I am in the market for a new soldering station and a de-soldering station. The following brands are available to me locally RS (electrocomponents not radio shack) without too much bother for returns though obviously I want a goof one that won't need to be returned.
Weller ERSA Xytronic Pace
I only have used Weller irons before and have found them reliable, make good clean joints, tips last a long time, quite robust. Quite a few Weller irons seem to go obsolete though which is a little concerning Has anyone experience of any of these brands of soldering / de-soldering / rework stations and recommend one or recommend one not to get?
I have not had much mileage out of Antex irons so don't want another one of them. Nor have I had much usage out of manual desolder pumps, the one you push a button on the side and the plunger sucks in the solder through a PTFE nozzle.
For a de-soldering station the Weller DSVT80 Soldering Kit is about my budget. Has anyone experience with this station? The pace iron looks quite appealing though but out of my league. I don't have compressed air and the old diving tanks are out of their certification date so no-one will fill them.
Maybe I'd be better saving a bit more and getting a rework station - one that will solder de-solder and also do SMT. Again any recommendations? Is this the way to go?