[ethan961]

Amazon.com: Edsyn Soldering Station, 951SX Temperature Controlled: Home Improvement
A local electronics retailer has this for $160 CAD. He highly recommends it.
However, I have been looking at the Hakko 936 as Head-Fi is screaming at me to buy. If I buy it, from the looks of it it will cost me about $140CAD unless anyone knows where I could get one here in Canada for less. I would like to buy the Hakko if I can help it, unless someone here has used the previosuly mentioned Edsyn 961SX and can attest to its performance compared to other stations.
Thanks Head-Fi, for getting me into this and leading me to spend $150 on equipment for DIY projects to get better sound out of my obscure-to-the-masses headphones!
Anyways, any help or opinions are greatly appreciated.
Ethan

 

[amc]

Oh man you are in luck. Im in the market for a new temperature controlled iron after building a prototype gamma 2 DAC. It has a rather large ground plane and my Weller 25 watt iron just could not heat it up properly. So I have been looking for a Hakko 936 on sale in Vancouver - and I found it.

Active Electronics has the Hakko 936 with the medium iron on sale for $30 CAD off regular. So regularly 139 on for 109 CAD. Take the extra money and get some other tips for it or a new spool of solder. Pretty sure they don't have a shop in the interior but they do in Vancouver.

Google Map

Their Site - seems busted right now - nothing shows in the catalog

 

[amc]

Challenge to other head-fi'ers - How much is the Hakko 936 at your favorite electronics tool shop?

139 CAD regularly at Active Electronics on sale right now for 109 CAD...

 

[gore.rubicon]

I got my 100 shipped

from Parts Connexion, Head-Fi sponsor. Though that was during a 20% off sale, you guys just missed it by a month. Though at the moment with current exchange rate, Parts Connexion is probably the cheapest place, in Canada, mid nineties excluding shipping.

 

[amb]

I bought my Hakko 936 when it went on sale at Fry's Electronics stores (probably more than a year ago now) for something like $60 USD.

 

[gore.rubicon]

Quote:

Originally Posted by amb /img/forum/go_quote.gif I bought my Hakko 936 when it went on sale at Fry's Electronics stores (probably more than a year ago now) for something like $60 USD.

UGHHH I hate shopping for stuff in Canada, you can get it in states cheaper, but you have to deal with customs...And I don't have the time to drive down

 

[amc]

Quote:

Originally Posted by gore.rubicon /img/forum/go_quote.gif UGHHH I hate shopping for stuff in Canada, you can get it in states cheaper, but you have to deal with customs...And I don't have the time to drive down

It can be worth it (Think Grado's). I got a smoking deal on my DT770s at a guitar shop in Seatle on a weekend trip with the wife. Couldn't even find a pair in Canada...

 

[crapback]

That hakko iron looks a lot like the one included in the aoyue 701A setup I just bought. Aoyue 701A+ Dual Function Soldering and Desoldering Station > SMD Rework Stations > Main Section > Stan Rubinstein Assoc., Inc. Anyone here happen to be familiar with both?

 

[ethan961]

My apologies, looks like my local retailer does not carry the station I linked, but instead is charging $160 for a Xytronics 173 rebrand.
I'll take a look at Active Electronics, maybe they can ship it or something if I ask them.
Thanks, amc, for pointing that out!

 

[Robin W.]

My favorite soldering station (I even like more than the Hakko) is the Oki PS-800e, they were known as Metcal and one of the best. They were bought by Oki a chinese company however mine seems as good as the Metcal versions and is now affordable!

Welcome to OK International - Soldering, Rework and Fume Extraction System

Electro Sonic

I use this for production line work and it's never let me down, the Hakko isn't as nice for lead free soldering.

 

[tomb]

Quote:

Originally Posted by amb /img/forum/go_quote.gif I bought my Hakko 936 when it went on sale at Fry's Electronics stores (probably more than a year ago now) for something like $60 USD.

They were $50 at the Fry's in Atlanta - bought a couple of them at that time.

 

[tennisets]

Quote:

Originally Posted by rwaudio /img/forum/go_quote.gif My favorite soldering station (I even like more than the Hakko) is the Oki PS-800e, they were known as Metcal and one of the best. They were bought by Oki a chinese company however mine seems as good as the Metcal versions and is now affordable! Welcome to OK International - Soldering, Rework and Fume Extraction System Electro Sonic I use this for production line work and it's never let me down, the Hakko isn't as nice for lead free soldering.

I have that same station. It is really nice, I definitely like it better than the 936 I used at my previous workplace. I was skeptical at first but it's actually really convenient to not have to adjust temperature. Basically it pushes only the power required for a given situation. No adjustment required, from soldering SMD components to soldering to a large buss wire in a point-to-point amp. It works very well.

The best part was I got mine on special from HMC electronics about 1.5 years ago for something like $160 shipped with three tips (it's normally $180 with no tips + shipping). One of the best purchases I've made.

 

[jnewman]

Quote:

Originally Posted by amb /img/forum/go_quote.gif I bought my Hakko 936 when it went on sale at Fry's Electronics stores (probably more than a year ago now) for something like $60 USD.

They were on sale for $60 USD at Fry's again two weeks ago.

 

[ethan961]

Anyone have any other recommendations? I don't want to spend more than $150 after tax and shipping, but if anyone has something they prefer over the Hakko in that price range (or even something they want to sell) I would be grateful. I agree, sometimes it sucks being a Canuck when you're looking for things, especially when places in the US have them on for sale at $60 occasionally.
Also, I found it on their site, see this.
The reason I'm looking to spend the money for a decent station is that I want something that will last at least 5 years and will not be a pain whenever I want to build something. Right now I'm using a butane iron my dad had for work in the automotive industry, or more specifically out in the mines working on big trucks. I think I have enough singed hair from the exhaust already. I even lit my sponge on fire with it (I only wet half of the sponge that time, as it is a somewhat large household sponge at the moment). Anyways, you get my point.
So if anyone does have a suggestion or wants to sell their station or knows of a great deal on some good station, it would be greatly appreciated. I'll phone Active Electronics and ask about the Hakko, and unless someone knows of a better option I'll probably go for it.
Thanks for all the help.
Ethan

EDIT: I did not realize Parts Connexion was Canadian. If I buy a new Hakko, that'll be the place.

EDIT II: I just saw this on eBay. Don't know if I should go for it or not, either way the guy has 3 of them. The as-is part is what worries me.
http://cgi.ebay.ca/Hakko-FP-101-Sold...4#ht_962wt_799

 

[gore.rubicon]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ethan961 /img/forum/go_quote.gif EDIT II: I just saw this on eBay. Don't know if I should go for it or not, either way the guy has 3 of them. The as-is part is what worries me. Hakko FP-101 Soldering Station, Iron, Tip & Cubby on eBay.ca (item 380152555017 end time 24-Sep-09 12:32:18 EDT)

Bit more of a production line style iron, but if you can live with 4 temperatures its not bad, the 599B cleaner is a bonus