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General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: Audio Islander on July 03, 2016, 08:26:15 PM

Title: NEWB: What tips should I get for my Hakko FX888D Station
Post by: Audio Islander on July 03, 2016, 08:26:15 PM
Hello All,

I am brand new to soldering.  I am awaiting the Quickie, PJCCS, and Quicksand kits.  I got a Hakko FX888D Station to start this adventure and wanted to get your opinion on what, if any, additional tips I should get and for what use these tips are for.  Plan to build the Quickie stock and use for a while before I add the PJCCS.

Thank you in advance for the advice  ;D
Title: Re: NEWB: What tips should I get for my Hakko FX888D Station
Post by: mcandmar on July 03, 2016, 11:18:18 PM
Everybody will have a different preference but i prefer a 2-3mm flat chisel tip as its easier to transfer heat into the parts your are soldering.  e.g. T18-DL2 Shape-2DL

http://www.hakko.com/english/products/hakko_fx888d_tips.html#productNav (http://www.hakko.com/english/products/hakko_fx888d_tips.html#productNav)
Title: Re: NEWB: What tips should I get for my Hakko FX888D Station
Post by: Natural Sound on July 04, 2016, 03:10:51 PM
My recommendation is to buy several different sizes. I have an older Hakko 936 (now out of production). I bought three different tips at the same time. One was a fine tipped model for surface mount parts and small printed circuit board work. The other two were "chisel" types like mcandmar described. The nice thing about chisel tips is that you can lay them flat for larger work and rotate them 90 degrees and use them on edge for finer connections. After you get some experience under your belt you'll know what works best for you. BTW - I consider my medium sized chisel my "go go" tip. It does 90 percent of what I need to do. Also, make sure you keep the tip clean and add some solder occasionally to keep the tip "tinned".

This might help a little. http://www.hakko.com/english/tip_selection/ (http://www.hakko.com/english/tip_selection/)
Title: Re: NEWB: What tips should I get for my Hakko FX888D Station
Post by: Audio Islander on July 05, 2016, 05:21:54 AM
Thank you both for your advice.

@Natural Sound what size do you consider "medium"?
Title: Re: NEWB: What tips should I get for my Hakko FX888D Station
Post by: caffeinator on July 05, 2016, 07:15:33 AM
Ditto on the chisel-tip recommendations.  I have the very same solder station and use those for the majority of work.  I also have some of the conical tips; one straight, one slightly curved.  Though they look like they'd be handy, and they are for some fine work, they don't heat the joints nearly as well as the chisel tips do - I'd be inclined to go with a smaller chisel tip as opposed to the pointed ones based on my experience with these.
Title: Re: NEWB: What tips should I get for my Hakko FX888D Station
Post by: Audio Islander on July 05, 2016, 09:38:56 AM
Awesome! Thank you everyone.

I ordered a Hakko T18-DL2.

And I have these in my "save for later" for once I have played a little bit.
Hakko T18 Series Chisel Pack (T18-D08/D12/D24/D32/S3)
Hakko T18-D16P
Title: Re: NEWB: What tips should I get for my Hakko FX888D Station
Post by: rdonahue on July 07, 2016, 07:39:46 AM
Like Audio Islander, I am brand new and was wondering this exact question. I am ordering a few T18-DL2s as well.
Title: Re: NEWB: What tips should I get for my Hakko FX888D Station
Post by: Audio Islander on July 07, 2016, 07:47:10 AM
Welcome rdonahue!

Now that I have all my gear I am going crazy waiting for my kits :P  Building some RCA interconnects to play with my soldering setup while I wait.
Title: Re: NEWB: What tips should I get for my Hakko FX888D Station
Post by: rdonahue on July 07, 2016, 08:59:05 AM
Quote from: Audio Islander on July 07, 2016, 07:47:10 AM
Welcome rdonahue!

Now that I have all my gear I am going crazy waiting for my kits :P  Building some RCA interconnects to play with my soldering setup while I wait.

We're in the same boat! I am on the Redco site ordering up a bunch of cables and connectors. Can't wait.  ;D