ATTEN ST-100 SP-100 Replacement tip barrel from Weller or Xytronic or JCD

[Kiriakos GR]

This is not a regular answers & questions topic.

Everything started when ATTEN soldering tools China this made their own clone of Weller rapid heating soldering station, the one using LT 800 soldering tips.

I did extensive research and collected some Historical facts.
Weller brand this made LT 800 tip and soldering iron design.
Xytronic Taiwan this made their own clone of soldering station at the year 2010 and they name it as LF-2000
Two years later ATTEN released their own first clone AT-90DH
Few years later ATTEN renamed AT-90DH clone to ST-100

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Weller this discontinued fist their LT series of soldering stations after these be in the market for 20 years or so.

Xytronic LF-2000 this were discontinued much faster, because their first released version of soldering iron, this had heating element which was prone to damage in a sort time.
With significant time delay Xytronic (Taiwan), they released second revision of soldering iron with a better heater regarding reliability.

This second design of better heating element this is now used at ATTEN ST-100.
Xytronic (Taiwan) this is not any good player speaking of product marketing, most of their tools they came with OEM (rebranded) and even model numbers where renamed several times.
Nowadays Its a chaotic to trace LF-2000 based soldering station and their spare parts.
The only positive work of Xytronic (Taiwan), this is the supply of spare parts for their soldering irons.
The downside is that Xytronic (Taiwan) this happen to earn retail market at Poland and Russia.

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ATTEN China, this never released a Replacement tip barrel for their ST-100  / SP-100 /  AT-90DH 
What they did instead was to sale a complete soldering iron as extremely overpriced in China and internationally.

I am using my AT-90DH since the year 2013, up to begging of 2024 I am now counting four damaged soldering iron heaters.
Average life cycle per heating element no more than two years of time. 
And or 100 switching-on (power on) cycles per year, and or 200 cycles per two years of time.

I never had similar Weller soldering station, but Weller heating elements according to user feedback they might survive for 10 years its one.

Weller brand were transformed, there is no more any made in Germany spare parts.   
Nowadays LT 800 tip they are made in China, few of then in Estonia, and tiny amount of part code were made in Japan.

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ATTEN did not only tripled the price of the soldering iron, but also doubled the retail price of HS-3100 Heating Element for ST-100 Soldering Iron.

According to the sum of that facts, only an idiot will resist at taking a huge hammer and turn this ATTEN soldering station in to scrap.       
 
The big question for us morons that we now own ST-100 / AT-90DH, this is if we can use any spares from the old Weller LT series of soldering irons? 

[Kiriakos GR]

Spare heater for the AT-90DH has the part code:  cbb024441
Spare heater for the  ST-100 has the description:  HS-3100 Heating Element

Both items they are electrically identical.

The difference from the soldering iron for Xytronic LF2000 this is that this discontinued product, had identical heating element, but a differently implemented thermal sensor, this in a form of long rod, this getting inside at entire length of the heater.

ATTEN silver alloy heating element this has implanted it thermal sensor, and two wires comes out from it.
Xytronic LF2000 while looks as brother design, they deliver the specification of 30V 90W heating element.
In contrast to ATTEN, this specified as 90~100W at 24V

Two questions arise here:
Is truly the Xytronic an 30V heating element?
Does the Xytronic LF2000 use a similar thermal sensor ?

Unfortunately they are no answers available, Xytronic LF2000 soldering irons they belong at the sphere of over priced goods and now discontinued too.
And as such there is no room for experiments.       

[Kiriakos GR]

Regarding replacement tip barrel from Weller ?
This is another not performed experiment yet experiment.
 
For Weller WSP80 (soldering iron) the spare barrel has a code: T0058744710
And actual product dimensions are not available.
But this part appears to have a permanently attached metal nut along of a ceramic nut cover. 
Its also still unknown metal threads compatibility of the Weller part with the ATTEN SP-100 iron.


ATTEN ST-100 barrel / tube dimensions
Tube with Nut = 47 mm
Tube alone =  40.5 mm
Tube diameter = 8.0 mm
 

[Kiriakos GR]

Thanks to mhcomponents eBay seller and a great gentlemen from Slovakia https://www.ebay.com/usr/mhcomponents.

