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Switched from a cheap $15 hot air station to a proper Hakko one and the difference in board-level rework is like night and day.

The precise temperature control and steady airflow on the Hakko FR-301 let me replace a BGA chip on a laptop motherboard last week without scorching the surrounding components, something my old unit could never manage.
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2 Comments
evan295
evan29511d ago
Without scorching the surrounding components" is what finally sold me on good tools.
3
andrew778
andrew77811d ago
But honestly how often does that actually happen? I've used cheap irons for years and never set a board on fire. Feels like a problem you only run into if you're rushing or just really new at it. Good tools are nice but the skill matters way more. People blame their tools way too quickly.
1