The tools I use and why I bought them.

[@rossmanngroup]

Want to watch our repairs as livestreams rather than edited down portions? Check out the live channel below for b-takes & repair videos before they are edited, and random livestreams, and as always, I hope you learned something! 👉 kzbin.info/door/6nZlvfz4YWoBWbjiaYJA3g ✓ Cryptocurrency tip links: › Bitcoin: 1EaEv8DBeFfg6fE6BimEmvEFbYLkhpcvhj › Bitcoin Cash: qzwtptwa8h0wjjawr5fsm0ku8kf40amgqgm6lx4jxh › Dash: XwQpZuvMvU44JT7C7Uh6xHvkSadzJw9fMN › Dogecoin: DKetsoCvwa2hF29ssgUA4Wz4hxT4kj3KLU › Ethereum: 0x6f6870feb48f08388ee345cf0261e2f03d2fa310 › Ethereum classic: 0x671bfd61ba87edf6365c97cea33d66ba73645510 › Litecoin: LWnbTTAjojZQt68ihFJFgQq3cYHUsTcyd7 › Verge: DFumZ5sMhi3JktLQpsTVtV9xUt3zKDrcZV › Zcash: t1Ko3FkphQYoQroQc8k2DVk4WKMAbmNR8PH › Zcoin: a8QdvArHmdRYe1MjiqtP6jDNe6Z4JgnRKZ 👉Thank you to everyone who made a purchase on eBay via our affiliate link at rossmanngroup.com/ebay for helping support this type of content. All tools used can be found in the video description as well.

[@daaudiome]

Hi louis I'm having issues making solder flow on first time use tips. I'm using T12 tips which supposedly are Lead-free but over and over I'm having issues trying to tin these tips for the first time. I normally put some colophony flux around the new tip and roll some solder wire around, put the iron at max temp and wait for it to melt then clean and tin. But by some reason I can't see solder wetting and flowing properly on the tip, I'm getting pissed. I have to clean with the brass sponge , put some flux colophony on the tip and then tin again .. over and over.. after this steps the solder wire will flow nicely, but after solder doesn't stick on the tip, by the way the tips are good quality. Also I've used 60/40 soldering wire and I noticed flows better than 63/37 you ask me why I don't f***ing know. I tried some 900M tips which are pure copper and this doesn't happen.

[@justinkashtock333]

Your beloved ancient solder looks pretty easy to identify if my hunch is correct: Kester 44 series Rosin Core Solder with a 63% tin / 37% lead at a diameter of .015" in a 1 Lb. Spool, with a melt temp of 183C or 361F. You can see the 6337 in the longer number chain of 24-6337-0727 and it has a measurement of .015 to the right of that. They don't appear to make the 0727 anymore as far as I can tell after looking at their website, but the 24-6337-0007 looks pretty darn close, assuming what you have is rosin core and not solid core.

[@woswasdenni1914]

just fyi, soder fumes arent as bad as you might think. it all depends which chemical compounds are in the fumes. led for example is not absorbed by your body. it simply cannot make any chemical connection so yes you ll take it in but youll pass it out. more or less youll piss it out. otherwise anyone not using a fume extractor would have led poisining within a week. but ofc it also depends which led exactly, but usually not that big of a deal as many people think same goes for a shooting range with y lot of led fumes hovering around steeltargets, yet not a problem. however, led is not the only thing and there a ton of other chemicals within those fumes that could harm you pretty badly. so yes using a fume extractor is adviseable, and it is a health hazzard, even tough the image of a filter isnt even close to what youre really exposed to or an indicator how bad it really is. its actually the things you dont see within that filter that arent that nice to you

[@daaudiome]

@@justinkashtock333 Justin I tried to find some solder which is equivalent to the kester louis used in my country. By Rosin core, it means it's got colophony rosin in the middle right?

[@davidguillory4311]

Thanks Louis 👍 good products to do a lot of repair. And you right about the soldering tip.

[@th0m]

1:12 Soldering Iron 5:49 Micro Soldering Pencil 6:14 Hot Air Station 13:24 Tweezers 15:09 Multimeter 18:46 Oscilloscope 25:08 Multimeter Probes & Extenders 26:59 Fume Extractor 30:38 Microscope 35:25 Solder 37:01 Bench Power Supply 41:29 Big Ass PDF Reader 45:46 Rework Station 47:10 Air Conditioner 48:47 Air Purifier 49:22 Toaster Oven 49:58 Ultrasonic Cleaner 52:13 Air Filter 55:30 Speakers 56:00 Amp 57:21 Chair 58:44 Abridged recap on everything Really appreciate your videos, and out of the ones I've watched so far I can say I strongly agree with every point you've made. It's really refreshing to see someone who both knows what the hell they're talking about ( /admits when they don't) and isn't a douche about it. Feel free to take some or all of the above times and put them in the description if you see fit. I would have included model numbers, but I feel it's important to see them in the context you provide and making informed decisions rather than blindly copying someone else's setup Written while sitting in a herman miller celle chair (because someone managed to convince my school to outfit this lab with a few.. love it), on my pos 11" Air 6,1 (because my mid2010 15" blew up)

[@tonytran7999]

Tom D'Auria jj

[@EscapeMCP]

1:09:55 - Contemplation time.

[@mrrein9550]

NOT ALL HEROS WEAR CAPES

[@ThomasAndersonbsf]

EscapeMCP LOL.

[@-delilahlin-1598]

Thank you!

