Knock off Moooo guns (desoldering guns)

[Firebrick43]

For those that do electronic board repairs, does anyone have a knock off desoldering gun (moo gun, the sound they make) or solder sucker that has the iron built into it that is worth a damn?

I have used a Hakko 310 at a previous job and its wonderful but I don't do enough of it to warrant the 300 plus dollar price tag.

I also HATE traditional solder suckers, the ones that you use a separate iron with. I normally just use solder braid to remove things but I recently bough a 45 year old Kenwood Ham radio and want to recap it, and it has over 100 of them. Plus supposedly they are a little touch about traces coming up if overheated.

I know some of the knock off irons such as my T12 hakko 888 knock off are pretty good. And there is both knock off moo guns and solder suckers with irons built in but info seems limited by first hand accounts especially the later.

 

[5ubtle]

I don't know what a moooo gun is, but when I searched Hakko 310, it looks like a "temperature controlled heat gun". This is a bit like what I call a "hot air rework station". Rework stations can be had for $30+ on amazon. I think it would work well for removing caps.

Mine is like this:

 

[Firebrick43]

I don't know what a moooo gun is, but when I searched Hakko 310, it looks like a "temperature controlled heat gun". This is a bit like what I call a "hot air rework station". Rework stations can be had for $30+ on amazon. I think it would work well for removing caps.

Mine is like this:

It’s a gun that melts the solder and *****. Opposite of one that blows like you have. The hot air one like yours are great for reworking SMD stuff but not through hole like the desolder guns are designed for.

Moo guns are called that as when the vacuum part is engaged with the trigger they sound like they are mooing like a cow

 

[5ubtle]

@Firebrick43
Do you have a link to a moo gun?

edit: Did you mean Hakko 301 instead of Hakko 310?

 

[tak1313]

I have one I got YEARS ago...from Radio Shack. I have since also picked up the sucker type where you use a separate soldering gun and it's essentially a "manual" vacuum tube that you place on the molten solder and click to release the vacuum to such it up.

I have personally found both types to be OK, but still need wick to really get it clean.

 

[Firebrick43]

@Firebrick43
Do you have a link to a moo gun?

edit: Did you mean Hakko 301 instead of Hakko 310?

Dyslexia *****. Yes 301. They used to have a 308 as well

 

[5ubtle]

I've been using the "solder sucker" pens for years and have always wanted something better. I see the Hakko 301 for as low as about $200, and the generics for as low as about $110. I don't think that I'll be getting one.

These solenoid operated versions are more in my price range (~$30). I found a few YouTube reviews showing decent performance. It should be a improvement from my solder sucker.

 

[darkzero]

I've only ever heard YTrs call desoldering guns moo guns. When I worked in electronics repair never heard it called that. They don't sound like a cow to me, at least mine doesn't, but I can see why someone would call it that.

I have a Hakko 808, looks like it's been long discontinued. Guess my tools are somewhat ancient. I'm still using a Hakko 936 also. I love the 808, kinda bulky, but it works well & has never gave me an issue. I'm not a big fan of solder suckers either. I prefer to use wick first then the 808 if neeeded or if I need to desolder quite a few pins.