QUESTION OF THE MONTH : What Soldering tool would you like next to add to your Workbench?

I’m not missing anything specifically but perhaps it might be nice to have an integrated soldering/hot air/de-soldering system.  What would be very useful is a tip quick-change system if such a thing exists (or could be invented!)

De-soldering is always a pain, esp. with the new lead-free soldered stuff.  De-soldering wick seems to have a finite shelf life also.

I'm still using thru hole brute force medieval age equipment. I'd like to take the jump to surface mount but not quite sure where to start, besides needing a microscope.  

I have been looking for a pair of desoldering tweezers for my soldering station. (sort of rework system/Desoldering Gun, but I went with other)

I recently had a need for a solder pot (to soak some coax) but I would do that so rarely, it makes it hard to justify purchasing this : (

A powered desoldering gun would be nice, but I've never seen a review of one that seems of reasonable price (for non-regular use) and reliable enough for long-term use. In contrast, my plunger-style solder sucker is probably 20 years old! so that, and desoldering braid is all I use, and sometimes it's not good enough : ( I'd still like to know which desoldering system is reliable though; a friend needs one more than me, and I know of nothing suitable to recommend to him.

I've often thought about desoldering tweezers (and there is a reasonable -price Multicomp pair) but again, i think I would use this rarely, so for the times I need to remove a SMD resistor or capacitor, I just alternatively heat both sides of the SMD with the iron quickly, until it slides off. A risk of damage, but I'm not working on critical/customer boards.

I think for anyone getting into soldering, a super-important thing on the list (aside from the fume extractor, which is important too), is the soldering station. I purchased mine about a year ago, cost a fair bit (£500 GBP including a couple of tips) but I hope to use it for a decade or more.

There are sometimes shows where you can try some tools out, so you can see what you're comfortable with in advance (or ask the distributor for a demo). Farnell ought to do a roadshow, would be interesting.

For instance in the UK there's the Southern Manufacturing show every February. You also get to see really exotic tools there like high-end rework systems and so on.

I presume you mean, unscrew the end of the iron, drop out tip, push in new tip, screw it tight?  I’m thinking iron in tip holder, tip is grabbed automatically and pulled out,  place over new tip which is automatically pulled in, done. 

That does look affordable. Nice that the tips are already pre-aligned and replaced in that single unit. I don't do enough rework, but I will recommend this to a friend.

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Looks like it’s mostly been invented then!  All it needs is a rack that grabs the tip so when the iron is pulled it’s held in the rack, then the next tip, in another rack position, can be plugged in by pushing down on the iron.  Not a robot, but hands free (rather than, or as well as, tool free).  I like the idea though - my Hakko has nothing like that available.

shabaz I like the idea of try before you buy.  I used a Project14 prize cart to pick up a desoldering gun.  Unless I'm "harvesting", I default to soldering wick or the pencil/solder sucker combo tool.  The gun's vacuum pump is rather bulky - so it stays stored.    I picked up some soldering tweezers.  I still haven't mastered these yet - but I can launch a component across the workshop pretty well.    I bought an inexpensive solder pot.  It takes longer to heat the wire in the solder than I expected and the solder separates.  I'm sure that I'm not using it right, but it didn't work out as I had hoped.  SO... I'm all in on putting your money into a good soldering station before getting any of the other soldering toys.