[@ShawneeUnion]

Shopping list... 1:20 Soldering Station: Hakko FX951 5:50 Micro Soldering Pencil: Weller WMP 65 6:15 Hot Air Rework Station: Hakko FR-801 13:15 Tweezers: Hakko CHP 3-SA 15:10 Multimeter: Fluke 15B 18:50 Oscilloscope: Rigol DS1102E 25:25 Multimeter Fine Probe Tips: Fluke TP88 27:08 Fume Extractor: Hakko FA-430 31:00 Microscope with Stand/Paper Towel Holder: Omana OM10-30-JW11 35:40 Solder: Kester SN63PB37 model#2463378801 38:00 Bench Power Suppy: HP/Agilent 6542A 41:45 Monitor/PDF reader: Seki 4k 30hz TV 45:45 BGA Rework Station: Zalmal? 47:20 AC Unit: 3,500 BTUs 49:25 Drying Station: Kmart Hamilton Beach Toaster Oven 49:50 Ultrasonic Cleaner: Branson CPX2800 52:13 Air Purifier/Board Drying: Honeywell 50250-S 52:34 Post-Ultrasonic Alcohol Dip: Tupperware w/ 99% IPA 55:31 Speakers: Thiel CS 3.6 Loudspeakers 56:04 Amplifier: Parasound HCA-100A 57:00 Chair: Herman Miller Aeron

[@Random_Blip]

45:45 ZhuoMao ZM-R6200C (BGA Rework Station)

[@sethreign8103]

Thank you so much! 🥰

[@jlucasound]

You are absolutely correct (~1:01:00) the human body cannot eject certain elements or combinations thereof, that enter the lungs. The atoms do not separate, so the lungs cannot absorb them. Also many of the "elements" are "barbed". Cement dust is one example I can think of. I just stays there in your lungs. Even a strong sneeze will not dislodge them. "They" just stay with you for life. Ventilation is key. Thank you Louis for stressing the importance of this issue.

[@flyguille]

the resistor mode is not that it takes time calculating it, it is because it has a capacitor charging on the circuit that you are measuring (like a +v filter cap), you are charging with the low voltage of the resistor mode that capacitor and by that changing the resistence lecture, in diode mode, it uses a higher voltage to measure, and higher than the threshold of the diodes barriers, so you are measuring the diode barriers, and any other collateral contamination like a capacitor charging won't affect the meassure because in comparison a capacitor charging is a higher resistence path for the current than a direct path through a diode or transistor in direct polarity.

[@rossmanngroup]

+flyguille Good information, I +1'd it

[@focusmicro]

Would love it you could do a 2020 version of this! :) pleeeeeease!! :D

[@HBees79]

it's real estate now 🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@RealSeductions]

Is there an updated video?

[@G91YS]

2023..

[@Shad0wD3v]

I’m gonna get ahead of this and just say 2030…

[@joshuaspencer6246]

Probably hasn't changed, bet he still has that micro soldering spool too.

[@johncollado1151]

Thanks Louis, my son's birthday is around the corner..... He really enjoyed your microscope recommendation for Christmas. Best to you.

[@JamesSteininger]

I still don't know why I keep watching your videos. I'm not a hardware guy-I'm a software guy, and I still am pretty clueless about lots of the repair and hardware jargon. I think I keep coming back to your videos because it is so special and rare to find folks of a certain character on KZbin, and in life. Louis-thanks for being an inspiring and role model human being. I have been planning a KZbin channel of my own for about a year now-but I'm having a lot of trouble finding the courage to finally shoot that first episode. I keep procrastinating or doing more pre-production, like animating an opening animation, buying a 'decent' lighting setup, writing multiple scripts, planning different web and game development tutorials but..never filming! I love that you seem to jump into making your videos with, seemingly, not a lot of pre-production. They seem like videos made of whatever is on your mind at the moment-they follow the tapestry of your life. I want my video blog/tutorial channel to also have that in the moment feel, but I'm doing all this pre-production work and writing scripts. I just need to start. Anyways-thanks again Louis!

[@gordthor5351]

I agree completely and for the reasons you illustrated I don't know why anyone would want a much less efficient digital soldering station. Like you mentioned different situations need different temperature and what is easier,a quick turn of a knob,or pressing and holding(also remembering) a button and then beep,beep,beep.... until you get to the 1st number and then remembering which button moves to the second digit,beep,beep beep... and so on till you finished the 3rd digit. Digital settings are a backwards step if knobs are all that is needed. I have a digital Hakko and I hate it for this very reason. You are obviously highly intuitive and intuitive people care about what works,not what the status quo says is the "right" way. You have a "best" way to do things because you realize that everything is relative and there is no "right" way to fit all situations. Thanks for the great channel.

[@kstinson]

A clean desk is a sign of a empty mind. Keep working. You are fixing what others discard. Keep it up.

[@rossmanngroup]

+Keith Stinson Thanks for watching!

[@sinephase]

14:29 - I actually really love the enthusiasm you have for a pair of tweezers :P

[@lPlanetarizado]

it looks like a ad, specially around 14:50

[@strangersound]

Buy six or ten of them! ;)

[@mrjohhhnnnyyy5797]

I completely agree about the music. It keeps me in a good mood, even when I work hard for a long time. It is crucial to have a job that you like, which gives you a pretty penny and having to do it in an environment, that doesn't bust you after few hours of work. Nice shop you have there :)

[@rossmanngroup]

+MrJohhhnnnyyy Thank you!

