• @[email protected]
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    1753 months ago

    Have they not heard of the TS100 or the Pinecil?

    Both run an open-source firmware and work with any USB-C PD battery pack and still allow you to configure the temperature.

    • GhostalmediaOP
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      1083 months ago

      Considering that they sell one of those, I’m going to assume they’ve heard of it. ;)

      • Snot Flickerman
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        3 months ago

        It’s very likely existing smart soldering pens were the inspiration.

        iFixit even mentions they didn’t include a screen like the Pinecil because most people don’t actually mess with the settings that much when they are on the go.

        • @[email protected]
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          263 months ago

          What they probably meant is they didn’t include a screen because this way they can sell their overpriced battery pack.

          • Snot Flickerman
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            It’s definitely priced significantly higher than a similar setup from Pine64.

            …but it also has some significant advantages and features the Pinecil does indeed lack.

            I definitely think the Pinecil is aimed more at hobbyists and this iFixit iron is aimed at people who solder all the time, in other words, not hobbyists.

            • @[email protected]
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              173 months ago

              Since the Pinecil is running IronOS, it’s just a matter of time for it to also get the fall detection. And apart from the LED ring gimmick, I don’t see any huge advantages over IronOS.

              • Snot Flickerman
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                3 months ago

                I personally see the PD for USB-C being 100W is a significant advantage as the Pinecil tops at 60W from USB-C and you have to search for a traditional barrel-plug power cord to get it to max out at 88W.

                100W through USB-C and not even having a different power option seems pretty useful to me. *shrugs

                • @JiveTurkey
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                  203 months ago

                  I regularly power both my ts100 and Pinecil with a Milwaukee M18 battery and the barrel connector this is super convenient. The display is also convenient. The fact that you need the battery to set the temp seems numb and completely negates the USBC convenience because it means you can’t use any old USBC power source and still change the temperature. The 100w is also pointless because the other two options already heat incredibly fast and have a higher max temperature.

              • @[email protected]
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                13 months ago

                Since the Pinecil is running IronOS

                What a sentence. I really don’t like the idea of having to do a firmware update on my soldering iron.

                Does it have Bluetooth and a companion app as well?

                • @[email protected]
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                  163 months ago

                  You do realize that the ifixit solderimg iron also has firmware and that you need to connect it to a computer or their very expensive battery pack to adjust its settings, right?

                • @[email protected]
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                  73 months ago

                  having to do a firmware update on my soldering iron

                  You don’t. It works perfectly fine OOTB. Can’t speak for the Pinecil v2 with Bluetooth and the companion app but I have v1 and the software been stable and bug-free enough I’ve never even given a thought to updating the firmware on it

                • @[email protected]
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                  63 months ago

                  Firmware was always there in a soldering iron more sophisticated than an old, dumb Radio Shack wall plug iron. That’s how you get good temperature control. Pinecil is just letting you modify it officially.

          • Jesus
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            83 months ago

            My guess is that the motivation was user feedback and keeping things simple so they’re easier to repair.

    • @[email protected]
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      193 months ago

      Those look pretty cool.

      But I’m confused about the marketing around the cpu/ram, etc. Does that really matter for a soldering iron? (Serious question, not being snarky).

      I get they’re using that tech to make it adjustible/smart, but it’s a soldering iron, not a pocket computer.

      Is there some way those specs genuinely matter? Or is it just to say “we’re using the latest tech to provide controls”?

      • Snot Flickerman
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        Smart soldering irons have been around a while, so yes. It is now like a PC and specs matter a little.

        One advantage smart irons have is being able to give you a readout of the exact temp of the tip of your soldering iron, something a traditional iron cannot do.

        It also needs chips and sensors to do things like auto-off when it is set down.

        So the quality and speed of chips affects performance.

        • @[email protected]
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          23 months ago

          Sounds like marketing foo.

          I have a 10+ year old Weller station with digital temp adjustment, and I don’t recall it having a cpu and ram.

          • @[email protected]
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            153 months ago

            If it has digital temperature control then it has something resembling a CPU and memory. If it’s analog then it’s probably just not that accurate and will drift over time without manual calibration.

            I have a pinecil and direct heat soldering irons blow away non direct heat irons like your weller (and I think this ifixit one). Once you switch you never want to go back. Which is really disappointing because I don’t think this new ifix it one is.

          • Snot Flickerman
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            3 months ago

            digital temp adjustment

            Digital temp adjustment is different than a sensor that tells you the exact temp at the tip.

