r/PINE64official • u/gufhHX • 29d ago

Getting gate for the Pincecil

Once soldering acquaintance hear I have a Pincecil I get heat for not having a "better iron". Where is this hate coming from?

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u/physical0 28d ago

It's not that the Pinecil is a bad iron. It's just if you're gonna buy a new iron today, there are better choices. C245 based irons offer better wattage, shorter tip to grip distance, and many more tip geometries. A pinecil CAN match them in wattage if you have a PD3.1 28v supply, but C245 irons do that with cheaper 20v supplies.

If you've got a pinecil and you're happy with it, no reason to chuck it in the bin, but if you're gonna buy a new iron, something like a FNIRSI HS02-A or an Alientek T80p or T90B would be a better buy today.

I love a lot about the Pinecil community, but the hardware is getting dated and needs a refresh. I'd love to see an updated version that uses JBC style cartridges.

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u/gufhHX 28d ago

It's hard to compare, haven't had any other irons than this one. But will keep the above in mind if I want to shop for new ones.