Pace Soldering Stations on Sale

[Tjack757]

Speaking of SMD...  This video is great!  I have to get one of those Miniwave tips to try on a QFP package.

The key to the Miniwave and the drag soldering technique is using Flux. Also come off the last leads in a straight line to prevent bridging.

[peteski]

I looked up that MBT250 and it sure is slick, too.  But $1800 just for the base and another $1000 (or more - I always want more!) for the handpieces?  I can't do that!

The one I have is the older SensaTemp version.  I also have the solder extractor, hot air jet, and tweezers handpiece.  The base station has a built-in air pump which supplies vacuum for the solder extractor, and pressure for the jet.  I bought all those items several years ago, on eBay for small fraction of original cost.

I did buy a mini-wave tip too, but with the hot air jet I can use solder paste, melting it with the hot air jet.  Not that I have been doing many multi-pin flat-pack SMD ICs lately. But I have it for when I'll need it.

All this discussion brought back some 30 year old memories of my fist job where we started troubleshooting and reworking PC boards with large SMD chips, and we purchased the complete MBT-250 rework station.  We also had to take the official rework seminar.  Those were the days! Still have the certificate. 



EDITED: serious typos.

[Tjack757]

All this discussion brought back dome 30 year old memories of my fist job where we started troubleshooting and reworking PC boards with large SMD chips, and we purchased the complete MBT-250 rework station.  We also had to go through the official rework seminar.  Those were the days! Still have the certificate.

That is about the same time when the Navy started using the Pace PRC-2000 for Circuit Card Assembly (CCA) repairs.
I was an instuctor and taught the Miniature/Microminiature (2M) repair course for 3 and a half years.
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[woodone]

John C. You might want to take a look at the tip # 1124-0044.
That is my go to in tight places.

[jdcolombo]

John C. You might want to take a look at the tip # 1124-0044.
That is my go to in tight places.

Hmmm.  Never tried one of the "bent" tips.  Will have to order one . . .

John C.

[haasmarc]

I ordered one of these off Amazon.  The Pace website wanted $55 shipping and the one on Amazon was only $3 more than Pace's sale price.   It hasn't arrived yet.  Hoping to be able to attach wires onto 0201 LEDs.  Putting them into my marker lights tends to knock off wires if they aren't securely attached.  I have a microscope that displays on a 7" monitor which should be good enough to see what I'm doing. 

[jdcolombo]

I think you might need the 1124-0036 tip: 1/128" conical sharp for this.

Can you even SEE a 201 LED without magnification?    I have enough trouble soldering wires onto a 603, let alone a 201. 

John C.

[haasmarc]

I ordered a Pace 1130-0050-P1 AccuDrive Solder Tip, 1/128" Conical Special, for Pace ADS200.  the 0036 was crazy in price on Amazon and I went to the Pace website and couldn't figure out what the difference between the 0036 and the 0050 was so I got the 0050.

[reinhardtjh]

I ordered a Pace 1130-0050-P1 AccuDrive Solder Tip, 1/128" Conical Special, for Pace ADS200.  the 0036 was crazy in price on Amazon and I went to the Pace website and couldn't figure out what the difference between the 0036 and the 0050 was so I got the 0050.

Yes, the prices are crazy for most tips on Amazon which is what made me think the TD-100 tips had been discontinued.  Fortunately, I was wrong and the other places were much more reasonable - around $15/16

https://www.tequipment.net/Pace-1/ - Orders over $99 ship free with code FREESHIP

https://www.techni-tool.com/brand/Pace/category/all?pageSize=36&stockedItemsOnly=true

[peteski]

The absolutely imperative thing to keep in mind is to keep the tip impeccably clean for those sub-miniature jobs.  The moist sponge, and the the gold colored wad of metal shavings (both are part of the iron's cradle), do a good job of keeping the tip clean.

[Tjack757]

The absolutely imperative thing to keep in mind is to keep the tip impeccably clean for those sub-miniature jobs.  The moist sponge, and the the gold colored wad of metal shavings (both are part of the iron's cradle), do a good job of keeping the tip clean.

Completely agree,
also idling the iron tip after use, by adding a small amount of solder to tip after use, helps to prevent the tip from oxidizing when not in use.

[peteski]

Completely agree,
also idling the iron tip after use, by adding a small amount of solder to tip after use, helps to prevent the tip from oxidizing when not in use.

Exactly.
Hey,  I took the Pace rework seminar.