Re: Another ZipGSX Mod Success!

[scott@alfter.DIESPAMMERSDIE.us (Scott Alfter)]

In article <470aacb9$0$5308$c30e37c6@lon-reader.news.telstra.net>,
Tristan Mumford  <xtristan.xmumford@xgmail.xcom> wrote:
>Scott Alfter wrote:
>> Hmm...just tried googling for "desoldering iron," and it came up in the
>> first link:
>> 
>> http://www.radioshack.com/sm-45-watt-desoldering-iron--pi-2062731.html
>> 
>
>Is there any reason why one needs their "45 Watt Desoldering Iron" to go
>with the tip? It looks like a bog standard soldering iron to me.

That's bizarre...looks like an error in their database.

The heating element is of the same type that Radio Shack also sells with
different tips as soldering irons.  When mine burned out and they didn't
have any desoldering irons in stock, I bought a soldering iron of the same
wattage, pulled out the soldering tip, and put in the desoldering tip.

>I guess it's not as much of a freak as the IC soldering iron though. You
>know the ones that are basically two soldering irons attached like a pair
>of tongs with a sort of spatula tip on each iron?
>Speaking of which, has anyone used them? I've often wondered if they are any
>good.

I think we have something like that around the office, purchased for
desoldering.  Such a gadget isn't really needed for soldering.  While it can
do a passable job desoldering components, a hot-air rework station works
better.  Someone posted a link recently (I think it was to Circuit
Specialists) where you could get one of those with a bunch of tips for about
$400.  IIRC, they used to cost a fair bit more than that.

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