Kaiweets COT936. CHEAPEST Solder Station on AMAZON. And it WORKS !

[@Greg-et2dp]

Frid in the shed your utube videos are awesome my friend

[@Greg-et2dp]

Frid in the shed I wish you and your wife and kids a marry Christmas 🎄 and 🎅 a happy new year 🎄 🤶 my friend

[@rockshelter]

Excellent and honest review there ,Fred, and we have similar soldering skills, so telling me it would certainly do the job on my hobby projects. Keep up the good work, Fred. Enjoy the holidays, be safe.

[@CB-RADIO-UK]

Thank you. Hard to really fault for the money, well after all the Amazon discounts. Happy Christmas to you.

[@Greg-et2dp]

Frid in the shed your kaiweets cot 936 solder station is awesome my friend

[@CB-RADIO-UK]

Thanks Greg. Hope your keeping well my friend.

[@Greg-et2dp]

Frid in the shed I learn lot from you about bying quality cbs radios with AM FM ssb my friend

[@Greg-et2dp]

Frid in the shed my hobbies are painting pictures 🖼 and listening to shortwave and ssb iam thinking about getting my ham license

[@stevefox3763]

The ceramic elements on those irons Dont last forever, I have one and have replaced the element, you need to make sure you buy the right one though and there are two designs that look similar but have different wiring. After replacement, you also need to re calibrate the temperature on the station. I still have my 60w digital station that uses that iron type as a backup but use a 70w T12 station these days, the tips on a T12 iron are also the heating element, they cost about £2 each and just plug into the irons handle

[@CB-RADIO-UK]

Thanks for the information. Good to know.

[@goodun2974]

So, what brand/part # of heating element did you use and where did you get them? I'm wondering because I have a similar "Schneider" soldering station purchased from Harbor Freight for only $45; it doesn't include the helping hands or magnifier but appears a little better built internally than the Kaiweets, and uses a higher quality 7 pin screw-on connector ( only 5 pins are needed) and a *metal* heating element ---- I suspect it may be a Yihua. I posted a review and tear down of it on my channel. Harbor Freight also sells a Schneider digital soldering station for $120 which is marked ATTEN ST80 on the PCB; I just bought one but haven't had a chance to put it through its paces, but I will review and do a teardown exam of it, and post it on my channel soon.

[@goodun2974]

You didn't mention it here but one thing about these 986-type soldering station "clones" that confuses newbies is that the LED starts out solid red when you turn the station on and then it begins blinking when it reaches the desired set temperature. If you change the temperature while it's turned on, it may go solid red or go out for a few seconds (depending whether you turn the temperature up or down) and then starts blinking again when it reaches the new selected temperature.

[@CB-RADIO-UK]

Thanks for the info.

[@thestonerguy5276]

I bought the base with the arms (already had a soldering station), and even though it only had 4 arms w/clips at the end, I couldn't help but think that it reminded me of one of Spiderman's foes: Doctor Octopus, so even though it only has 4, it's still nicknamed "Doc Oct" on my workbench! VG video BTW. If I didn't have the other parts already, I'd probably buy one. Keep us in the loop on how consistent it is or isn't....😉 PS - If I don't get around to seeing anything else you've recorded before Christmas, may yours be Merry, with a Happy New Year! And now I have to finish mowing the lawn (a downside to living in Texas with the weather we get here near the Gulf).

[@CB-RADIO-UK]

Hi. Yes now you mention it i see the Doc Octopus connection. A Merry Christmas to you.

[@goodun2974]

The gooseneck stand with magnifier reminds me more of the alien ships in The War of the Worlds. As for Spiderman and Doctor Octopus (Doc Oc) I have long hoped that in my next life I will have a retractable third hand tucked away inside my chest that can't be seen until I need for soldering or assembly work in which case it pops out to give me a helping hand!

[@Tobinindustrial]

Wow, I am impressed. That's an incredible price for what you get Fred.

[@CB-RADIO-UK]

Hi Andy. Yes it is very cheap when on offer. I still like my Weller irons but I am finding it hard to get replacement tips for those so this station is a good standby.

[@simonjandrell5897]

i bought a nice variable heat controlled el cheapo soldering iron from Lidl

[@CB-RADIO-UK]

Nice 👍

[@ammocraft]

Tips look the same as a Hakko 888, which is quite likely by design.

[@CB-RADIO-UK]

Thanks. I would have thought they were generic.

[@goodun2974]

The supplied tips *will* be iron or steel and thoroughly magnetic from stem to stern, unlike Hakko tips, which are plated copper and magnetic only at the pointy business end where they are plated with iron (to resist the dissolving effects of molten soldier and flux). Put a magnet to your Kaiweets tips and you'll see what I'm talking about, as a video on my channel shows. Replacing the crappy supplied tips with genuine Hakko or Weller tips made of copper (T900 or 900M; is there any size difference?) will improve performance because copper is a much better heat conductor; genuine copper tips would be safer for delicate circuit board work not only because you'll spend less time making solder connections and therefore there's less change of damage to copper foils and pads, but also because iron or steel tips can radiate a magnetic field and induce electrical current into the circuit board and possibly damage sensitive components. I have a review and teardown on my channel of a very similar (but better built) Schneider branded soldering station sold by Harbor Freight here in the US, minus the helping hands assembly, for $45 (perhaps built by Yihua, not certain). They also sell a digital soldering station for $120, which is a rebranded ATTEN ST80; a review and teardown of that one will be coming soon.....

[@ClickinChicken]

Just keep the braid of the wire cable away from the anode. (sounds like I know what I'm talking about). Or you'll be in a Mexican hell. It's a big deal back to formula.

[@TonyLing]

Looks like a Hako clone

[@Perthshire]

Ahhhhh, another "paid promotion". FrAD in the Shed.

[@CB-RADIO-UK]

Phew. Its not paid. I dont get paid for making the video its just sent in for review.

[@Perthshire]

@@CB-RADIO-UK it says “paid promotion” at the start, though. My bad.

[@CB-RADIO-UK]

Yeah i know :-(. Its more of product placement. Sometimes Iam to honest for my own good.