            Pretty sure any 10+ year old unit is just setting a temp, not telling you the actual temp through a measurement.

            • Avid Amoeba
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              The Weller WESD51 sets the temp at the tip and mine has done that since I bought it in 2016. A look at a datasheet dates it back to 2006 but it could be older. By definition that means it has to know what the tip temp is. As it heats up the digital display tracks the temp going up.

    • mememuseum
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      I love my Pinecil V2. It was cheaper than my 40W entry level Weller station and heats up way faster. I run it off my Anker USB power supply and also my Anker USB power bank. The power bank only outputs 30 or 40 watts though so I might upgrade that in the future. High wattage power banks are expensive though :/

    • @[email protected]
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      73 months ago

      It very much sounds like ifixit are actively asking influencers/reviewers to compare it to at least one of those in the videos.

      • @Voyajer
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        83 months ago

        Which is a little odd to me, since I don’t think it compares favorably vs either. Maybe against the ts80p because it’s significantly lower wattage and more expensive than the other two.

        • @[email protected]
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          113 months ago

          The TS80P is lower wattage, technically, but the heating element is right up at the very tip, instead of having a heating element inside the handle with a long metal piece transmitting the heat. It gets hot way faster than you’d expect, it doesn’t feel like 30W at all.

          It punches way, way above its weight. Unless you’re soldering pipes, comparing the wattage to traditional irons is misleading. Love that tiny thing.

          Only problem is that this design necessitates proprietary tips that are relatively expensive. Not a fan of that, coming from the no name Global South Especiale 2$ firestarter irons that are the norm where I am. Not the end of the world, but worth keeping in mind.

          The one I bought came with a USB-C cable that couldn’t handle the current though. That was the only real red flag. Shame too, that cable seemed like it was silicone coated and would have been ideal.

          • @Voyajer
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            23 months ago

            Yeah I have a ts80p but it struggles with what I usually solder so I’ve replaced it with a pinecilV2 for mobile soldering which I’ve been happier with.

    • @[email protected]
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      73 months ago

      That Pinecil has a 30 day warranty? Not a lot if confidence in the longevity of their product.

      • fatalicus
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        43 months ago

        Here in Europe it is sold with a 2 year warranty, but it also cost nearly three times as much (65 euro vs 25,99)

      • @micl
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        23 months ago

        My pinecil has lasted for years.

    • @[email protected]
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      33 months ago

      Ts80 that runs on qc3 is also very good. It keeps up with my large soldering station in real world use

  • @lefixxx
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    853 months ago

    Pinecil is 26$ and has a screen.

    • @[email protected]
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      113 months ago

      You’re probably adding $25-35 to that for a USB-C power supply that can handle it, but yes, it’s cheaper than this. $50-75 if you want it battery powered.

      But yeah, I’m not sure what iFixit is bringing to the market that’s better than what exists.

      • λλλ
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        63 months ago

        The Pinecil uses a standard tip as well. So, you can get cheap ones on aliexpress. That’ll pay for it for me tbh.

      • @lefixxx
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        23 months ago

        It’s 80$ and doesn’t include a battery. But the ifixit one does include a USB cable and a bevel tip (cone tips are bad)

        So it’s more like $26 plus $4 for pine USB cable, plus $6-11 for a ts100 bevel tip. $41 vs $80

    • @micl
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      43 months ago

      I use a pinecil and it’s great. Tips are cheap and a standard size, it takes usb-c power and has a good user interface.

      Not really sure what ifixit is trying to accomplish with this overpriced iron.

  • @anubis119
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    Tying a rechargeable battery to a single function device seems off-brand for iFixit.

    • edit, I am wrong. I didn’t RTFM. Humble pie is good sometimes.
    • GhostalmediaOP
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      203 months ago

      It’s a multi-use battery.

      The battery can be used to charge whatever you want. A phone, laptop, headphones, or anything else with USB. Also, the battery is user replaceable and the product repair diagrams are posted online.

      IMHO, it looks like they’re practicing what they preach, and it’s all designed for longevity and right to repair.

      • @anubis119
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        73 months ago

        I edited my original post. Thanks for bringing the pie!

    • @[email protected]
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      That is pricey… However, as someone who has an ifixit toolkit that contains just about every shape and size of screwdriver bit ever imaginable (and several that defy explanation), it has been the most useful tool I have ever purchased. I can’t even count how many times I’ve used it.

      And the quality is outstanding.

