Suggestions for hot air rework station

[Eldorado828]

Well fellas, I've swallowed the fact that time has come for me to put a hot air rework station on the bench. It's started with having to repair household items or other small electronics and making due with the traditional hakko soldering station. It's taken some time but have made it work with the occasional charging port replacement. It's just becoming more and more common being if it can be fixed why not. Mico usb or usb-c jacks are cheap compared to replacing the whole Bluetooth headset. Smd components are becoming a norm in this hobby so why not just dive in.

After just lightly looking around, the quality rework station is a good chunk of change so...... I'll take a step back which leads me to the question....

What budget friendly for occasional use hot air rework station might you fellas recommend?

I can't swing for 1k at the moment so something more low scale on the pocket is what's doable at the time.

 

[groundwire]

Look no further, Circuit specialists has some really good budget friendly ones. Excellent quality for the price. I have a desoldering station and a soldering station from them. Going on a few years now and they are very solid and work suuuuper good. Couldn't be happier

 

[Eldorado828]

I'd never heard of the place so went their site last night. They have lots of stuff and pricing is well too. Anyone here own any of those stations?

 

[Shadetree Mechanic]

Well fellas, I've swallowed the fact that time has come for me to put a hot air rework station on the bench. It's started with having to repair household items or other small electronics and making due with the traditional hakko soldering station. It's taken some time but have made it work with the occasional charging port replacement. It's just becoming more and more common being if it can be fixed why not. Mico usb or usb-c jacks are cheap compared to replacing the whole Bluetooth headset. Smd components are becoming a norm in this hobby so why not just dive in.

After just lightly looking around, the quality rework station is a good chunk of change so...... I'll take a step back which leads me to the question....

What budget friendly for occasional use hot air rework station might you fellas recommend?

I can't swing for 1k at the moment so something more low scale on the pocket is what's doable at the time.

Just curious as to what you ended up getting? I am thinking about getting a hot air rework station myself.

 

[brandon7861]

I've said this a billion times online, but I really like my XTronic 5040-XTS-XR3. It's $280, but it's the last one you wil buy for sure.

The cord is silicone so it wont burn or kink, the tips very well made, and the heating elements are very easily swapped if they ever break (but I havent had to in the 6 years ive had mine). Only the lamp sucks, the rest is geat!

XTronicUSA

The Mercantile Station 2 sells meat grinders, dehydrators, & steam cleaners

xtronicusa.com

The iron is up to temp in about 10 seconds too

 

[Eldorado828]

Just curious as to what you ended up getting? I am thinking about getting a hot air rework station myself.

I never did, kind of paused and haven't moved ahead but the xtronic 6020 is still in my Amazon cart. Figure for no more hot air rework I'll do it should be plenty for occasional use.