Hello!
So I decided, as a way to improve my cad skills, that I would take an old laptop of mine and design a case around the motherboard and use it as a micro PC in my work area. I have nearly all of it designed, just shy of the power button.
On account of not having a sautering iron, I would rather avoid sautering a button on and was trying to go a more analogue approach by printing a button into the case that could maybe use a compliant mechanism to press in and come back out, but I am very uncertain how to go about it.
Any help appreciated
The issue with Weller is their price in a competitive market.
Considering no alternative the entry level Weller is fine. Ersa has their awesome itool with this really short distance between soldering iron tipp and finger grip: https://ts.kurtzersa.com/electronics-production-equipment/soldering-tools-accessories/soldering-desoldering-stations/produkt-details/i-con-pico-1.html
Performance: Weller and Ersa are more or less equal. For generic solder joints both are great. If there are high thermal mass and it isn’t possible to use a large tipp than the Hakko T12 is the superior technology. Changing tips on the Ersa (while not recommended by the manufacturer) can be done with the iron heated up and tool free within 5 seconds.
Ergonomics: 100% Ersa. The only reason it has been my daily driver for half a decade and is here to stay. Before this station I actually had a Weller.
JBC has a similar tool handle to the Ersa but those are very expensive with little benefit.
The price to performance king are genuine Hakko T12 tipps with a China station.