[Boatanchors] (no subject)

[WA5CAB at cs.com]

Bruce, Jim, et al,

OK. This thread has convinced me that I do enough restoration and repair work 
that I need to put some money into a desoldering station.   Unfortunately, 
Hakko have discontinued the 470 and 472 in favor of the 472D-01 and 472D-02.  
Apparently I should have reached this conclusion a year ago.

NIB 470B's and 472's have shown up on eBay recently so I'll wait. But in the 
meantime, I'd like some advice from people who've used these units regularly. 
The difference between the two models appears mainly to be in the handpiece. 
The 470 (and 470B) has a pistol grip one and the 472 a pencil style one. I want 
to mainly use it on tube based military sets built 1955 and earlier.  And 
maybe an occassional PC board.

Any comments on clog rates between the two handpiece styles if desoldering 
typical military sets with incompletely removed MFP and 50+ year old solder? 
Reason I ask is that the suction flow path must make a 90 degree turn in the 
pistol grip style. 

Any recommendations as to tip number (or OD and bore) under the above 
conditions? 

Any comments as to relative comfort and ease of use working inside of 
chassis, IF transformers, etc. between the pistol grip and pencil type handpieces? Or 
should I just plan on having both? Assume (true or not) that cost is no 
object.

TIA. 

Robert Downs - Houston
<http://www.wa5cab.com> (Web Store)
<wa5cab at cs.com> (Primary email)
<wa5cab at houston.rr.com> (Backup email)