Selecting the right CNC Kitchen Hakko tip set
Hi guys
I'm hoping there's someone using the CNC Kitchen soldering iron tips on a Hakko that can help me with the difference between the two available sets, and why you'd choose one over the other. To my eyes they look equivalent, and have the same price, so it's unclear which way to steer.
This set has longer tips for the smaller insert tools, while this set has short tips for all sizes. Is there a benefit to the longer one (aside from the available printed storage case design?)
What am I missing in these choices? I fear there's something obvious staring right at me here.
Thanks, Geoff
Best Answer by Sembazuru:
I think the "right" tip set is up to you and how you plan on using it. The tips that use the adapter (the shorter ones) are probably harder to change while the iron is hot. The longer tips are replaced like a regular soldering iron tip so you only need one set of pliers to loosen the nut near the handle, and holding the handle will be the anti-rotation force. The short tips with the adapter you may need to use two pliers to unthread and thread the tips when hot making usage a little more awkward. If you expect to use multiple sizes of threaded inserts in one project/session this might be your deciding factor.
AFAIR, the reason why the larger inserts need to use the adapter is because the tips probably don't fit through the soldering iron tip retention sleeve. I know this is true for my Weller insert tips.
RE: Selecting the right CNC Kitchen Hakko tip set
I think the "right" tip set is up to you and how you plan on using it. The tips that use the adapter (the shorter ones) are probably harder to change while the iron is hot. The longer tips are replaced like a regular soldering iron tip so you only need one set of pliers to loosen the nut near the handle, and holding the handle will be the anti-rotation force. The short tips with the adapter you may need to use two pliers to unthread and thread the tips when hot making usage a little more awkward. If you expect to use multiple sizes of threaded inserts in one project/session this might be your deciding factor.
AFAIR, the reason why the larger inserts need to use the adapter is because the tips probably don't fit through the soldering iron tip retention sleeve. I know this is true for my Weller insert tips.
See my (limited) designs on:
Printables - https://www.printables.com/@Sembazuru
Thingiverse - https://www.thingiverse.com/Sembazuru/designs
RE: Selecting the right CNC Kitchen Hakko tip set
Thanks for clarifying @sembazuru - it's encouraging there's nothing super-obvious I was missing 🙂
Looking at the Weller sets like you're using, they're closer in length to the short Hakko choice. Would they have been any better to use if they were longer in your experience?
RE:
Thanks for clarifying @sembazuru - it's encouraging there's nothing super-obvious I was missing 🙂
Looking at the Weller sets like you're using, they're closer in length to the short Hakko choice. Would they have been any better to use if they were longer in your experience?
I use the Weller sets because I have a weller iron (WESD-51) that uses the Weller PES51 pencil. Each (major) soldering iron manufacturer designs their irons to use their own tips. A Weller tip won't fit a Hakko, and vice versa. (That would be like trying to use a Revo nozzle in a Prusa Nextruder. They look similar but aren't cross-compatible.) Even within the same manufacturer different iron model families may use differently shaped tips (as far as the interface to the iron side). It's annoying, but vendor lock-in isn't only for software.
See my (limited) designs on:
Printables - https://www.printables.com/@Sembazuru
Thingiverse - https://www.thingiverse.com/Sembazuru/designs
RE: Selecting the right CNC Kitchen Hakko tip set
I realised this is the case. My question was more if you'd had any issue with the shorter tip lengths since the Hakko has the long and short options.
Regardless, I went with the short granted all other sets are short and everyone seems happy with them, and your comment that the short ones are easier to swap if you have multiple sized inserts in the one project. I have never done that, but having greater flexibility seemed a good thing, so I went with the short.
Thanks again