Any Experiences with Baku?

[kevinds]

So I am looking into doing a bigger job than I usually do, and will likely start doing them more often so I need a better soldering iron.. My current one is a 25 watt Circuit Test.. Tried to solder a fuse and pig-tail onto a board couple weeks back and it just doesn't have the power..

Now I am looking at a Baku 601D.. I am having a hard time finding reviews... This kit has what I need and a price I can afford, which is always a bonus. But I am not sure if these are worth buying or not. No point buying something I can afford just to have it not do a good job, then having to spend more money..

Has anybody used the Baku 601D kit? Is it worth buying?

[diif]

Re: Any Experiences with Baku?

Have you watched Louis Rossmann's review? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fV6wXxfYo-s

[stj]

Re: Any Experiences with Baku?

buy something that uses T12 tips.

[kevinds]

Re: Any Experiences with Baku?

Have you watched Louis Rossmann's review? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fV6wXxfYo-s

I didn't check YouTube.. :|

But really, that is what I was expecting, just needed to confirm.

Thank you

[kevinds]

Re: Any Experiences with Baku?

Alright, have done a LOT of research...

Going to buy one tomorrow, the cheap 30W Circuit-Test one I have been using, tonight decided that it didn't want to warm enough to melt lead-free solder. My butane one quit a couple months back, but it was over 15 years old. I don't do a lot, only need to solder a dozen or so times a year. Plan on doing a lot more in the future though, and I wanting a tool that I won't have to replace again.

Which of these is the best unit?

WES50 $30
Weller 4624-O (solder wand only, desolder wand is MIA) $100
Hakko 936 $50

Yes, each is genuine and they are all used.. Just not sure which to go with..

Right now I am leaning towards the WES50...

[stj]

Re: Any Experiences with Baku?

just avoid that hakko,

the only good hakko is the fx951 onwards.

[kevinds]

Re: Any Experiences with Baku?

just avoid that hakko,

the only good hakko is the fx951 onwards.

Thank you!

I had read that the genuine Hakko units were good and didn't have exclusions, but this is something experience teaches people, think that model is very old anyways. lol

Thank you again. Think I'll be good without the 'dual function' especially considering I would have to acquire the desolder wand separately anyways, wick should work just fine

Now, hopefully it is still available...

*curses that I have a TV apart on my kitchen table* haha

[stj]

Re: Any Experiences with Baku?

900 series was good for it's time, it's been improved now and called 888/888d but it's still the entry level iron.
and if it's used it may have a clone tip or element in it.

[momaka]

Re: Any Experiences with Baku?

buy something that uses T12 tips.

+1000000000

An iron with T12 or T15 tips will get you through any solder job on your hands - be it with Leaded or Lead-free solder.

I still haven't found a need for anything more than my Circuit Specialists CSI 2900. It's an Aoyue underneath. Nothing to write home about in terms of quality, but it works.

That said, there are much cheaper irons that use T12/T15 tips than the CSI 2900 mentioned above. So have a look and see.

[kevinds]

Re: Any Experiences with Baku?

Yeah..

I am poor right now, seller that had the WES50 units posted, when I went there, had none..

Got a Weller 921ZX for $20.. Has a #9211 pencil with a 9015 tip in it.. Replacement tips will be a challenge, but I see a couple places making replacement tips for it, just not the Cooper/Weller brand.

Overall, I don't think I did horrible, my next one will use the T15 tips for sure.

If I'm still awake, I'll try it out tonight (for more than a see-if-it-works test)

[stj]

Re: Any Experiences with Baku?

a bakon 950d from Aliexpress is only about $25us

[megaraider]

Re: Any Experiences with Baku?

slightly under 25US$ and free shipping from eBay [bakon 950D]

[stj]

Re: Any Experiences with Baku?

slightly under 25US$ and free shipping from eBay [bakon 950D]

with a T12 handle?
because you need to avoid the T13's

[Doc38343]

Re: Any Experiences with Baku?

I used a radio shack iron for years, didn't solder much when i did it was bigger stuff like speaker terminals and a bit of thru hole. Burnt the s*** out of a few things and needed to replace some SMD parts but had no experience and less money. I bought a Ayoue Int866 rework station. I wanted the pre-heating table and with my shaky hands the mounted hot air was a plus. It also has a soldering iron on it with my first ever temperature controlled soldering environment. LOL I used it some but it may never even pay for itself. (at the time i was re-flowing those massive video fails on the Dell 1500 series) I also found out Lewis Rossman is correct a re-flow repair only lasts about 1 to 3 months. (didn't know about him at the time but got tired of refunding so i stopped) The Aoyue (can't remember the stupid name enough to type this) soldering Iron was total and utter crap. I found myself repeatedly going back to old faithful 50Watt radio shack Iron.. I just did the un-thinkable.. I ground tips to any config i wanted.. they were solid copper or brass but i just tinned them and used them for years.
Enter the new phase... projects and more often the need to solder those tiny pepper specks they call 605 SMD. ANYWHO---my research and pocked book put me in all sorts of compromise. I have to do the work or go out of business for good. No money to invest in the "good stuff", I took a chance on a microscope USB that Dave on EEVblog
reviewed, sure beats the heck out of nothing and the magnifiers i was using. Second i studied reviews for about 3 weeks and landed on X-Tronic. I took a chance and bought a X-tronic 8080 4 in one hot air station. I LOVE IT. It has already paid for itself, 6 weeks. The Iron is accurate and when I use the little needle tip for those 605 size it still performs well. Heat transfer is good. (I had bought one from amazon that was a complaint return, as soon as i saw the tip on it i knew the person was simply in-experienced) I got it for half the price of a new one. I also bought a X-tronic 8020-XTS it is a new model and wasn't even listed on their site yet. Hot tweezers... and a iron in one unit. This one has programmable settings and sleep and shut down safety mode timers. It also works VERY WELL for the money.
I do not know how long they will last. i have replacement elements for all but I will tell you this, my soldering ability has gone to a whole other level i never thought was possible for me. That's it for my 2 cents worth, all in both machines under $300 us

[sam_sam_sam]

Re: Any Experiences with Baku?

