The one thing that you wonder why you didn't buy sooner?

[BravoXray]

Not tractor related, but I just bought a Hakko FR-3010-03 de-soldering gun. I have a couple of electronic repair projects that require removing through hole components from PC boards, and I have used flux/solder/de-soldering wick with limited success. Tried the Hakko for the first time tonight, and WOW, how easy it makes the job. It took just a couple of minutes to de-solder, remove components and clean out some through holes I had been struggling with for hours.
It wasn't cheap at over $300, but it will save me a LOT of time when doing this kind of job.

Hakko FR301-03/P

 

[Fuddyduddy1952]

Hakko make good equipment.
Those wanting to save money try Blow Off spray or a compressor blow gun. It takes practice but heat connection with spray nozzle close. As soon as solder melts air blast it. Of course bits of solder goes everywhere which you remove with a fairly stiff brush similar to a toothbrush and Flux-Off spray followed by isopropyl alcohol.

 

[Wagtail]

Hakko make good equipment.
Those wanting to save money try Blow Off spray or a compressor blow gun. It takes practice but heat connection with spray nozzle close. As soon as solder melts air blast it. Of course bits of solder goes everywhere which you remove with a fairly stiff brush similar to a toothbrush and Flux-Off spray followed by isopropyl alcohol.

People/techs don't use a spring loaded solder-sucker anymore?

 

[Fuddyduddy1952]

They work but through holes are difficult.

 

[pmsmechanic]

Where I live windshields get stone chips. I used to buy 1 time use kits to do my own repairs. That worked but I had supplies that I could reuse but no way to do it. I found double sided tape for window repair and windshield glass glue online and ordered some. Now as soon as I get home after receiving a stone chip the windshield gets repaired. I've saved quite a bit of money and I wish I would have done it sooner!

 

[WinterDeere]

People/techs don't use a spring loaded solder-sucker anymore?

Sometimes. If working on old 0.100" pitch thru-hole boards, the old tech still prevails, at least for the initial pass. Then clean up with wick.

But most have desoldering stations, with a vacuum pump (eg. Weller WXD2010), which do the job of those old spring-loaded pumps.

The biggest problem with the spring types is the recoil! Also, you need enough thermal mass, and enough heat injected into the part, to keep it above melting point long enough to switch from iron to pump. The desoldering stations take care of that problem, which is much easier on the parts being recovered or repaired, as the pump is mounted right on the iron.

 

[BravoXray]

People/techs don't use a spring loaded solder-sucker anymore?

I have a couple of different ones, but have had limited success. Sometimes they work, sometimes they don't. Small traces are really difficult to use them on, as the solder will cool so quick that by the time you remove the iron and apply the sucker, it has cooled too much to get sucked out. The Hakko even let me clean the residual solder off header pins that went into a daughter board so it slipped right over them.
Like I said, it wasn't cheap, but it really does the job.

 

[Runner]

Small (12" bar) top-handled chain saw. Always seemed like too much money for a little bitty saw. Then I bought one to use when rope climbing trees and now use it all the time. Probably 90% of the wood I cut is 3" or less, brush clearing, pruning, etc., where it is perfect for the job.

Much lighter and easer to handle.

 

[Hay Dude]

Anyone say “A skid steer loader”?

I need one real bad. Tired of beating my farm tractor to death.

Should get one, but even in the best economy EVER, I can’t swing one….but I WILL someday.

 

[ArlyA]

Small (12" bar) top-handled chain saw. Always seemed like too much money for a little bitty saw. Then I bought one to use when rope climbing trees and now use it all the time. Probably 90% of the wood is cut is 3" or less, brush clearing, pruning, etc., where it is perfect for the job.

Much lighter and easer to handle.

Man, you got that right!