Does the pinecil take ts100 tips?
Also, already owning a TS100 is there a good reason to switch over?
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For a basic user, no.
it is just cheaper and better overall than ts100 or whatever they change the name to.
Same power but with open firmware.
I would be shocked if they had different connectors. (lol)
The TS100 just runs on IronOS which AFAIK is open.
Ha, I see some here have had to modify with XT60s as well. Lol! Much more practical IMO.
I had both the TS-100 and the Sequre version. Same thing. Been looking at the Pinecil because the price is good.
Not sure if it’s been covered here but T-12 cartridges work well for this as well. Much less expensive, just a few bucks each. Last year I bought a variety pack with 11 tips for $20.
Their length is a little awkward plus the flange on the dedicated ts100 tips offer more support but if your broke( like me) or you just want a variety of tips that you might need for infrequent use then you just can’t beat the T-12 tips.
If I’m at my bench I use my variable power supply to power the iron. I set as high as I can before auto shutdown. That’s about 28V. I see SIGNIFICANTLY more power than a 18V laptop power supply. Think I was seeing something like 80W in the power supply’s display while it heats up and while soldering large joints with lots of thermal mass. Can’t stress the difference it makes enough. Good thing is you won’t fry it from too much voltage so have fun.
One more thing. Those two small set screws are critical for electrical, mechanical and thermal stability. They need to be tightened each and every time you change the tip. My first one died because I failed to tighten the screws properly. Unfortunately, they are easy loose and or strip the hex head on them. I did the old Dremel trick to make a slot for a straight screwdriver. Also rummaged through my box of screws to find ones that fit.
I could not use my ts100 with that length. As is I already constantly burn my ring finger on the very edge of the flange when using mine. Luckily the very base of the tips don’t get to the full temp so I only get a very slow forming first degree burn from that flared part.
When I bought mine the cheapest option came with its own power supply, and an extra tip, which outputs at 24v to the iron. I’ve not had any issues with large gauge wires using it. To be honest I didn’t even look at the other power supplies available after seeing it would save me a good $20-$40 overall to buy the bundle pack 
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Not supposed to hold it like chopsticks! Lol!. The length does make it awkward but it’s doable if in a bind.
That’s great that it came with a 24V PS and didn’t just go for the more common 18V PS.
18V vs 24V might not seem like much of a difference but for this application it makes a huge difference, so much so that I even made a 7s1p pack out of extra 18650s.
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The fact that you could accurately describe the grip without seeing it is very impressive tbh. Also I 100% got out my chopsticks to compare the grip to see if it was accurate because no one has ever called it that before.
It is just the way I hold anything when I need more control. I was told as a kid that it was a weird way to hold my pencil but I was also told that it was the “artist” way to hold it 
I use the same grip in both hands and I’ve also had issues when using an exacto knife scalpel style for long periods of time except in that case I was cutting my skin instead of burning it.
I didn’t really pay attention to the voltage but the listing does highlight the fact that it is an “upgraded” power supply:
I once accidentally sent it 42V and it fried, Haven’t been able to recover it. Had to buy a new one.
How? The flange on mine barely gets warm. Also using 24V PSU.
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It isn’t an immediate burn but it is warm enough that over time it’ll burn you. It is far from a serious burn though but it is enough of a burn that it is very visible when your hands are wet and your finger print in the area isn’t as deep.
Might take an hour or more before you even really notice anything
Might just be your grip, I use the iron almost daily (for work) for at least an hour at a time. Burned myself with the tip plenty but never the flange.
In my experience the TS100 tips are really great at focussing the heat at the very end.
I would really like it if @xsynatic would edit the title to be more of a USB/portable soldering iron general comparison thread.
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The TS100 doesn’t use USB power so I think that would be a terrible idea.
portable/usbc both. Tells the reader what is in the thread
Pinecil knockoffs can take pd3.0 20v 65w
The Pinecil knockoff I tried earlier tonight only has a usb-c connector. USB PD is designed for power but of course a decent rated cable for a Mac Pro makes sense. The full length TS-100 tips works A-Ok in it & have a couple of short tips for the shorter cover that it also includes.
Only have a Nintendo switch power supply to hand but it whooshed straight up to 350c in seconds & has a ceiling of 450c.
There is a GitHub repo for the pen which is ESP32-based but having a driver issue which stopped me doing a f/w update.
For < $50 it’s a bargain (so far).
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Omg need
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I haven’t seen a more apropriate thread so let’s be it here,
Is there any cheap reflow station / hot air tool worth buying for smd job ?
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Btw this is the general smart iron thread
I have a ts100. Its DC jack would intermittently disconnect. I opened it and direct soldered leads to skip that unreliable connector.
I really hoped to try a USB C PD power source with this iron and I rigged a PD 20V trigger. It doesn’t work when the iron draws power to heat the tip. The chip shuts down.
I did see a Pine64 iron for 40$ on amazon. It has dual input options.
(I didn’t see @Fosterqc 25$ link to the manufacturer site. I feel silly)
Here it is powered by a 100w MacBook usb c charger and a 20v dewalt batter, using both DC and USB jacks.
Here is a race, I installed same iron tips. Both running from same 20v dc batttery. I didn’t have the same target temp set, but they both hit 280c in 9 seconds.
I think the Pine64 is better, cheaper, neater. Doesn’t come stock with a full size chisel tip though.
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