Aoyue 968 SMD Digital Hot Air Rework Station

List Price: $259.00 Discount Price: $155.00

Features:

• 3 in 1 repairing station the combines Hot Air Rework Gun with a Soldering Iron and a Smoke Absorber
• Maintains a constant set temperature when the set and the value is reached
• Digital display of actual and set temperature with touch control on the front panel
• Built in Air Flow gauge and knob adjustment for the air flow
• Auto cool-off process that leaves the blower on until the nozzle is cool

Customer Reviews:

Well made and easy to use  [Posted on 2007-01-04]
I've never used a rework station before, so I have nothing to compare to, but I cannot think of anything bad to say about the unit. It heats quickly and does everything I need.

Very nice for rework [Posted on 2007-01-29]
This is an excellent unit for the price, esp. for the hobbyist doing component repositioning or removal. The only flaw on the one I received was a missing LED indicating the on/off status of the hot air gun, which I can live without (but for which I dinged it one star.) I especially like the temperature display which continues to show the temperature as it drops after you've shut the unit off; this is a great safety feature which helps keep others from getting burned.

Can't beat it for the price. [Posted on 2008-04-14]
This unit is great. It is easy to use and very self explanatory. The only thing you need to read is the sticker on the top advising you to remove the red labeled screw from the underside. The manual is not much help but everything is so intuitive it is not really needed. The tip that comes with it is very small and loses heat quickly making it difficult to use on all but the smallest of projects. However standard Hakko tips fit this unit, making finding replacement tips easy. The vacuum function while soldering is nice and effective. Also included is an IC popper. I couldn't find what this was anywhere until I purchased the unit. Imagine a fork with only the two outside prongs. These legs are thin and designed to be slid under chips so as you heat it up with the air gun it can be used to pry them up when the solder reflows and the chip becomes loose. I found it to be a little too big for most of the chips I work on and not very effective. I'm sure someone will find it a nice addition though.

My only two complaints are the soldering wand and the sponge. The soldering wand is nice and short making getting into tight spaces and maintaining control easy. However, the handle is hard plastic and lacks a soft rubber grip like you see on many higher end models. This isn't really a problem unless you are doing extensive work with the tool. The sponge that is included is very thin and flimsy. This can be easily replaced though. These are the two reasons I gave it a four instead of a five.

Like the title says though, you can't beat it for the price.

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