[@chunyperez5025]

wow! Very good and honest advice! I'm in Uruguay (located between Brazil and Argentina), I started recently in repairs cell, and slowly I'm buying my tools, and although here in my country the tools are very expensive, it is true what you say in the video, "they pay for themselves"; I think the tools are not an expense but an investment, helping to generate more profits. Now just I need a microscope, and I'm delighted with the Amscope SE400-z I saw in one of your videos, but here they do not sell, I think buying on eBay or Amazon (although Amazon does not send to my country), there are companies here they bring packages from there, although the final price almost doubled. I like your videos my friend (although I speak Spanish), I subscribed to your channel! A hug from Uruguay!

[@MasterBasser]

i absolutely love your professionalism and common sense and just how real you are with people. Thank you.

[@djcode4714]

I have been in Electronics for 35 years.... and not once have i see n a guy as honest as you Louis... It is very refreshing to see someone who cares what they do is as important as how they feel about doing it. ^5 to you Sir... :)... Thanks for being you!.

[@RoadRunnerMeep]

Louis you are by far my favourite technician now. I pick up everything so fast when you explain it and you a very concise with your information. Everything you provide is useful

[@arameh]

oh Louis. Thank God for this video for reference. I had bought the hakko fr-810 1.9mm tip and was using this thing for hours and kept blowing all my resistors of my board at air setting of 3 out of 9. Frustrated I went to the gym to change my mood and started watching this video again on my cellphone. As soon as you mentioned the 4.4mm, that AHA moment popped in my head and I felt so stupid, as always. As it happened when i called my supply rep. which took them over 4 weeks to get the hot air, they just happened to have that tip stocked. $30 later, i went home all grumpy thinking "pff what a joke, this tip isn't some magic device that will get ant leg sized resistors onto a board..." I just put in a 9.3k resistor and a 0.01uf capacitor in a few minutes. Happy am I that a person like you exists to help out the world, for even one person helped, the world can benefit in ways we don't know. Now I can back to troubleshooting a board that has been driving me nuts.

[@rossmanngroup]

1.9mm tip is useless for any real work, just for blowing things off the board.

[@arameh]

Found out the hard way... Not sure why I wasted my money. What is it actually used for?

[@rossmanngroup]

Arameh Margosian No clue

[@tadwilliamson912]

the 1.9 works great for heat shrink on back up battery terminals!

[@methujeraya]

As per Louis, it's for blowing things off the board. ROFL

[@JessaJones]

So glad you finally did this one. I have already made a permanent cut and paste link to it for the thousands of questions on what to buy :) Do you happen to know if certain suppliers are better than others when it comes to sourcing actual parts for the devices you repair?

[@gassanali8667]

Louis forgot to answer this one

[@YT-hu1bq]

I'm glad I found a good mentor. Straight to the point and you really give off an honest vibe. Thanks for the video.

[@pedro1066]

Thanks for the video. I am a professional model maker and use many of those exact same tools but for an entirely different purpose!The one thing I want to add is the niceness factor of the 951! it just feels nice when you hold it in your hand. I love the flex that doesn't drag at all. BUT to anyone thinking of buying one, be wary of the fakes that are floating around. they look the same but that's all. they don't have the sleep function and the nice flex and the nice tips etc...

[@geovani60624]

i love the smell of fluxe, i probably have cancer already

[@askeen8796]

same lmao

[@RachedNoureddine]

same

[@lewis7607]

It's not a carcinogen, it's just not good for you

[@liamcreed9553]

@@lewis7607halogens are carcinogenic

[@asrarhassan]

boy you got 'Da Balls' to give out this information for free :D you're awesome. I'm a hobbyist who dreamed of repairing boards at component level, your channel is the ONLY resource on the subject I found useful. This is great, keep em coming. dude from Pakistan.

[@richiedeadsix]

"Repairing boards" .... right, sure.

[@BeHappyTo]

@@ODB_ its a joke about IEDs

[@JamesLewis]

I have to say, Louis... thanks for producing these videos it's inspiring to see how this work is done... I know a lot about electronics, but working at this scale has never been something I even considered.... what you do is amazing. BTW... Looking at your old solder roll, I can tell you that it's 63/37, (63% tin, 37% lead) as compared to cheaper 60/40 solder... 63/37 goes directly from solid to liquid and back again, while the 60/40 goes through a phase where it is a "paste" before actually becoming liquid which can cause issues.

[@oddione]

This is the video that made me follow you religiously 8 years ago when I had a shop just like yours that I opened at the same time as you (we're the exact same age.)

[@Novous]

18:00 IIRC, the core use of analog multimeters probably wouldn't help in your line of work. Analog gauges can help show "trends" of voltage swings because you can watch the velocity (and change of velocity) of the needle. The way you can tell an (analog) speedometer is changing, the faster your car is accelerating, but if you had a digital "clock readout" of your car's speed, it's actually pretty hard to quickly, accurately read the measurement--and much harder to notice how quickly that measurement is changing. Compare an needle moving at X degrees per second, verses 24.6 to 37.2 (or is that 2 and 8? or a 6? or a 3?). You can also read a dial out of the peripheral of your eyes, but reading symbols (numbers) is comparatively a much more "Hands on", focused task. It's much faster to read a position in your peripheral, than to decode numbers.

[@Sammus7t]

I was gonna post something like that, but you did a better job of it than I would have done.