I have now proofs that the Weller barrel this is not compatible for ATTEN soldering iron, as this is a much longer one in length 

[Andrew-88]

Our Greek reviewer he did make a significant discovery!   

I think that by 99% ATTEN this is a customer of Xytronic regarding this specific heating element.
The presented photographs they speak all by them self's. 

I wish you good luck at locating this tip sleeve (tip barrel).

I do get it, you are giving another one battle for all consumers out there. 

[Kiriakos GR]

I do get it, you are giving another one battle for all consumers out there. 

This is a fact, and they are also ongoing actions from my end, and I am waiting reactions (answers) from three continents.

Stay tuned 

[Kiriakos GR]

I am now coming to confirm that any spares sourced due Xytronic logo this is a dead end. 

But there is still hope.
I have ordered so to test, three set of entire similar assembly for HAKKO 907, this offered by unknown Chinese brand.
Their sleeve has also ventilation slots as seen at the ATTEN sleeve.

Actual mechanical dimensions, they will be explored soon.
It might also required a partial modification.

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Everything started when I did started to explore Weller LT (system) tip dimensions.
New Weller LT tip will measure 4.8mm (inner diameter) /  5.90mm (external diameter).
T900 tip system this has external tip diameter of 6.0mm
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And the first good news are Weller LT & T900 system similarities.
Next to be explored are the similarities / compatibility of JCD plastic nut / connector to soldering iron handle.

The shipping time it might take some time.
But If someone can destroy the bad game of ATTEN China, this is no other than another Chinese brand. 

[Kiriakos GR]

I did use all my Powers ... as first time buyer at aliexpress this time. 
Free shipping + 0.8 € VAT = Total: €0.46

The plan is this tip barrel to be cut in length, and then a pipe flair technique will follow.

With three set available at my hands, there is a greater room for error, regarding experiments at proper metal handling.
99% of times I do succeed by the first attempt.     
 

(This first aliexpress test buy, will be also useful to me so to detect entire cost per transaction, along shipping priority in use.)
aliexpress this is not any marketplace full of angels, as soon you do a first transaction, low prices and discounts these disappear.
All that you see is Shipping: €2.80 , or free over €10.00     
 

[Kiriakos GR]

Gentlemen I had a great success by simply receiving my first product sample. 

In the begging I did some work over the new nut for the soldering iron handle.
The idea was to shrink it instead of the tip barrel, but this root when to a dead end.
All that I did succeed was to create an identical part as it is the original, but I had to sacrifice the new metallic nut.

Plan B: I did cut to length the new tip barrel and with metal forming, I did create it termination ring.
Now with the same method I will transform and the other two packets that I am awaiting to receive in a few days.   

My total sum of spare parts will be:
Two pcs of metallic nut.
Three pcs of tip barrel.
Three pcs of assembly for the handle. 

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I did test the soldering iron, its good as new !! 
And even calibrated the soldering station with special formed K-type thermocouple (with a special probe holder = my design).
To be honest, I did combine few ideas coming from the HAKKO FG100 dedicated soldering tip thermometer.
My current special probe holder its very reliable and accurate but not as fast so to heat up, as is the 191-212 sensor.

26 of March 2024 I did a gift to my self, freshest production of RST FG-100 dedicated Tip Thermometer and in 10 days it will be here.
This comes with 5 pcs sensor, and I got also another pack of 10 pcs.

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Note: I did the metal forming all by my self, but I am not tool-less regarding this task.
Yes it is possible to convert the tip barrel for the 936 JCD soldering iron,  but with out skills and tools you are not getting anywhere.

(Alternatively you can try to get a 40mm long tip barrel from YIHUA store at Ali Express, but you will act as explorer about the success of this solution)

[overvolt]

Another one significant battle won by Kiriakos 

Congratulations !!
 

[Andrew-88]

Victory ...   

[Kiriakos GR]

Double Victory so far 

My second order arrived today, still on mail another one.
Half way tracked with Chinese post = 27 Days. 

It becomes obvious that JCD production line, this is not accurate at machinist work. 
Second barrel came at 45.32mm a tad longer than first one received.

Even so I did succeed to convert it too, with 88% success rate VS 98% of the first one.
And I did install this now as primary,  that is JCD black nut + JCD 936 Sleeve.

Another one detail which also pleased me, this is JCD 936 black nut for the handle = 100% compatibility with the ATTEN handle.