mac84]

I have this one in my Amazon list due to good reviews: https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B07T9KL...olid=152GJFJEL3MM4&psc=1&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it

That is very similar to the one I have, it worked fine when it did!

 

[Patrick]

I wanna say mine looks like that one. except the 2 buttons are on either side of the knob. but I'm guessing otherwise its the same thing?

I just got it. so hopefully it lasts a while.

 

[Elemenoh]

@Mac84 FWIW I paid just a bit more than that ATTEN for the fancy pants Metcal HCT-1000 used. You might be able to find their less expensive model (HCT-900-11) used for a similar price as the ATTEN and end up with a pro level tool. I've been absolutely loving the Metcal stuff I've bought so far. Either way, good luck and enjoy your new tools

 

[Branchus]

In the interest of this forum being a lasting resource, I should mention a couple of things about hot air stations for anyone that's looking for one. There is one main difference between the cheap stations and the more expensive units. When you look at a lot of the cheap models, you'll see a big bulge in the hand piece. That's the fan that blows the air. The more expensive models have a big fan in the base station and blow the air through a tube to the nozzle. In doing so they can have a much more powerful air flow.

That's not to say that the cheaper ones don't work, but I can say with experience that the ones with the fan in the base station do seem to get things hotter, much faster.

The other thing you want to check is that there is a good range of different nozzles available for your station. You can buy some nozzles that are specifically designed to heat all four sides of an IC at once, which can really speed up removal.

I use a Quick 861DW, and it's excellent, but the reason why I recommended the Atten ST-862D, is that it's just as good as the Quick, but is a little cheaper. It also has a nifty feature that allows you to blow cold air out of the nozzle, with the push of a button on the hand piece. The Quick doesn't do that. If I was buying a station today, I would get the Atten.

 

[Danny D]

I've been using this one: https://au.element14.com/tenma/21-10130-uk-eu/rework-station-900w-220v-uk-eu/dp/2062633 (or https://www.newark.com/tenma/21-10130/dual-rework-station/dp/32T0390 for those in the US). Been happy with it so far. If I were after another, I'd also look into https://www.newark.com/tenma/21-10125/hot-air-rework-station/dp/32T0389. I prefer knobs over buttons for adjustments.

 

[The House of Moth]

I started off with a YIHUA 2in1 878ad Soldering Iron Rework Station in 2017 and it did the job (board repairs) just fine. It doesn't blow very powerful but gets the heat to where it needs to go, just takes a few seconds longer.

In 2020 I switched to the Atten ST-862 and haven't regretted it. More powerful, heats up faster and has a nifty button on the handle that makes it blow cool air which comes in handy when you have to get rid of alcohol under chips etc.

The YIHUA is now in my basement as a spare in case I ever need something reliable to fall back on.

 

[Jamieson]

After years of mucking about with soldering irons and copper braid, I'm finally getting around to getting a decent hot air setup at the home lab. Not sure why but I just prefer the units with the fan located in the base, not in the handpiece. Maybe because it's like the professional setups we have at work.

Anyway, I Just ordered the Atten ST-862D from AliExpress for $190 shipped. They claim about a week for DHL delivery from Shenzhen to Chicago... sounds too good to be true, but we'll see!

 

[Alf Torp]

I too have the 858D, and I really like it. Choose the right nozzle and it is more than capable for most tasks.

 

[Mac84]

I totally forgot to report back in...

I ended up ordering the ATTEN ST-862D, I found it on eBay for $191 shipped. I've been using it since the middle of November and I totally love it.

It gives me a lot of power when I need it, and has made a lot of things much easier. It also gets hotter much quicker.

I also ordered some bent nozzles for it, I have yet to try those, but that should help getting into tight spaces.

 

[JustG]

Thank you for the report! I'm VERY close to sucking it up and ordering a hot air station. After watching a couple of @Branchus recent streams, it's become very apparent that it's the way to go. How was the eBay experience? Well packed, shipped from the US or was it a long wait for it to arrive from out of the country?

 

[Kai Robinson]

Never had a bad experience with my Yihua 959D - but the Atten would be my choice now, if i had to start from scratch.

 

[Mac84]

Thank you for the report! I'm VERY close to sucking it up and ordering a hot air station. After watching a couple of @Branchus recent streams, it's become very apparent that it's the way to go. How was the eBay experience? Well packed, shipped from the US or was it a long wait for it to arrive from out of the country?

The seller I ordered from (who unfortunately only had one), had it delivered just 4 days after I purchased it. Of course your mileage may vary, but it worked out perfect for me.