[@madmontyUK]

Cut my teeth on analogue radio repair as an apprenticeship. Tuning voltages for a peak, a lot easier to watch a needle get to max, fall off then undo your action to return to max. Doing this with a digital scope , numbers or pseudo meter sucked!

[@ycmdill]

For the fine solder: Kester - SN63PB37 #66/44 .031 ("44" Rosin Core) 24-6337-0027 J-STD-006-A I believe it to be 31 thousands of an inch in diameter with 7 cores but have had it for 13 years.

[@daaudiome]

What's the difference between using Rosin core or RMA where I live I can only get Alphametals MSX-183 which on the roll says No clean but it's based on RMA is it worth buying ?

[@cragv]

A spectacular resource for new starters, thank you for making and sharing this stuff! Went through it all myself the hard way over the last decade - if I'd had something like this back then, wow. Love your work.

[@JamesHastings2008]

Dude. I just found your channel and I am stoked! I love your style and can't wait to watch every video you've ever made.

[@rossmanngroup]

there's a lot so that is going to take a while. :-) thank you!

[@mellowcream69]

I have a Fluke 73 series II multimeter that my dad gave to me several years ago. I will never use anything else but a fluke! I dropped it riding my bike to a friends house, left it in the rain, realized a dropped it, found it, and it still worked! Bloody amazing machines.

[@brucekempf4648]

Hi Lewis- I just wanted to thank you for all the great videos you have produced at no charge to us. You deserve a great big thank you. I'm a ham radio operator and electronics hobbies and I hope to some day retire from my job and get into board level repair as a small business. You really do a great job and I can't thank you enough for all you have taught me.....Bruce

[@rossmanngroup]

+Bruce Kempf Thanks for watching! One of these days I have to learn ham radio.

[@jlucasound]

Sorry about my rhetorical question on your other video about your soldering equipment. That was the first video of yours I watched, and I didn't think to check other titles. DUUH! Great delivery.

[@philjackson4365]

I 😲 at your 740 degree soldering iron until I realised you must be working in Farenheit. I thought - this guy's such a pro that he brazes Iphones together.

[@DawnBriarDev]

I own roughly $4,000 in tools total, spanning across a few specialties: More than some, but less than many professionals. Yet I've performed over $100,000 worth of work with these tools in 3-1/2 years. I don't run a business, but I completely agree with "tools paying for themselves." Because that wasn't $100k+ I earned, it was $96k+ I SAVED. The most direct anecdotal example I have is my sewer jetter: It cost me $800, and I was very hesitant to buy everything. But then I went and got a quote from a plumber for the concrete in the building drain: $12,000... So I bought the jetter (really multiple things I strung together), bought some chemicals for it for another $20, and jetted the pipe for about 10 hours of work. Every clog since has been: Remove pipe, stick hose inside, turn on generator, pull trigger, wait 15 seconds, put tools away because any "normal" clog is practically vaporized. Some tools I cheap out on, some I regret doing so, others I don't. I just shop for what my needs are. 10 hours to clear a concrete plug seems like a lot, but I'd hope I don't have to do that many times in my life. So I bought what I believed could just barely perform the most laborious task I'd ever ask of it, that would cut through more common tasks like butter. And I saved an absolute ton of money on those $800 I spent. And don't even get me started on cars.. I'd have had to buy 5 cars by now, but I'm still rebuilding an old rust bucket that's only 10 years younger than myself that was headed to salvage when I bought it for $200. I've probably saved more money on cars than anything, and houses second.

[@hehe42069-k]

what do you use for air purification/filtering? i need to replace my stupid chinese one i bought off amazon because they dont even sell the filters anymore, i can't find the one louis mentioned under "live air purifier".

[@DawnBriarDev]

@DarkLigma I'm sorry to report I'm too poor for air filtration. I have a respirator for the jobs that are really dangerous. For lesser things like soldering, I just turn on the window unit. My restrictive budget is why I spend so much on tools. I couldn't own hardly anything if I couldn't repair it all myself. So that's where 99% of my fluid spending goes: Tools.

[@RickSaffery]

Your no nonsense, straight to the point, videos are terrific.

[@outfield1988]

Thank you for all your help and sharing your passion

[@eprofengr6670]

This is one of your best videos with good points made in the first couple of minutes.

[@Sqeezerful]

The Fluke is a nice meter and I own a couple of handheld ones. They are handy e.g. when working on cars or household wiring. I think in your tool chain it is a weak link. A proper benchtop multimeter is something you might consider to invest in. E.g. I love my used Keithley 2000 (Ebay around 350$). It measures much faster than I can actually read. It is significantly faster than I can move my eyes from the tips to the display. Speed isn’t everything. It also provides 6 ½ digits. You are describing the process of inserting voltage into a board with your HP power supply. Assuming you do so you want to measure where the voltage drops. So you measure along the line where until the voltage doesn’t drop anymore. With 6 ½ digits you can use lower amperage as you can measure minuscule nuances of voltage drops and hence avoid further damages to the board.