    • @[email protected]
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      173 months ago

      I’ll gladly pay a premium for something that will be “buy it for life” or at least last decades. Phones and computers have inherent obsolescence, but most tools don’t. I don’t buy chinesium tools, I buy reputed European, American, or Japanese tools, the lifetime stuff.

      • thermal_shock
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        53 months ago

        same. no more knuckle busters for me. I’ve got spanners that are 20 years old that I bought, not inherited.

    • @woodenskewer
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      133 months ago

      Soldering stations that are fixed to an outlet are also expensive. It’s not a cheap tool kit. If it is cheap, it’s a garbage iron that will likely do the job but you will struggle.

      I’m trying to buy one for work and every station worth considering is easily over 200 dollars US.

      • ferret
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        23 months ago

        The pinecil is an excellent iron that is not expensive in the slightest

        • @woodenskewer
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          13 months ago

          That thing is pretty awesome! I’ve never heard of it. Thanks for the suggestion.

    • @Acters
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      103 months ago

      Does it matter if the products last longer than an apple product and can likely be repaired?

        • @Spaceballstheusername
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          53 months ago

          Just curious what do you think a reasonable price would be for this product?

            • @Spaceballstheusername
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              33 months ago

              I’ve never used one but I just looked up the specs and it looks like it maxs out at 75 watts. Is that enough to keep it hot with like 16 gauge wires?

              • ferret
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                13 months ago

                The pinecil will go up to 126w if you have a capable power supply. I am going to be honest though, 16awg isn’t that large. A 45w iron could probably handle that fine if you are ok with waiting a but for your wires to get up to temp.

                • @Spaceballstheusername
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                  13 months ago

                  I have a 60w iron and 16awg is always the size that’s just too big for me and always a pain to solder.

        • @drawerair
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          A traditional soldering iron in my nation costs about PHP 450 (about USD 7.95). The portability, accelerometer, temp control, easy repair and the ability to solder while charging a phone are 👍, but USD 250 is so high.

  • @Zak
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    253 months ago

    What I want from a battery soldering iron is a field-replaceable 18650 in the handle, not Webserial.

    • The Pantser
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      Build a 18650 battery bank and plug in a pinecil or ts100. A solder iron with a 18650 would be heavy and uncomfortable for soldering.

      • @Zak
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        53 months ago

        I would accept a bit of an awkward balance for being self-contained.

        • @[email protected]
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          63 months ago

          You’d want more than one cell. You’d be pulling 23amps from a 4.2v 18650 to give the same 100w at 20v power as you get from a top usbpd power supply.

          There are 18650s that do 30 amps for short bursts, but it would get as hot as the iron and be empty in 5 min

          • @Zak
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            23 months ago

            I would not want multiple cells for reasons of ergonomics and convenience.

            I probably don’t need 100W for most field soldering. 60 is plenty, and temperature-controlled soldering irons usually don’t need to pull high current continuously. It would need 60W for maybe 10 seconds when powered on, and when heating something large. The rest of the time, it takes relatively little power to keep the tip hot.

            What I’m describing is, of course not the right tool for production soldering. It’s for field work.

            • @[email protected]
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              23 months ago

              I’ve got a Ts80p which is a qc3 usbc soldering iron for that. It’s crazy powerful for it’s size and runs off a pretty small anker powerbank. You could slide that into your sleeve to go portable and one handed

              • @Zak
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                13 months ago

                That’s similar to the iFixit iron, as is the less expensive Pinecil.

                Those are probably the best options currently available, but I want something more compact and self-contained.

        • @lefixxx
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          13 months ago

          If you need to not have a cable, the butane ones would be a better fit.

          • @Zak
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            13 months ago

            Having used a butane iron before, I don’t think it would. They don’t have the temperature control modern digital irons can, and they’re forbidden on flights.

    • @[email protected]
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      93 months ago

      I haven’t done the math, how much runtime could you get out of a single 18650? They’re pretty stout, but it seems like they’d be a bit underpowered.

      Milwaukee 12v batteries are 3 cells (I think they’re a little smaller than 18650), and you can run through a battery pretty quick (I believe they’re 1.5AH). Though I don’t know how efficient their heating design is.

      • @Zak
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        33 months ago

        Assuming the M12 CP1.5 battery pack, it’s probably three 18650s. Specifically, it’s probably three LG HB series 18650s, which handle high burst loads well, but hold only 1500 mAh. A single Sony VTC6 holds 2/3 the energy of one of those packs. Wait… why am I speculating? Youtubers tear down power tool battery packs on video all the time, and someone did that one. They’re Samsung 15Ms, which are a little worse than HBs.

