Considering buying a hot air re-work station, anyone got one of these?

[Smartie]

Hey guys,

Found this while google searching and wondering if anybody has one of these?
**broken link removed**

it's a Aoyue-852A++ Hot Air Soldering Station with vacuum pick-up.

any idea if its worth it or not?
any other recommendations?

 

[Diver300]

We have one.

Extremely useful for desoldering SM ICs with lots of pins. Nothing else will do for the ICs with pads on the bottom.

 

[Smartie]

Is it good for soldering components into place? e.g. placing solder paste onto the board, then the components then heating up the board till it melts

 

[3v0]

Hot air is good for rework, replacing a part or two. To build boards use a reflow oven or a fry pan ala Sparkfun style.

 

[Smartie]

Oh OK,

My board has one connector on the underside of it, do I use an oven for all the top components then hot air the one component underneath?

 

[3v0]

Just to be safe I need to say that is a reflow oven not a kitchen oven. You posted while I was editing.

Yes you could use the hot air for the 2nd side.

They say that the surface tension of the solder will hold the first side parts in place (upside down) while reflowing the second side.

I have not tried it.

 

[Smartie]

Just to be safe I need to say that is a reflow oven not a kitchen oven. You posted while I was editing.

Yes you could use the hot air for the 2nd side.

They say that the surface tension of the solder will hold the first side parts in place (upside down) while reflowing the second side.

I have not tried it.

Ah ok, and don't worry 3v0, I knew what oven you were referring to

So back to my original question, are there other re-work stations that you guys recommend?

 

[3v0]

I have one of these.

Xytronic 852D High Power Hot Air SMD Desoldering

Howard Electronics sells the units they demo at trade shows to hobby types at a good discount. Do not know if they have any "used" units in stock.

Mine was like new and came with an extra heating element.

 

[Sceadwian]

Cheapest hot air rework tool ever...
A heat gun =\ It's like a non-temperature controlled soldering iron, but with a little practice on junk boards it's quiet easy to desolder even the largest ICs.