[@Sqeezerful]

I don’t want to make this a multimeter discussion, but I have to disagree a bit: Yes there are some desktop mustimeters that are just handhelds in disguise. I wasn’t referring to the group of Voltcrafts and UNI-Ts. Desktop MM have a different purposes than handhelds, e.g. apart from the obvious ad-hoc measurements - integration in a larger test setup/production setup (GPIB) is a common use case and you can get more precision. See Keithley 2001, 2002. When measuring a short in a voltage rail you are looking at something that looks like a ladder in which one of the rungs has a very low resistance. By measuring the voltage drop from the source or power supply towards the short usually results in minor voltage drops in 10^-4..10^-5V range. To asses that with some confidence you need some digits in your MM and accurate precision. My beloved handheld Fluke 87 just isn’t up to the task. My Fluke 8840a is a good indicator and I take the Keighley to confirm the findings. I used some old Schlumberger 7150 Plus for that job years ago, apart from the 50$ price tag, they are sluggish and feel outdated nowadays so I didn’t suggest them. Yes there are other ways to trace a short - you can use a milliohm meter or even an LCR narrow down the search. But e.g. a milliohm meter with a low test voltage, and low currents is again a more expensive piece of test gear.

[@eli72481]

+digitalradiohacker honeydew?

[@Breadbored.]

Your model scope might not have this feature, but the one I use (Rigol 1054Z) has a "trigger" option that lets you take a snapshot of the desired waveform when the voltage hits the selected level. If you're ever thinking of upgrading, that model is fairly cheap (approx $300 USD).I'm sure you know your stuff better than I do, but hopefully that helps considering how much knowledge I've gotten from your videos in the short while I've been watching them.

[@PowerUpGamingCanada]

Thanks for your video my friend! We are just upgrading a lot of our equipment and I have just ordered myself a few items from your video. I have ALWAYS been a fan of Hakko equipment and it is nice to see a fellow electronics guy that also appreciates quality. Love the no bullshit attitude too. Looking forward to watching a lot of your other videos.

[@roberzie]

Thank You for sharing what is proprietary. Im fortunate to have learn from your shared expertise. Your brilliant!

[@pr0xZen]

What really, really made a huge difference for me - was going from nothing to getting contact lenses. Not just soldering, but everything changed. And an electric adjustable height work table, because I crushed my neck and shoulder 5 years back.

[@M1America]

I have the hakko Fx888 (non digital version) and I agree with you about the temperature thing. You get a feel for your iron and having a knob that you can twist quickly as you work is way better than dealing with a stupid digital readout. Honestly I wish ovens still worked the same way.

[@TheMikeLott]

Thanks for taking the time to do this. I really appreciate it.

[@jasonwood7340]

I don't like sponges either, for the reason you mentioned. The mesh thing is great. Lasts longer too, if it gets full of solder you can pull it out and knock off the solder.

[@camtheham13]

About jury rigging multi meter probes, I agree if you need them often, get the real solution, but when you need them once at 3 am and cannot wait for them, you do what you need to do

[@AddlerMartin]

Here I am watching this... I do not have a repair shop nor I am an employee at a repair shop. In fact, I know nothing about repairs, but here I am. I've subscribed to Louis's channel 2 months ago. I watch his videos and other tech videos that are 30mins + long. I ask myself "why?" - I still don't know why. Greetings from Brazil.

[@fgregerfeaxcwfeffece]

As i understand it, the purpose of the sponge isn't removing solder but other garbage. To remove solder you need something that actually picks it up. The sponge is actually contra productive for the reason you mentioned, it cools the tip.

[@MikkoRantalainen]

My work monitor is 60 Hz LG 43" 4K. The only bad thing about it is BGR panel. Unfortunately, nobody seems to sell big 4K monitors with IPS RGB panels. I definitely recommend getting something like this. I'd take ~100 dpi 4K display over small HDPI display every time. Definitely do not get a TV with high latency and/or VA panel because lack of 4:4:4 signal support or gamma ramp going all over the place will drive you crazy.

[@pnachtwey]

We have many of the same tools if not all. I think Louis did OK. Techtronix, Hako, and Fluke are standard items. However, the real trick is being able to remove or place a cpu or ball grid array. I send my tech/repair people to a class where they learn to remove or place chips without lifting the pads. The only difference I have noticed is that Louis uses much more flux that our techs.

[@fjonesjones2]

Very good point about feel of soldering rather than 'what temperature' after 50 years of electronic servicing and soldering, I know what you mean Louis. Every thing you mention and say shows you have the past experiences and knowledge gained from hard work at the service bench mate. Great videos, say it as it is, honesty always wins out in the end. Have a Happy New Year for 2017.

[@brandonscottdurocher8523]

I love your common sense style of working . People like this succeed at whatever they do. “ This isn’t a luxury , This is a tool “ We would get along very well . I can totally relate to the air conditioning lmao. Great job , great video. Definitely a subscriber after watching this video . I don’t even know how the fuck I got here but I learned something so it was worth it.

[@chrisj8345]

The sponge quenches and work hardens the metal to a degree. or at the very least causes contraction and extra unneeded heat cycles that metal sponges do not.

[@matthewrichardson828]

I just bought a Fluke 87-V. I've wanted that meter for a long time. I had some precision stuff to do and was amazed at how far off my other cheaper fluke was. That said, I agree that $500 meters are out of hand for most applications. I just ordered your hot air station DISCONTINUED! Got one for $167.

[@tanasovtim]

In case someone is still looking for the solder: Regular: Kester 24-6337-0027 (just google, ebay, or amazon it) and the fine solder is Kester 24-6337-9727 (www.all-spec.com/products/kw28525.html) hope this helps, and of course... many thanks Louis!

[@SevenDeMagnus]

Hi. I recommend after the alcohol to be safer (than heat or baking, coz' like food, it might not be evenly "baked" and reheating things like food, destroys things molecularly) to put the board in a static bag filled with good silica gels (which you can rejuvenate by heating and evaporating every 6 months they say) to get rid of moisture further.

