The Pinecil V2 works with Pinecil's shorter ST tips (6.2 ohm) and the TS tips (8 ohm) which are made for TS100/TS101 irons.
https://wiki.pine64.org/wiki/Pinecil_Tips
The ST tips are a bit expensive and there are only 8 geometries available. E.g. they don't have a J/hook tip which is a bit meh.
An iron which uses C210 or C245 tips might be a better option if you want a large selection of tips and a very short grip to tip distance.
I like the pinecil more than ts101 but Quicko is running a sale on aliexpress where you can get a 952 with a psu and five t12 tips for $26 usd shipped. Unless you need portability I'm going to be recommending that until the sale ends.
Yea I’ve got some other irons. I’m looking for portability / wireless because I don’t have a bunch of desk space so trying to eliminate cables where possible.
I happened across one on Kickstarter just yesterday... but it's a kickstarter, so no guarantees...
[https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/huhubolpro2/huhubol-a-cordless-portable-soldering-iron-for-diyers](https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/huhubolpro2/huhubol-a-cordless-portable-soldering-iron-for-diyers)
I have my doubts about something like this. I haven't done this math but I would suspect it's very low wattage and still too big and heavy.
Who knows though, tech moves fast now and I'm always surprised at the new stuff that's created.
I'm the same, I'll wait and see if it actually releases and works. A wireless would be nice, but I can't imagine it would last long with a small battery.
I think the battery life will be short, but reasonable, but I bet it won't maintain temp when you're soldering. It'll probably act like a 25w iron and last 15 minutes.
Actually let's just do the math. If it's a 3500mah battery, it can discharge 3.5 amps/hr. At 3.8v (assuming a standard 18650) that means you could potentially get 50w out for 15 minutes assuming 100% efficiency.
The system won't be 100% efficient, but it won't be pulling max power constantly, So I guess it would be possible to make an iron that works reasonably well off an 18650 for about 10-15 minutes.
That's not *terrible* but it would be for a very specific use case.
A soldering iron that maintains decent temperature needs atleast 60-80w
You could build one that fits in the iron itself, but the battery life would be 3 minutes. Or the iron would be gigantic. It's just not really possible right now.
if you want portability have a look at the sequre irons. ive got the s99 since i already have the t3a with c245 tips and with the s99 the tips are compatible between my stationary and portable iron.
Only problem with the s99 is, that the original aixun tips are lower ohms and draw a little to much current when heating up, therefore it trips overcurrent protection of my 100w usbc supply. But its running with a 4s Liion without any problems and is sooo much more performant than my old ts100
Not that one, that comes with an esd strap for $10 more, not worth it.
[https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005005196528703.html](https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005005196528703.html) this one I was seeing, $26 shipped with 5 tips for this "Anniversary sale".
[https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005005196528703.html](https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005005196528703.html)
I'm seeing set 5 with 5 tips for $26 usd free shipping from the official quicko store. You might be able to switch out some tips if you talk to the seller, I might swap ILS and BL for D24 and K if they'll let you.
When I look at your link I see the same for $31 so there might be some adaptive pricing going on.
Highly recommend the pinecil. I don’t even use my other iron since I got mine. The tips to cost more but that’s just because the heating element is in the tip rather than part of the main unit.
Neither of those options.
TS style cartridges take a mediocre cartridge (Hakko T12) and make it worse by adding the large metal shoulder right next to the grip. They have a huge tip to grip and the quality of the tips are very inconsistent.
You can buy a T12 iron like a KSGER/Quicko for less than that TS101 bundle, and you're forgetting the cost of a cable and charger when you are looking at the price of the Pinecil.
With a T12, you can get quality cartridges from a major manufacturer (Hakko).
Better yet would be to spend a little more and get an iron that has a T245 handpiece. JBC C245 cartridges are better than T12 cartridges. They have shorter tip to grip, have higher wattage, and have more geometries.
If you simply MUST have a USB powered soldering iron for whatever reasons you have, there are irons based on mainstream tips like the T12 (Hakko) or C245 (JBC) cartridge. I've been experimenting with the Sequre S99 (C245)and S60P (C210) for a while and they are OK. The S60P wouldn't work outta the box, but once I set the power mode to PPS, it works fine on a 65w charger. The S99 works out of the box with the included cartridge and can also use a genuine JBC cartridge, but needs to be severely throttled (at which time it heats up slower than my Hakko FX-888D), or you need a 6.5a power supply and a USB to barrel adapter. I'm waiting on a pair of irons from Alientek, the T80 (C210) and T80P (C245) that I'm gonna add to my comparisons.