        Anyway, short runtimes are fine for most field repairs, which is the whole point of something entirely self-contained. Spare batteries can extend it indefinitely, but a battery soldering iron is probably not what I’d pick for extended soldering sessions.

        • @[email protected]
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          Lol, I get it, I often start doing the math and realize “someone has already done this”.

          Cool, thanks for the link. I already knew the little 12v batteries suck (though they work fine for the intended purpose, like impact driver or work light). I kill them with any other tool.

          Yea, I was just thinking is the runtime reasonable enough that having spare batteries is a sufficient approach. Like you said, long runtime isn’t required, 15 minutes total runtime is probably more than enough (though that would be hell on battery life cycle).

          Since I already have a slew of Milwaukee batteries, I’m trying to avoid things with 18650, except where form factor matters (like my flashlights). A Single Battery to Rule Them All (or at least most things).

  • @Linkerbaan
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    The Smart Soldering Iron will set you back $80, while the Soldering Station, which includes the soldering iron and the battery pack, costs $250.

    Most interesting to me is that they put the display on the soldering station/battery pack thingy instead of the iron itself.

    • bruhduh
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      83 months ago

      I bought my soldering station with air solderer and iron solderer for about 40$ from AliExpress, the ones with IR bottom heater cost around 90-100$

        • @Hagdos
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          23 months ago

          IR bottom heaters are usually not strong enough for reballing. They’re for boards that are hard to solder, because there’s a lot of copper or a heatsink for example.

          The bottom heater preheats the whole board, not to soldering temperatures but enough to make soldering a lot easier.

        • bruhduh
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          13 months ago

          Reball of chips on gpus and motherboards of PCs and gaming consoles

          • @[email protected]
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            03 months ago

            Ah. Other than fixing the old Xbox360 RROD , I’ve never needed to do any BGA work, just circuit soldering

            • bruhduh
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              23 months ago

              Those Nvidia cards used in mining and AI need reballs regularly, also ps4 south bridge often falls off, also intel sockets sometimes need reball, also you can upgrade ram on your phone and Nintendo switch

              • @[email protected]
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                13 months ago

                Oh for sure. I’m not knocking those that can do it, just that my regular soldering skills are shit enough that I’d probably be hesitant to reball something more complicated even with the right gear :-)

  • @[email protected]
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    193 months ago

    So basically a copy of the battery pack T12 devices from China. Well done. You fixed an already fixed problem.

  • Ben Hur Horse Race
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    I love my ifixit precision screwdriver, so I’d be a fan and would try this out.

    The thing is once I switched to a butane iron (portable, hot in 20 seconds, awesome fire) I don’t have any interest in anything with a wire coming off of the back of it. battery or no, the wire being in the way is ass and is also crap

    edit: maybe it doesnt have a wire?

    edit 2: maybe I shoulda read the article before typing? 5 second heat-up time, wow… seeing as I am a fucking idiot and am also very tired, can someone who is smart tell me if the iron has a battery itself? the pack is for recharging the small battery in the pen?

    • @golden_calf
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      123 months ago

      It does not have an internal battery but can use any battery pack that can do 100W output.

      I pre-ordered this for a few reasons. One, my experience with butane irons was very different than yours I guess. I hated how long they took and how finicky they were. Then I had to find a safe place to put it while it cooled. This has a cap that can handle the high temp with no issue.

      When I need a portable iron it’s to do small quick soldering with long waits in between. This seems perfect for that.

      • @[email protected]
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        53 months ago

        This Antex is about 30 years old, has a heat resistant cap and is still going strong :) Don’t know what they’re like these days but I’d recommend on my experience. Gascat

      • Ben Hur Horse Race
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        23 months ago

        fair enough, thanks for the response.

        my ‘extra hands’ station w/ the two alligator clips to hold the subject, magnifying glass w/ led also has a holster for a hot iron, so I pop the hot iron in that after soldering.

        the wire coming from the iron, whether it goes to a battery pack or the 250 eur smart battery is still the hangup for me. I build large things with nicrocobntrollers in them, so I need to soldier in super awkward places. a wire connecting the iron to anything is a massive liability.

        Id be interested to hear how you get on with it though

    • @[email protected]
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      Electronics usually wants to control the temperature range more tightly than a butane soldering iron could do. Fine for plumbing work, though. Electronics soldering irons usually don’t have the thermal mass to handle plumbing work.