[@andypalm7061]

Very helpful.I'm I'm starting to get back into (old) audio gear repair,and need to upgrade.....everything. Thanks so much for getting us up to practical speed!

[@rossmanngroup]

good luck!

[@38911bytefree]

Some cheapo dmm has diode test in the 200ohm scale (no autoranging). This cheap one are fast when measuring resistance, because no autoranging. also, 200 ohm is the lowest range and where the current used for testing is bigger, so anything that needs to charge (capacitors etc) will charge "fast" and give a faster final value. Perhaps that is way diode mode is faster for you. I got a cheap auto range meter and it is insane slow, since takes it seconds to guess the range and then do the actual measurement, but we have a good HP dmm at work, and is almost that slow in autoranging. is faster to put it in manual and select. 200 ohms is enough to tell if there is a short, I mean, you are not changing the range too often. In the fluke you can put in manual and select range and fix the dmm to this range. Not sure in the 15. We have a 75b at work and this control is placed on the center of the selector. The 75b, is WAY faster even in autorange. Really is kickass. I regret on buying a cheap dmm for me, and not investing a bit more on a Fluke. I dont use that often, so I cant afford them easily. I bought it because it is true rms. That is very important (to me). In that sense, it performs really fine, even better than 75b which is not true rms. True rms is nice since can measure almost everything that is not pure sine, you will still get a reading even with is a pwm signal at 10Khz where AC mode (pure sine) meters wont give oyu any readout, since they cut on 500hz or so.

[@jorggamingcr409]

Coment for the future: "Damn that soldering station warms almost as fast as the the mackbook pro with i9"

[@brettsplace4568]

Apple has you by the ARM here

[@linushyper300]

I wish Louis was my high school teacher in electronics. That way I wouldn't have skipped every class.

[@petersuozzo1227]

Louis, I’m in a completely different industry and I tell people to get what they’re comfortable with and does the job also. Listening to you speak about the soldering iron and sponge makes me laugh because I can hear me describing my industry tools too.

[@turboslag]

Funny thing, I'm looking at buying a quality soldering station, (you Americans pronounce soldering in a strange way, it's sold ering, not sodering!) and always thought that Hakko was a naff brand due to the colour scheme for children!! So I was going Ersa but will now seriously consider Hakko. On analogue, ie, needle meter, multimeters. If you are an 'older' tech like me, analogue meters were as much a part of your life as a soldering iron! In my case they still are as I work on vintage stuff alot. They do have one advantage, to geezers like me. You get familiar with where the meter needle should be on the scale for certain measurements on certain equipment, so you don't actually need to read the value. Similarly, if you're dab testing for continuity etc, you just need to see the needle move to know it's ok. If you're not of that generation though I can see that an analogue meter would be seen as crap! I will always love my Avo 8 though!

[@MKROSKIN]

I have NET 803A for 200 bucks, bought it 12 years ago, and it works perfectly for my needs so its nice. And it works!!! Its all about feel.

[@foxyrollouts]

I bet that shelving behind you has paid for itself

[@okabc]

i have no idea how i got here, but since I was working with a university to develop a medical device and I am a mechanical not an electronic engineer, this is actually pretty good advice for future projects. Thanks. I am still trying to figure our who you remind me of tho.

[@bartinthetrulyepic6709]

Seinfeld probably -_-

[@Agent001]

so much enthusiasm for Hakko, "These Tweezers Will Change Your Life" you should become there spokesperson

[@rossmanngroup]

+All About That TEC! They wouldn't have it! Although I will say I think I have been the most fervent driver of sales over any other advertising campaign they have, and I'm free

[@Agent001]

I will definitely need to buy som equipment from them, you responded before I was done watching the video also that sound system is DOPE!

[@brandondaniels9471]

Yea, I'm going to buy their FX-888 soldering station and their cheap fume extractor thanks to Louis.

[@vespadano1979]

My understanding is that purpose of the sponge is to shock the tip of the iron in order to knock off the layer of oxide, not necessarily for cleaning off the solder.

[@camtheham13]

The connection between hp and Agilent is that when hp sold their instrument division it was Renamed to Agilent and it has since been renamed keysight

[@soptea]

You forget to mention the most important,your brain :)

[@rossmanngroup]

radu soptea Good to know SOMEONE Is listening! ;)

[@orlandotech]

Louis Rossmann It would be nice to know if there is any specific software you use during the repairs or where you get your schematics/ tech documents from. You channel is awesome and I have only viewed a handful of videos so far. A guy on Reddit sent me here BTW. :)

[@orlandotech]

Ryan Burke Thanks. After watching more vid I see this but I don't think the site has schematics for iPod touch models. That would be great to have.

[@steve24822]

+radu soptea Where do you buy those?

[@robertwadsworth5226]

Hey Lou; one piece is missing. You need a ESD mat. Dunno if you've ever wasted parts because of static (probably), but they are relatively cheap and eliminate another point of possible grief. Just sayin . . .

[@robthesamplist]

solder wick, flux, your preferred screwdrivers. thx for your awesomeness.

[@pr0xZen]

I think this is why people are asking all the time instead of just clicking buy-links. They wanna know _why_ you chose them, too, to understand the pro's and cons, and hopefully thus whether or not they're suitable for them. The days of just blindly clicking and buying as instructed are gone, at least for this kind of crowd. We're talking tools and consumables, not ornamental stuff. And these ones are relatively, pretty expensive, at least for those who do not already know enough to make these decisions on their own. That kinda suggests they don't really have a revenue stream from that kind of work yet.

