Finally GOT My Metcal!

A skinny santa wearing a brown suit dropped this off to me today:






The MetCal SP200 -- with three different tips.

Am I ready for modding or what???!!! Yeeeee HAW!

Careful!!! Once you use a Metcal you'll find yourself refusing to use any other soldering iron!

I'm very lucky that here at work we have several Metcals and a bunch of tips for them. We still need some smaller tips though (I had the pleasure of hand soldering 0402s the other day).

The one thing we keep having to beat into peoples heads is "Don't leave the Metcals on!!!". With a warm-up time on the order of 10 to 20 seconds, there is no reason to leave the iron on when its going to be idle for more than a few minutes.

Hope you enjoy your new toy!

-Eric (ABØWA)

I agree... After using Metcals at work, I'm going to have to buy one for myself now... My old Weller just can't compare. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif

Charlie,

You won't be disappointed!!

Cool!

- Don

When I worked at the local Nuclear Power Plant, I used to think that I new how to solder untill I got sent to a 5 day soldering class! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ooo.gif I forget the brand of the soldering station, but it had adjustable temp tip soldering pencil and a vacumn de-soldering tool with an adjustable tiemp tip, all on a custom work bench. About a $1000 soldering station. They showed us the new hot air soldering station but would not let us play with it! When I finished that class I could solder and de-solder surface mount components.

Thought I was hot stuff! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[ QUOTE ]
MR Bulk said:

The MetCal SP200 -- with three different tips.

Am I ready for modding or what???!!! Yeeeee HAW!


[/ QUOTE ]

Charlie, welcome to the world of Metcal! The only downside is that now in addition to your "I need one more light" habit, you are now at risk of developing a "I need one more tip style" habit. I love the ease of swapping tips with Metcal equipment.

isn't Metcal a fiber supplement?

are your innards ok Charlie? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

If you ever cut yourself you can always use the tip to carterize the wound and sealing it. I think that is what Metcal originally designed this type of hot tip for. Medical surgery. I've not tried it yet. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Like any other soldering tip, keep it clean and tinned all the time.

You will never go back to a regular soldering iron after using a Metcal. Enjoy.

Metcal is top notch. The electronics company I used to work at used them exclusively, and the store room was full of tips, probably in the neighborhood of 150 each of about 6 different styles (yes we had to keep several locks on that door). Once you've used one of those, it is hard to be forced into using anything else...

While on the Metcal subject, I remind CPF members that despite the nosebleed prices on new units, there are really killer deals on used Metcal equipment available on Ebay. If you are patient, it is possible to get a complete system for around $100. I am fairly familiar with the past and current Metcal models and have watched the offerings on Ebay on and off. IMHO, the best values on used Metcal systems are for those using the PS2E-01 power supply. That power supply uses the same handpieces and tips as the currently offered top-of-the-line MX500 series. Just today, I picked up another PS2E-01 supply for $36 [an even better than usual deal].

I've always wanted one...

[ QUOTE ]
Slick said:
I've always wanted one...

[/ QUOTE ]

well that sums it up quite nicely! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

dang...i have an old 20w weller with a corroded tip /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif

Slick/Roth,

Actually you don't have to shell out the nearly $400 I did for a new one. There is a company refurbishes them (from factory closedown casualties of the silicon industry crash) and sells them for around half the price HERE. And you even get a free cartridge, whereas the new ones come without a tip whatsoever.

woohoo! thanks for the link charlie.

now i'm only about $140 short /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mecry.gif

someday, i will get one though /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif (someday /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon23.gif )

[ QUOTE ]
Doug S said:
While on the Metcal subject, I remind CPF members that despite the nosebleed prices on new units, there are really killer deals on used Metcal equipment available on Ebay. If you are patient, it is possible to get a complete system for around $100. I am fairly familiar with the past and current Metcal models and have watched the offerings on Ebay on and off. IMHO, the best values on used Metcal systems are for those using the PS2E-01 power supply. That power supply uses the same handpieces and tips as the currently offered top-of-the-line MX500 series. Just today, I picked up another PS2E-01 supply for $36 [an even better than usual deal].

[/ QUOTE ]

This is undoubtedly a silly question, but is it simply a matter of buying a Metcal power supply, wand (or whatever they call it), and some tips? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif If I have to get a Metcal station piece-by-piece from ebay, I'd like to understand what's needed.

Also, it doesn't appear to allow temperature adjustment. Would that be because it makes that somehow unnecessary, or is that reserved for even higher-end Metcal stations?

Yep, you need a power supply, wand, and tips.

Here's a link to an older thread about Metcal.

You're right, there is no temperature adjustment on the Metcals, but you don't need one. The temperature is set by physical properties of the tip, and it will maintain that temperature even with a large thermal load. You can get tips at 600 700 or 800 degrees. Metcal has a whitepaper somewhere on their website that describes how their technology works.

Yes, no dials or settings. Metcal has what they call SmartHeat® technology. Seems like when you touch the tip to something, it senses the load and puts out just enough heat to solder it, thus protecting both the electronic component being soldered as well as adjacent areas/components. This also means it returns to putting out less heat when not soldering. And because of the small mass of the tip's construction it reaches full operating temperature within 20 seconds when first turned on anyway, so it is recommended you turn it off when the iron is to sit idle for more than a few minutes, thus even further preserving tip life.

Stuff like that. As my pappy always said, you get what you pay for -- and you pay for what you get...

We use them at work. I'm lucky that I have a cute Asian girl who will do my soldering for me because other then a surface mount cap or resistor, I suck at it. Of course now we're entering the BGA era and that's a whole different story.

Roy,
Those $1,000+ soldering stations are made by Pace, have one and work and they rock! Crazy thing has two irons (regular and needle tip) two desoldering irons and adjustable temps. Would I buy one of those things for home use? Heck no! The Metcal looks like the stuff for that. Meanwhile, the 25W Weller is still cranking after 15 years for the house.
Charlie, you should become Amish and send me all your toys. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/naughty.gif

[ QUOTE ]
Slick said:
I've always wanted one...

[/ QUOTE ]

METCAL sent!