[TimmyMac]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nate911 /img/forum/go_quote.gif So for most of the work I'm planning to do I would be fine with a pencil iron? Would it be easier with the 936 or not really? What about building a bantamDAC? Hmm...

Everything I've built has been with a $10 iron - including 2 tube amps, a beta22, and a couple DACs with SMD parts down to 0.5mm pin spacing. You don't NEED a nice iron, it's a luxury though and makes everything easier.

I also use cheap straight-from-China solder/flux/braid, but I'm a cheapskate.

 

[nate911]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TimmyMac /img/forum/go_quote.gif Everything I've built has been with a $10 iron - including 2 tube amps, a beta22, and a couple DACs with SMD parts down to 0.5mm pin spacing. You don't NEED a nice iron, it's a luxury though and makes everything easier. I also use cheap straight-from-China solder/flux/braid, but I'm a cheapskate.

Hmm ok. I may do some more research on the 'knockoffs' of the Hakko. I'm not like super serious about soldering so those may work for me...

 

[linuxworks]

Quote:

Originally Posted by UKToecutter /img/forum/go_quote.gif Just as an aside..... Unless you REALLY need to keep the desoldered component, I find it much easier to clear the hole if I cut the component off the board first. That way you're only heating the remaining bit of leg.

often times, keeping the board is worth more than the part. so I cut parts off if I really have to.

just hate it when I ruin/lift a trace! not only is the board, then, mostly ruined but you lost your time and effort on THAT board. double loss.

 

[applegd]

Quote:

Originally Posted by linuxworks /img/forum/go_quote.gif often times, keeping the board is worth more than the part. so I cut parts off if I really have to. just hate it when I ruin/lift a trace! not only is the board, then, mostly ruined but you lost your time and effort on THAT board. double loss.

The key words are "desoldering temperature" and "controlling the heating time".

I desoldered hundreds components from the circuit boards in the past ( for Telecom equipment R&D work and my DIY amps) such as RK27 pots, surface mount chips, SMD resistors/caps....never ran into any problem.

 

[TimmyMac]

Quote:

Originally Posted by linuxworks /img/forum/go_quote.gif often times, keeping the board is worth more than the part. so I cut parts off if I really have to. just hate it when I ruin/lift a trace! not only is the board, then, mostly ruined but you lost your time and effort on THAT board. double loss.

For some reason I find the twisted pear boards are really bad for this. I have at least one with a 'repaired' trace or two.

 

[nate911]

(Hopefully) the last question I have before ordering..multimeters? In the Minimax assembly guide it uses a multimeter with a HFE measurement to match resistors. I'm assuming I need one with that blue circle to match resistors, right?
Is this one sufficient? Or would you recommend another inexpensive one?

 

[nate911]

^Bump.

 

[regal]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nate911 /img/forum/go_quote.gif (Hopefully) the last question I have before ordering..multimeters? In the Minimax assembly guide it uses a multimeter with a HFE measurement to match resistors. I'm assuming I need one with that blue circle to match resistors, right? Is this one sufficient? Or would you recommend another inexpensive one?

If you are building low voltage stuff (under 100V) that is fine, but you decide to build real tube amps I believe a fluke is a must for safety. I blewup two boards by checking high voltage with the cheap DMM set on resistance. For some reason Fluke meters are immune to this and I will never use anything else on voltages over 100. Unfortunately flukes don't measure HFE, so you can keep the cheap DMM for that or buy a nice component tester.

 

[nate911]

Quote:

Originally Posted by regal /img/forum/go_quote.gif If you are building low voltage stuff (under 100V) that is fine, but you decide to build real tube amps I believe a fluke is a must for safety. I blewup two boards by checking high voltage with the cheap DMM set on resistance. For some reason Fluke meters are immune to this and I will never use anything else on voltages over 100. Unfortunately flukes don't measure HFE, so you can keep the cheap DMM for that or buy a nice component tester.

Hmm. I really don't feel like spending that much for a DMM, though. I'll have to look into one of those later maybe.