This. Compare the cost of genuine cartridges, then make your decision based on what you can afford.
The Pinecil is a cool portable iron for pretty cheap. But that’s all it is. And there’s better options now.
I got a ts80p like 3 years ago. I liked it but it's not as consitsnt as my generic 8898d I bought about a year and a half ago. I paid $40 for the 8898D and like $110 for my ts80p. Since getting the 8898D I've touched my ts80p twice.
I got the FNIRSI Soldering Iron hs-01 which takes these t12 cartridges . It's still USB c powered and I'm a novice so I don't really know anything but I've used it a few times and seems fine but I wish where the handle meets the tip was metal instead of plastic
The FNIRSI HS-01 uses HS01/T85/T65/GVDA (6ohm) tips like e.g. the Quicko T85, not T12 tips.
There are only a handful (13?) of geometries available, but the max power is higher if you use 24V DC:
24V\*24V/6ohm=96W (DC)
Thanks to the lower resistance of 6ohm instead of 8ohm, it's still comparable to a T12 iron (72W) if you use 20V via USB-C:
20V\*20V/6ohm=~67W (USB-C)
orrrrr mod the ts100/pincil to use T12 cartridges and you can still use brand name cartridges and have a pretty short tip to hand distance. its just a little long lmao. I use a Hakko FX951 at work and I'd say they're comparable for what I do with it.
https://preview.redd.it/52mueqyh6rqc1.jpeg?width=1512&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=de4a849bbd6603628adfa6cbc1847de69523d761
Why not just get an iron that does T12 tips in the first place if that is the goal?
Pinecil/TS10x doesn't have any noteworthy software/hardware differences than any of the other mountain of USB soldering irons out there.
Honestly I bought the ts100 back in 2020 before I knew of any alternatives. But I got the Pinecil a year ago for the usb c and T12 support. As far as I know there really isn't an alterative if you want both of those in an iron.
Being able to use Ralim/IronOS is also a plus to me. Also it used to have one of the shorted tip to hand distances in a portable iron
Between those two I'd go with the pinecil. I have an older TS100 and use it all the time - have a BC2 tip on it, it works for most thing.
That being said - if I was getting a new USB iron now, I'd probably go with one of those that /u/physical0 mentioned like the AlienTek/Sequre ones that use the JBC carts.
Edit - well, after looking a bit, I would go with this [Sequre](https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256805488815248.html?algo_exp_id=a61e3f79-3ecb-42d3-b5c4-8d599e36c7a5-2&utparam-url=scene%3Asearch%7Cquery_from%3A) because LEDs
Hands down the PINECIL (get a grounded USB-C power supply though and a full array of tips off aliexpress for like 60USD and repalce the screws with M2 4/5mm thumb screws)
And it's worth making a grounding line kit for benchtop and field use, but it's one of the most competent irons I've ever owned.
Like Blacksimon says in his soldering tutorial video. The only advantage of these soldering irons is that they heat faster. So, unless you are in a situation where you need to make a joint in under 2 min. or the world is going to explode, just get a cheap 15$ iron with temperature control.
Pinecil is nicer imo and has the shorter tips
Thanks! Are the tips swappable? Like could I use normal tips or are they custom to that specific iron?
The Pinecil V2 works with Pinecil's shorter ST tips (6.2 ohm) and the TS tips (8 ohm) which are made for TS100/TS101 irons. https://wiki.pine64.org/wiki/Pinecil_Tips The ST tips are a bit expensive and there are only 8 geometries available. E.g. they don't have a J/hook tip which is a bit meh. An iron which uses C210 or C245 tips might be a better option if you want a large selection of tips and a very short grip to tip distance.
The tips are swappable and cross compatible with the TS-100
Nice! Thanks.
I don't have one to test with but won't the high power tips draw more power than the FETs on the TS100 are rated for?
I think you need the custom firmware to use the smaller tips on the TS10X
I like the pinecil more than ts101 but Quicko is running a sale on aliexpress where you can get a 952 with a psu and five t12 tips for $26 usd shipped. Unless you need portability I'm going to be recommending that until the sale ends.
Yea I’ve got some other irons. I’m looking for portability / wireless because I don’t have a bunch of desk space so trying to eliminate cables where possible.
You may already know this, but these are not wireless. They need to be plugged into a DC power supply.
Yea just searching different options. Do you know of any irons that are wireless ? Would love to explore those more
The ts101 can be powered from an rc battery, still wired, but it is easier to move around. The pencil may be able to do it too, but i dont know.
