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.
1 Like
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 < $50 it’s a bargain (so far).
3 Likes
Omg need
1 Like
I haven’t seen a more apropriate thread so let’s be it here,
Is there any cheap reflow station / hot air tool worth buying for smd job ?
3 Likes
Btw this is the general smart iron thread
I have a ts100. Its DC jack would intermittently disconnect. I opened it and direct soldered leads to skip that unreliable connector.
I really hoped to try a USB C PD power source with this iron and I rigged a PD 20V trigger. It doesn’t work when the iron draws power to heat the tip. The chip shuts down.
I did see a Pine64 iron for 40$ 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.
3 Likes
direct soldering power leads seems like the move. I’ve rebuilt both sides of that stupid barrel jack a bunch of times and it still disconnects when I’m face-deep in a cloud of solder.
3 Likes
It do be like that. I had enough.
3 Likes
I would get the Pinecil. I got the red version and it was a nice, quick deal.
https://a.aliexpress.com/_msQWwrE
Run it from a power supply, not the USB-C.
1 Like
Yeah? is it the same or better than the TS100?
Agreed, Pinecil is great. More or less the same as a TS100. You can run the same FW on the TS100
I run mine with the USB-C connection but you need a high power adapter like the one I use meant for a portable monitor.
Also pretty cheap from their website at the moment.
2 Likes
Reminder that their store only offers 30 day warranty! Mine broke instantly due to a bad power supply / bad soldering iron itself. Buy from their EU store if you can.
2 Likes