[@ZOrdZ]

Every master tech should share their knowledge. Thanks...

[@phormynx]

I love the smell of burning rosin!

[@lancewalker2595]

same, so fucking good.

[@dani777dani]

cancer :))))

[@andrewspar436]

Regarding Acrobat: You might want to try SumatraPDF some time: _Much_ less bloated, much faster and better rendering quality. This might help you reading circuit diagrams even clearer.

[@guzmaekstroem]

It is an old video, but still.. if you have not done this before, check the position of filter on your Fume Extractor. It seems on the video, that the filter letssome air pass around it in the back. (no clean frame on it in the back) Great vid. BTW Thanks

[@puddingpimp]

Agilent (now Keysight) is HP instruments. HP divested their instrument division and it became Agilent, then Agilent got into healthcare products, and divested their non-medical instrument division as Keysight.

[@jeanious2009]

I've been repairing electronics for over 50 years and I've never had to use a rework station nor an extractor. Am 71 years old and healthy as a 30 year old, no cancer from the lead flux cored solder either and I would inhale that on purpose because of the sweet sugary smell it is very unique. Now it's lead free so now I don't have to even have to wash my hands any more or worry about lead. You kids have to easy now a days.

[@hikerJohn]

+jeanious2009 Have to admit, that's funny, LOL BUT . . . some people smoke and live for ever and you can even spray insecticide all over your yard and some insects will be immune to it. I live healthy, work outside and exercise and I still got kidney cancer and almost died but maybe my good living helped me survive it because it was close. It's actually quite refreshing (inspiring even) to see someone like +Louis Rossmann think enough about this to spend the money to take care of their health without being obsessive about it. Just living in big cities is dangerous breathing the air. Why tempt fate? I'm just a kid at 62 :) Now if Louis would just clean up what comes OUT of his mouth LOL I could recommend these videos to my friends.

[@pr0xZen]

That "key" for the Hakko stations. There's just an LED and an optical sensor in there, and the "key" slides in between them. Big throughole stuff. If you want to never have to f*ck around with the key again, open it up and put a piece of heatshrink over either the sensor or the LED. To get it into "change temp" mode without entering the key, just press and hold the star button.

[@juansolo1617]

That oscilloscope is a great price and seems better than my more-expensive handhelds for automotive diagnostics. Thanks :) I'm gonna buy one next week.

[@DeeleLV]

What about flux, wick, screwdrivers, lighting, 3rd-hand/holders or clamps?

[@deedubbs4412]

I'm the same way with temperature control, the specific heat of the chip, the distance of the emitter from the chip, the specific heat of the chip, ambient temperature, there are too many variables to create repeatability. There are far too many variables to quantify without introducing an uncertainty, and tasks this complex are best achieved with judgement and experience, not integrated controls. This is why we will not see autonomous passenger jet airliners, the system is too complex to reduce to a set of known variables. I run through hole, because I am old school. If an SMC breaks I throw it away and buy a new board. But for that through hole work, I run a butane soldering iron that gets hot enough to glow full red at full blast. Dial it back 50%, change your tip size, and your contact time, and she gets it done. Wasting those $15 tips on that lead free solder is getting old though. Once, one corroded out and I kept using it after the plating was gone, and that thing snapped off of there soldering 1/4 inch cable, and when it broke it landed on my right forearm and instantly melted and stuck in my flesh. I had to grab it bare fingered and pull it out of my arm. Damn you lead free solder. My scars bear testament to my story.

[@joekahno]

If you're doing this commercially, don't screw around, get a good filter. Until then, being broke is no excuse for wrecking your health. For low rent clean air, shop for the best value (size/cost) on a true HEPA replacement filter. Buy the unit it fits. Run a cheap flex hose, (dryer outlet?) from the filter air intake to your work. Cost of the filters is more important than cost of the unit. If they aren't cheap enough you won't replace them when you should.

[@strangersound]

Nothing beats a good amp and a couple of good speakers pushing some air. :)

[@pjtruslow]

I'm with you on how temperature doesn't matter much. I solder at 650 or 700 degrees on my weller station so i don't burn anything up or corrode the tips too fast, but on hot air I'm anywhere from 700 for 0402 passives to 900 for tiny MLF 3x3 with thermal pads and vias because with hot air, it's not about the temperature of the air, but the temperature of the part, and the part will tell you when it's hot enough.

[@daaudiome]

I'm having issues making solder flow on first time use tips. I'm using T12 tips which supposedly are Lead-free but over and over I'm having issues trying to tin these tips for the first time. I normally put some colophony flux around the new tip and roll some tin put the iron at max temp and wait for it to melt. But by some reason I can't see solder wetting and flowing properly on the tip, I'm getting pissed. I have to clean with the brass sponge , put some flux on the tip and then tin again .. over and over.. solder doesn't stick on the tip, by the way the tips are good quality. I tried some 900M tips which are pure copper and this doesn't happen.

[@pjtruslow]

daaudiome weird. If the tips say lead free, that does not mean you can't use leaded solder. I've never had new tips fail to tin if they were new, but if they were corroded, I had to use this special tip tinner, which I think we got from MG chemicals.

[@pjtruslow]

daaudiome are your T12 tips genuine hakko from a trusted source?