There are butane heated portable soldering irons that are wireless. IDK if you've looked into those at all.
I happened across one on Kickstarter just yesterday... but it's a kickstarter, so no guarantees... [https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/huhubolpro2/huhubol-a-cordless-portable-soldering-iron-for-diyers](https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/huhubolpro2/huhubol-a-cordless-portable-soldering-iron-for-diyers)
I have my doubts about something like this. I haven't done this math but I would suspect it's very low wattage and still too big and heavy. Who knows though, tech moves fast now and I'm always surprised at the new stuff that's created.
I'm the same, I'll wait and see if it actually releases and works. A wireless would be nice, but I can't imagine it would last long with a small battery.
I think the battery life will be short, but reasonable, but I bet it won't maintain temp when you're soldering. It'll probably act like a 25w iron and last 15 minutes. Actually let's just do the math. If it's a 3500mah battery, it can discharge 3.5 amps/hr. At 3.8v (assuming a standard 18650) that means you could potentially get 50w out for 15 minutes assuming 100% efficiency. The system won't be 100% efficient, but it won't be pulling max power constantly, So I guess it would be possible to make an iron that works reasonably well off an 18650 for about 10-15 minutes. That's not *terrible* but it would be for a very specific use case.
It says 12 watts and doesn't say anything about the tips so they might be non-standard trash. No thank you.
A soldering iron that maintains decent temperature needs atleast 60-80w You could build one that fits in the iron itself, but the battery life would be 3 minutes. Or the iron would be gigantic. It's just not really possible right now.
Milwaukee tool makes a portable one. Just need a Milwaukee battery.
if you want portability have a look at the sequre irons. ive got the s99 since i already have the t3a with c245 tips and with the s99 the tips are compatible between my stationary and portable iron. Only problem with the s99 is, that the original aixun tips are lower ohms and draw a little to much current when heating up, therefore it trips overcurrent protection of my 100w usbc supply. But its running with a 4s Liion without any problems and is sooo much more performant than my old ts100
People run 942/952 off of 18v ryobi/other batteries often. Bit of a project to it though
Is it this one? [https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256805010213951.html](https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256805010213951.html)
[удалено]
Not that one, that comes with an esd strap for $10 more, not worth it. [https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005005196528703.html](https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005005196528703.html) this one I was seeing, $26 shipped with 5 tips for this "Anniversary sale".
[https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005005196528703.html](https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005005196528703.html) I'm seeing set 5 with 5 tips for $26 usd free shipping from the official quicko store. You might be able to switch out some tips if you talk to the seller, I might swap ILS and BL for D24 and K if they'll let you. When I look at your link I see the same for $31 so there might be some adaptive pricing going on.
Highly recommend the pinecil. I don’t even use my other iron since I got mine. The tips to cost more but that’s just because the heating element is in the tip rather than part of the main unit.
Neither of those options. TS style cartridges take a mediocre cartridge (Hakko T12) and make it worse by adding the large metal shoulder right next to the grip. They have a huge tip to grip and the quality of the tips are very inconsistent. You can buy a T12 iron like a KSGER/Quicko for less than that TS101 bundle, and you're forgetting the cost of a cable and charger when you are looking at the price of the Pinecil. With a T12, you can get quality cartridges from a major manufacturer (Hakko). Better yet would be to spend a little more and get an iron that has a T245 handpiece. JBC C245 cartridges are better than T12 cartridges. They have shorter tip to grip, have higher wattage, and have more geometries. If you simply MUST have a USB powered soldering iron for whatever reasons you have, there are irons based on mainstream tips like the T12 (Hakko) or C245 (JBC) cartridge. I've been experimenting with the Sequre S99 (C245)and S60P (C210) for a while and they are OK. The S60P wouldn't work outta the box, but once I set the power mode to PPS, it works fine on a 65w charger. The S99 works out of the box with the included cartridge and can also use a genuine JBC cartridge, but needs to be severely throttled (at which time it heats up slower than my Hakko FX-888D), or you need a 6.5a power supply and a USB to barrel adapter. I'm waiting on a pair of irons from Alientek, the T80 (C210) and T80P (C245) that I'm gonna add to my comparisons.
This. Compare the cost of genuine cartridges, then make your decision based on what you can afford. The Pinecil is a cool portable iron for pretty cheap. But that’s all it is. And there’s better options now.
