Aoyue 474A+ Desoldering Station Review

metahugh

metahugh

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This is just a short and quick review on my new tool: The Aoyue 474A+ Desoldering station.

First let me say I don't know how I got along without this. It makes really short work of desoldering. I have used desoldering braid and a soldapult in the past and they are very inconsistent. I didn't want to spent $400-600 for a nice Weller or a Hakko unit. I searched the internet and found this model by Aoyue. It seems to get good reviews and is priced well ($132 shipped)

It is very easy to use and works wonderfully. Here are some pictures:

One hole attempted with Desoldering braid, too much work:

main.php



First socket desoldered.
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Second socket desoldered
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High res pictures in my gallery here:

http://gallery.metahugh.com/main.php?g2_itemId=2771
 
I can say from using the pump and desoldering iron from radio shack that working with sockets is a pain. I don't do enough of that stuff to justify getting one of these, but it's good to know. :)

maybe when I have money again...
 
I've been considering getting one of these as well. Like Mecha I don't do enough to justify purchasing one just yet though. In researching different soldering and desoldering equipment I can say that I haven't heard anything bad about Aoyue. They seem to offer the most value for your money for the beginner or intermediate users.
 
Wow... nice desoldering work... how did you remove the solder from each individual IC pin? - With a wick or sucking bulb?
 
Jesse69 said:
Like this pic - http://gallery.metahugh.com/main.php?g2_itemId=2805
- was that used to remove solder through the IC pin holes?

What does the coil / wire pin do?
Click to expand...

Those are to clean the tip of the desoldering gun. After you are finished cleaning holes/removing solder you use the coiled metal wire to clean the tip; you stick it in and push any solder that might have accumulated in the tip into the collection cylinder at the top of the gun.

The other plastic/brass looking one does the same thing but from what I read in the instructions you use that if the first pin doesn't work. Probably if you are lazy and don't clean the gun after using it :)
 
Jesse69 said:
Like this pic - http://gallery.metahugh.com/main.php?g2_itemId=2805
- was that used to remove solder through the IC pin holes?

What does the coil / wire pin do?
Click to expand...

To further explain look at these tips:

main.php


It comes with three sizes: Small, Medium and Large (not sure what the diameter of the holes are in MM though). There is a pump in the black box attached to the gun. When you press the red trigger it sucks the melted solder through the hole in the tip (see above) and into the collection cylinder.
 
How much are extra tips? How is the collection chamber? Is it a bear to clean?

Bill

metahugh said:
To further explain look at these tips:



It comes with three sizes: Small, Medium and Large (not sure what the diameter of the holes are in MM though). There is a pump in the black box attached to the gun. When you press the red trigger it sucks the melted solder through the hole in the tip (see above) and into the collection cylinder.
Click to expand...
 
I'll post some pics up tonight. It's pretty easy to clean, remove the front tip and there is a button on the back that ejects the assembly.
 
metahugh said:
To further explain look at these tips:
Click to expand...

They look just like the Hakko tips. Can you take a picture of the heater with the tip and retaining sleve removed. I wonder if the heater assembly is identical to the Hakko desolder gun.

- James
 
jrok said:
They look just like the Hakko tips. Can you take a picture of the heater with the tip and retaining sleve removed. I wonder if the heater assembly is identical to the Hakko desolder gun.

- James
Click to expand...

I believe I read a thread from a few years ago saying that it very much bootlegged the Hakko design/style, but it takes a little bit of modification to use real Hakko bits (they copied the design, but didn't directly make their mold from Hakko parts, so the size is just a little off).

I did notice my Aoyue soldering iron has a Hakko heating element, though I'm guessing that it's a bootleg Hakko part, also used in irons sold as "Hakko" (though not actually Hakko at all).

DogP
 
DogP said:
I believe I read a thread from a few years ago saying that it very much bootlegged the Hakko design/style, but it takes a little bit of modification to use real Hakko bits (they copied the design, but didn't directly make their mold from Hakko parts, so the size is just a little off).
Click to expand...

The heater element appears quite different from the Hakko 817 handle too.

Ahh.. someone has made a good PDF showing the Aoyue handpiece and differences between their models. The older one appears to be more like the Hakko.

http://www.sef-powersafe.net/pdf/Part list dissaldatori.pdf

- James
 
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