Best <$30 Solder Gun for DC Jack Repair?

[Appletax]

I am going to repair a DC jack on a laptop for the first time.

What do you recommend for a cheap solder gun that will get the job done just fine, as well as de-soldering braid (or sucker) and flux?

Going to be doing this on a Samsung NP-R580 laptop:

Edit: see https://www.technibble.com/forums/threads/recommend-tools-tips-for-dj-jack-soldering.71975/

 

[kwest]

Get a hot air station. A lot easier. Think they are under $50 on Amazon.

 

[Larry Sabo]

Soldering gun, for under $30? Did you really mean "gun," or did you mean iron? Or $300 instead of $30? This type of solder sucker is available for under $30 and does a reasonable job at through-hole solder removal (e.g., bad caps) but will burn thin PCB traces if too hot. Not sure it would work well for DC jack removal, though. A hot air SMT rework tool would be much better, but takes a long time. They can be had cheaply, though not for under $30.

 

[Slaters Kustum Machines]

I have a Hako 936 which is a little over double your $30 mark, but it works very well. I actually purchased it from a TN member a few years ago.

 

[Krynn72]

To be honest, If you're not willing to spend on the tools you need, don't bother doing the job. A $30 iron is not going to do the job properly. I know, because I see the results of other local shops trying it or customers doing DIY work. $30 irons are for hobbyist electronics dabblers. People soldering brand new components to clean single layer PCBs.

As the cheapest "starter kit" I could realistically recommend, I'd say go with the Hakko 808D iron, chipquik flux, and gootwick.
Probably hits right around $130.

EDIT: I accidentally said 808D, but the model number I meant was 888D. The 808 was a desoldering vacuum gun that as Brandon said has been replaced with a new model.

 

[mr m]

I've used cheap 40 Watt soldering iron for years with good results. I've never noticed a difference in quality. Keeping the tip clean and using flux are very important. I've also used both a solder sucker and braid. Both work as advertised. I found the solder sucker easier to use.

I did switch to a hot air station years back. I think I paid just over $100. With practice it is much easier to use.

 

[brandonkick]

The Hakko 808 has been replaced with the FR-300 and it's $265 just for that
desoldering gun. It's well worth it, if you do a lot of through hole desoldering.

Super fast, and gets the hole super clean. But it's a lot of money if you don't do
this all the time.

The Hakko 888d (successor to the 936 iron) is a little over $100, so maybe you
meant that one.

I have a cheap 936 clone, that works just fine. The iron died on me once, but I
got a new one for $7. The iron itself is temp controlled and as long as you use
the correct tip for the job, use flux, and use good soldering technique you shouldn't
have much an issue with the cheaper clone. It just won't last quite as long. I got
mine for $30 I think. If you do any decent amount of soldering, get the 888d from
Hakko. It's worth the money if you do this a lot. I use mine once a year if I'm lucky.

I hadn't used it in 2 years, and then I recapped 3 LCD monitors just a few weeks ago.
It might sit another year until I use it again.

 

[Krynn72]

The Hakko 888d (successor to the 936 iron) is a little over $100, so maybe you
meant that one.

Yep, thats what I meant. Edited the post to make a note. I also have the 808 gun which is why I got mixed up.

I do a lot of soldering, and the frustrations I experienced early on with cheap irons put me off them entirely.