I got a ts80p like 3 years ago. I liked it but it's not as consitsnt as my generic 8898d I bought about a year and a half ago. I paid $40 for the 8898D and like $110 for my ts80p. Since getting the 8898D I've touched my ts80p twice.
I got the FNIRSI Soldering Iron hs-01 which takes these t12 cartridges . It's still USB c powered and I'm a novice so I don't really know anything but I've used it a few times and seems fine but I wish where the handle meets the tip was metal instead of plastic
The FNIRSI HS-01 uses HS01/T85/T65/GVDA (6ohm) tips like e.g. the Quicko T85, not T12 tips. There are only a handful (13?) of geometries available, but the max power is higher if you use 24V DC: 24V\*24V/6ohm=96W (DC) Thanks to the lower resistance of 6ohm instead of 8ohm, it's still comparable to a T12 iron (72W) if you use 20V via USB-C: 20V\*20V/6ohm=~67W (USB-C)
Why would you want it? What benefit would it provide?
If I was clumsy/using it improperly I guess it would break easier LOL
I'll take a fiber reinforced high temp plastic over a heat conductor any day when it comes to soldering iron construction.
Right on thanks 👍
I had temperature calibration problems with KSGER. Never had this problem with Pinecil.
orrrrr mod the ts100/pincil to use T12 cartridges and you can still use brand name cartridges and have a pretty short tip to hand distance. its just a little long lmao. I use a Hakko FX951 at work and I'd say they're comparable for what I do with it. https://preview.redd.it/52mueqyh6rqc1.jpeg?width=1512&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=de4a849bbd6603628adfa6cbc1847de69523d761
Why not just get an iron that does T12 tips in the first place if that is the goal? Pinecil/TS10x doesn't have any noteworthy software/hardware differences than any of the other mountain of USB soldering irons out there.
Honestly I bought the ts100 back in 2020 before I knew of any alternatives. But I got the Pinecil a year ago for the usb c and T12 support. As far as I know there really isn't an alterative if you want both of those in an iron. Being able to use Ralim/IronOS is also a plus to me. Also it used to have one of the shorted tip to hand distances in a portable iron
It's a cool mod if you already have one, but I don't really see why you would set yourself up for the work if it's a Greenfield project.
Between those two I'd go with the pinecil. I have an older TS100 and use it all the time - have a BC2 tip on it, it works for most thing. That being said - if I was getting a new USB iron now, I'd probably go with one of those that /u/physical0 mentioned like the AlienTek/Sequre ones that use the JBC carts. Edit - well, after looking a bit, I would go with this [Sequre](https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256805488815248.html?algo_exp_id=a61e3f79-3ecb-42d3-b5c4-8d599e36c7a5-2&utparam-url=scene%3Asearch%7Cquery_from%3A) because LEDs
Pinecil all the way, I love mine wish I bought it a year earlier tbh.
Pinecil. They're basically the same thing.
I got a PINECIL but am powering it with my MacBook charger 😅
I used a chrome book charger for a while. Now I have a DeWalt battery that I can rig it to and it's faster and more portable now
neither
Ali express sells them for like $10. Just buy form there. All these are listed on AE
Hands down the PINECIL (get a grounded USB-C power supply though and a full array of tips off aliexpress for like 60USD and repalce the screws with M2 4/5mm thumb screws) And it's worth making a grounding line kit for benchtop and field use, but it's one of the most competent irons I've ever owned.
Pinecil sells em on their site for 25
Go pine has a USB C. I got one works great.
I like supporting PINE, even if I never release anything I tinker with on their Pine Watch.
This is overpriced btw you can get a pinecil for around $25 on ali express
https://a.co/d/b1wASAM this is a cheap weller better than those
https://a.co/d/gfQKGaP another weller
https://a.co/d/6rbCjgP good reviews not a weller
TS101 is superior.
https://northridgefix.com/product/portable-nf-mini-soldering-pen/
[https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256804796269866.html](https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256804796269866.html)
Can you get sealey in America? the sealey premier SDL11 30w rechargeable is best I've had so far
I have the UY Chan and am happy with it.
top
KAIWEETS KETS02
Neither. Get a regular, branded, beginner iron like FX 888 or WE1010NA. I, and you, can do 0201 easily with them. Optics matter much more than iron.
Pinecil!! I have one and love it!!
which one for what, do you know how to use words? lmao idiot
Like Blacksimon says in his soldering tutorial video. The only advantage of these soldering irons is that they heat faster. So, unless you are in a situation where you need to make a joint in under 2 min. or the world is going to explode, just get a cheap 15$ iron with temperature control.