[@QLTEQ]

what shirt did you wear in this video?

[@gregandark8571]

polo

[@user-rd5nc1nb9f]

A ralph lauren

[@gregandark8571]

Badr Haddy are you sure ???

[@user-rd5nc1nb9f]

Gregan Dark yep

[@gregandark8571]

Badr Haddy :D

[@LessTalkMoreDelicious]

I see you recommend the Extech EX330. But, I noticed the entry-level Fluke 101 is the same price. Do you recommend the Fluke 101? ...I'm a beginner. But, I also want to use it for any repair/diagnosing of old, vintage music instruments, synths, samplers and drum machines (not interested in computer, laptop, iphone, etc. repairs). Should I get the EX330 or the Fluke 101?

[@hikerJohn]

Your microscope link goes to an AmScope SM-4TP wich seems like a better scope than the Omano because it fits your discription of what a better scope would be with the zoom from 7 to 45. Also, Amscope sells the WF5X eyepieces that will cut that in half to 3.5 to 22.5 and some cheep (or expensive) 15X for magnification from 10.5 to 67.5. They will probably fit the Omano as well.

[@rossmanngroup]

You get better support from Amscope as well.

[@hikerJohn]

True. Microscopes(dot)com had adapters for my HD Camcorder to work with my compound microscope but they did not even know they had the parts o they told me they did not have anything that worked. A friend had to tell me what part numbers to order from their web page. And they have the slowest shipping around.

[@dieselphiend]

Temperature isn't all it's cracked up to be. With low temps you heat up a larger portion of the board/components before you've reach flow. Where as with higher temperature the component you're working on heats up faster than the rest of the board= less heat transferred into the surrounding area.

[@Satchmoeddie]

My Weller was $1400. Hako has a lot of value for the price. I really like Hako! The desoldering thru hole I have is a Hako. My hot airs are Hako and a $30 no name backup one that works fantastically well. The small tube tip works great. Everything I own that I "NEED" to do my job, has a cheap Chinese made backup unit. Some of the cheap stuff works amazingly well, but, for how long? As for solder temp, fuck it! How long will I expose the part to the heat? Do I get a good fast solder joint & not cook the part or the board? Am I cleaning up flux & solder blobs, without damaging anything? YES GREAT WHO CARES WHAT TEMP!

[@JoshPunkRock]

Thanks again Louis! Glad I've found your channel!

[@SweMisterB]

I couldn't find it in the comments, but the bench powersupply is also known as Keysight, or Agilent, 6542A. I came across this one when i was looking for a bench powersupply, but for what ever weird reason, it's harder to find a good model for 230v 50Hz, for us having that sort of wall power. The 6632A seams similar enough, for this sort of use, someone might want to look at that. If it helps someone, great, if not... Oh well. Hey, Louis. Put the names in the time-line descriptions. Thank you for sharing.

[@jaimealoro]

I use a $75 Best Buy 19-in 768p TV as a monitor right now... can't complain, it's better than nothing.

[@JihadPowell]

Very Very Informative , Thanks for giving back

[@rossmanngroup]

Jihad Powell Thank you for viewing!

[@KyleGP]

Jihad Powell Agreed here again, thank you!

[@georgiosmastoras9069]

Louis Rossmann Learning so fucking much from you here in germany! Like all others! Thanks for sharing your experiences! I startet my Business 2 Months ago, now I think i buy the right devices! Thank you! I already sent someone to you because I couldn't repair the Logic-Board of a Macbook Air 11". Hope this customer comes over in 3 Months ; ) Reparatur.Land

[@MikeAustin2012]

I thought the "Hot air gun" was for shrink tubes, NO? ;- ) I agree with soldier temp I have used plain old 25w pencils for years but, that was before ic"s and microcircuits. I use a station like that and it works great until I come to a shield or something that pulls heat away. Then i dial it up you can tell right away once you get used to it. THANKS for a good video!

[@AustinsMind]

Hey Louis! Just an update for the Hot air rework station, the FR-801 is discontinued sadly and has been replaced by the FR-810, would love to see a review on it!

[@Soundman73_Electronics]

He recommends the Quick 861DW in a more recent video.

[@life8255]

You didn't mention anything about the software you use for schematics. One question, how do you proceed when you have a complicated circuit and you don't find a schematic? Do you reverse-engineer that thing or just move-on?

[@joneseyce]

the schematics can be found online, I think they're just PDFs, the source for most is clearly the watermark in the background. I believe he uses Open Board viewer for part location as well.

[@GTAMysteryHunter]

Every single video he shows schematics the website has a giant watermark most of the time in the middle of the screen, clearly visible from youtube.

[@brandonscottdurocher8523]

LOL they should pay you for this advertisement. “You can’t live without these tweezers”. Good video

[@selvin9845]

Cool video bro... cheers! Props to Eli the computet guy 😊👍

[@terrance_huang]

10:02 So true, precise temperature for hot air station is bull crap, 1cm difference may shift 100 deg C....

[@FourthRaikage87]

It always been on my bucket list of tech stuff to learn how to solder and repair circuit broads, but had no one willing to teach me. Linus name dropping you i his apple refusal repair video sent me here.

[@spartan456]

Been wondering for awhile now, does the Amtech Flux you sell come with the syringe and plunger or is it just the tube? I've been trying to track down a dispenser for flux but everything I find looks like it's not meant for flux.

[@rossmanngroup]

+spartan456 just the tube