I’d like to propose a vote to purchase a good-quality, portable desoldering tool for use in the electronics area. The specific tool in mind is the Hakko FR-301, along with supporting components.
The FR-301 is easy to use and easy to service. Many different sized nozzles are readily available for it (N61 NozzleSeries)
Total Itemized Cost:
| Item | Cost | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Hakko FR-301 Desoldering Tool | $317.11 | Includes case & cleaning tools |
| N61-08 1.0mm diameter nozzle | $15.00 | Extra nozzle of most common size |
| N61-10 1.6mm diameter nozzle | $17.10 | Nozzle for large components |
| B1089 Cleaning pin for 1.6mm nozzle | $12.14 | Cleaning tool for N61-10 nozzle |
| A5044 Ceramic filter 10-pack | $8.61 | Extra fume/suction filters |
| C1100 Iron Holder | $38.00 | Holder specifically for FR-301 |
| Misc (shipping costs, fudge factor, etc) | $67.02 | May not be fully used |
Total Proposed Expenditure Allocation: $475.00
Background:
A desoldering tool uses heat and vacuum to remove existing solder from through-hole and some surface mount components. This enables the user to remove and replace the components on a printed circuit board.
Justification:
Manual desoldering pumps, of which we have many, are operated using a thumb piston and heat supplied from a separate soldering iron. They are inexpensive but are tedious to use and unreliable without proper technique. When faced with desoldering many components (such as a 40-pin chip) they are downright impractical.
Powered tools such as the FR-301 supply their own heat and suction via motorized vacuum pump. The user only needs to place the heated nozzle over the component leg, wait for the solder to melt and press the trigger, which applies the vacuum. Old solder is cleaned out from a holding chamber.
Note: We currently have access to a powered desoldering tool. However, it is not owned by Hive13 and is not portable.