      My biggest complaint about the ts100, Pinecil, and the iFixit station is that the tips are specialized and rather expensive.

      • ferret
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        13 months ago

        Pinecil tips are standardized and third party options are extremely cheap on aliexpress or amazon

  • @[email protected]
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    153 months ago

    Having used an expensive Metcal, I would like someone to develop that level of performance for less. I want the precise thermostat and high quality tips, but I don’t solder enough to justify the expense. I am happy to see iFixit driving innovation in this market though. Weller needs some real competition.

    • @tacosplease
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      43 months ago

      Love my Hakko. Paid a little over $100 for it several years ago. It costs 10x as much as the cheapest option but is 100x better.

    • @[email protected]
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      23 months ago

      How precise are you talking? Usually, cheaper soldering stations get that way by not having a lot of thermal mass, which is particularly needed for desoldering. Otherwise, the PID control tends to keep things good enough. Tuning the PID parameters can make a difference, but once you have a heater and a heat sensor, the software is more or less the same for everyone.

  • Otter
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    113 months ago

    Ah any reason why Firefox decided not to include WebSerial?

    Maybe you don’t want to buy the Station, or you left it at home. In either event, you can simply plug the iron into your computer and configure it via WebSerial.

    You’ll need a browser based on Chrome to pull this trick off, as Mozilla has decided (at least, for now) to not include the capability in Firefox. In testing, it worked perfectly on both my Linux desktop and Chromebook.

    Unfortunately, plugging the iron into your phone won’t work, as the mobile version of Chrome does not currently support WebSerial. But given the vertical layout of the interface and the big touch-friendly buttons, I can only assume that iFixit is either banking on this changing soon or has a workaround in mind. Being able to plug the iron into your phone for a quick settings tweak would be incredibly handy, so hopefully it will happen one way or another.

    The WebSerial interface not only gives you access to all the same settings as plugging the iron into the Power Station does, but it also serves as the mechanism for updating the firmware on the iron.

    • @[email protected]
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      223 months ago

      I believe this is one of those Google “F it I am going to make this protocol my own way without anyone else’s input” which results in security concerns and also Mozilla prioritizes it being a browser more.

      Searching serial looks like this is still the case. There are security and privacy concerns over it.

      https://mozilla.github.io/standards-positions/

      • Snot Flickerman
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        For those not wanting go search:

        Mozilla’s Position

        Devices that offer serial interfaces often expose powerful, low-level functions over the interface with little or no authentication. Exposing that sort of capability to the web without adequate safeguards presents a significant threat to those devices. A user deliberately installing a site-specific add-on may be adequate, given sufficiently understandable consent copy.


        Seems reasonable to me.

        Google mainly built this WebSerial shit because they HAVE TO to make Chrome OS more than just a useless web browser.

      • rem26_art
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        43 months ago

        I’ve also used this for the esp32 and firefox and it worked just fine in that case

  • @Tylerdurdon
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    83 months ago

    I’ll give it a shot. Seems interesting to have something USB powered that can solder.

    • @scutiger
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      83 months ago

      I’ve been using a Pinecil which is USB-C powered. It heats up in seconds and the temp can be adjusted easily. The big plus to me is how small it is. It’s so much easier to handle than a standard iron, and the tips are push-in and can be locked with a screw so they’re easy to swap.

    • @[email protected]
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      23 months ago

      Let us know how it works. It sounds pretty cool, but ive been disappointed with battery powered soldering irons.

      • @[email protected]
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        83 months ago

        pinecil can be battery powered too and I’ve had a good time with mine. granted the battery is either a laptop power bank or a drill battery, but it’s still portable enough for me

  • partial_accumen
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    73 months ago

    I always thought the “fix” to a traditional soldiering iron was a hot air pencil.

      • partial_accumen
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        13 months ago

        Yep, for decades. They used to be much larger consuming the space of a large table. Now they are small units like this:

        Just search for “surface mount rework” or the nickname “hot air pencil”.

  • @[email protected]
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    63 months ago

    I wonder if you can run it off any USB C PD that will do 100w+ without buying the battery pack. I know my MBP USB C power supply does at least 100, if not more on MagSafe.

    • 0^2
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      33 months ago

      USB C PD is a standard so yes, as long as the device you purchase to power it supports 100w PD via USB C then will work.

      • @Sam_Bass
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        53 months ago

        Look at their post history. They arent a spammer by trade. The article posted does read like a paid review, though. And the other posters here have done similar while offering counterpoints.