I used a radio shack iron for years, didn't solder much when i did it was bigger stuff like speaker terminals and a bit of thru hole. Burnt the s*** out of a few things and needed to replace some SMD parts but had no experience and less money. I bought a Ayoue Int866 rework station. I wanted the pre-heating table and with my shaky hands the mounted hot air was a plus. It also has a soldering iron on it with my first ever temperature controlled soldering environment. LOL I used it some but it may never even pay for itself. (at the time i was re-flowing those massive video fails on the Dell 1500 series) I also found out Lewis Rossman is correct a re-flow repair only lasts about 1 to 3 months. (didn't know about him at the time but got tired of refunding so i stopped) The Aoyue (can't remember the stupid name enough to type this) soldering Iron was total and utter crap. I found myself repeatedly going back to old faithful 50Watt radio shack Iron.. I just did the un-thinkable.. I ground tips to any config i wanted.. they were solid copper or brass but i just tinned them and used them for years.
Enter the new phase... projects and more often the need to solder those tiny pepper specks they call 605 SMD. ANYWHO---my research and pocked book put me in all sorts of compromise. I have to do the work or go out of business for good. No money to invest in the "good stuff", I took a chance on a microscope USB that Dave on EEVblog
reviewed, sure beats the heck out of nothing and the magnifiers i was using. Second i studied reviews for about 3 weeks and landed on X-Tronic. I took a chance and bought a X-tronic 8080 4 in one hot air station. I LOVE IT. It has already paid for itself, 6 weeks. The Iron is accurate and when I use the little needle tip for those 605 size it still performs well. Heat transfer is good. (I had bought one from amazon that was a complaint return, as soon as i saw the tip on it i knew the person was simply in-experienced) I got it for half the price of a new one. I also bought a X-tronic 8020-XTS it is a new model and wasn't even listed on their site yet. Hot tweezers... and a iron in one unit. This one has programmable settings and sleep and shut down safety mode timers. It also works VERY WELL for the money.
I do not know how long they will last. i have replacement elements for all but I will tell you this, my soldering ability has gone to a whole other level i never thought was possible for me. That's it for my 2 cents worth, all in both machines under $300 us

I like x-tronic brand but I wish they would make one that would show you the set point and the temperature at the same time like the ZD-915 or the 916

The ZD-915 or the 916 there tip are shit ( but the cost of them are low ) they do not last long the temperature controller swings a little to much when you first turn it on but it recovers very fast
and the heater do not last long either ( but the cost is low )

X-tronic brand tips are very good and last a very long time ( but the cost is a lot higher)
The heaters last a very long time ( but cost is a lot higher )

One note on the X-tronic older model have problem where after you have used for a few years the temperature controller starts having issues where the temperature is not right or not consistent then you have recap it and replace the optic sensors in it and ( recalibrate the temperature controller which not very easy to do )

That my two cents worth

[stj]

Re: Any Experiences with Baku?

i have a ZD series, tips cost less than a cheap beer,
but i'v never killed an element and the tips last - you must be doing something stupid like levering tabs with it or something!

[eili]

Re: Any Experiences with Baku?

just avoid that hakko,

the only good hakko is the fx951 onwards.

for his need, i don't think it's so necessary
a 888d is good enough
he'll solder something like 1-2hours continuously then stop
not all the day

baku is a clone of hakko, crappy electronics, crappy tips, crappy soldering iron
but it's better than


of course, if you want the best
https://paceworldwide.com/products/c...ctronic-repair

with his tutorial
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0wI-5YZQm4

price is not the same 5k$ vs 100$, they don't share the same playground
888d,fx951 are more for serious hobbyist
pace is for pro who work all the day reworking board, respecting standard
(not like Louis Rossmann, he is good hobbyist but show horrible work for a pro)

[kros]

Re: Any Experiences with Baku?

If you have a service and need a good soldering iron then I recommend the JBC CD-B Soldering station, I know the price is high but worth the price, I had cheap soldering iron and never buy anymore. Working comfort is absolutely perfect.

If you want hot air station then I recommend QUICK 861DW this station is cheap compared to Hakko it is much better. A lot of repair services in europe work on this station.

[llonen]

Re: Any Experiences with Baku?

I have been using pace now for some years it was one of the best moves I have ever made, though I slowly migrated from Weller and still make use of wsd81 for some work. That said most of my equipment is based around the older system sensor temp and being on the second hand circuit was obtained for a fraction of the cost of new.

Some of the equipment that I use and recommend

Pace MBT250 Soldering & Rework Station
Pace ST45 Soldering & Rework Station
Pace ST115 Soldering & Rework Station
Pace SX 80 desolder system
Pace PS90 sensortemp
Pace tt65 thermal tweezers
Pace TJ 70 Thermojet (for small smd rework)
Pace TD100
Pace TP65 thermo-pic
Weller WSD81

There are significant costs savings to be had going down this route but the tips for the older pace hand-pieces can be a little difficult to obtain.

and for larger smd rework

Hakko FR-802 Hot Air Rework Station


On my wish list

PACE ST325 hot air reflow system or something similar