I might be in the market for a Hakko FX-888. Just wondering what experience, if any, anyone has with Tequipment.net or Kimco. Thanks.
I bought a 'scope from Tequipment and had a good experience. Amazon has that for $99 including shipping which might be as good a deal.
Well, price at Kimco and Tequipment is $80.72. Kimco has free shipping, Teq doesn't. I've read about Teq doing drop-shipping, which doesn't bother me, except that they don't list whether the item is in stock -- nor does Kimco.
Just found at All-Spec http://www.all-spec.com/products/FX-888.html who at least list them as in stock. But they don't make it easy to find/add replacement tips -- or at least not as easy as Teq or Kimco.
I'm still chewing on whether to attempt a repair on my cheesy (but adequate) RS iron. But a nicer one would be my B-Day present to myself. 
Why spring for a couple bucks more and get a combo station?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/2IN1-SMD-SOLDERING-REWORK-STATION-HOT-AIR-IRON-852D-/390331065076?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5ae18b62f4
I'm still chewing on whether to attempt a repair on my cheesy (but adequate) RS iron. But a nicer one would be my B-Day present to myself.
I don't know anything about the festively colored newer ones but I have a Model 926 that is many years old and hasn't shown any signs of dying.
Type T18 tips into their search bar. When I did that, I got 2 pages of replacement tips.
CrossRoads:
Why spring for a couple bucks more and get a combo station?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/2IN1-SMD-SOLDERING-REWORK-STATION-HOT-AIR-IRON-852D-/390331065076?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5ae18b62f4
Or a few bucks less via Amazon?
Mainly because I've read nothing but good things about Hakko. They have a U.S. presence, and http://www.hakkousa.com/warranty.asp and http://www.hakkousa.com/support.asp -- but what is there for Kendal? I did some searching and didn't find anything. So it looks nice, and the addition of the heat gun is a big plus, if only for shrink tubing. Not saying it's crap -- I don't know. But I've been bitten a few times by cheap tools, and I don't care for it. I'd rather go with the known quantity.
(And yes, I admit that sometimes you can get bit that way too.)
EmilyJane:
Type T18 tips into their search bar. When I did that, I got 2 pages of replacement tips.
Okay, I'm lazy. But really, I appreciated that Teq and Kimco both put the tips right there on the same page with the station. Those sorts of little bits of attention to convenience make me more likely to choose one vendor over another.
Same idea on the hot air stations.
I got this one fairly recently, came with a mess of tips too, $99.
These guys seem to be US based also, ship from the midwest somewhere.
Has worked well for me so far reworking some FTDI chips.
Well, I will take your recommendation into consideration. But I admit, if I decide to buy, I'll probably still go with the Hakko. It appears to be more compact -- very important for me, and it comes with that sexy tip cleaning wool. But the hot air is tempting.
The X-Tronic has a 7/8" nozzle. I asked mpja.com if their nozzles would fit and they said yes, I'll get around to ordering a couple for the 28 TSOP size chip and some other size as soon as I get around to comparing sizes.
The $99 version came with the brass tip cleaning thing too.
Gotta watch for the sales tho.
CrossRoads:
The $99 version came with the brass tip cleaning thing too.
You really, REALLY, want me to buy that unit, eh?
Nope, just saying, is all.
Actually, looks like I forgot the link!
I have the 4040 model below
The 6040 looks similar, but narrower.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/X-TRONIC-6040-HOT-AIR-REWORK-SOLDERING-IRON-STATION-/120729630733?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1c1c0bf80d
I like the looks of the 6040. The smaller footprint is certainly appealing.
Short/mid-term resolution. The landlord has loaned me a Weller EC3001
What is that? I can not find any links for it, only links to tips for it.
Nothing in the current catalog.
http://www.cooperhandtools.com/weller/PDFs/Weller%20Catalog.pdf
That's a nice one.
I think it'll work.
Now, I just need to get busy and finish project #1. (At some point, I just need to decide when I've got it doing enough stuff, or run out of pins. )