DIY Hot Air Rework Station for Under $100 USD

About This Project

I wanted to build my own hot-air rework station with the main features of an expensive commercial station, but at a much lower cost.

Instead of buying a complete station, I used affordable electronic parts, a replacement handle for the ATTEN ST-862D, and some parts I already had.

The result is a working hot-air rework station that cost me under $100 USD.

I also wanted to learn more about electronics, programming, and temperature control while building something useful.

Watch the Video

Here is my video showing the station, its parts, and how well it works.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=reYNHp8W1AY

Main Features

  • Digital temperature control
  • Adjustable airflow
  • Temperature display
  • Start and stop button on the handle
  • Working reed switch inside the handle
  • Automatic heating control
  • Separate 24V blower
  • 1000W heating element inside the handle
  • Custom 3D-printed enclosure
  • Teensy microcontroller

Parts Used

These are the main parts I used and approximately what I paid.

Price (CAD)
$68
$13
$19
$15
$3
$5
$10

I also used:

  • A BIGTREETECH TFT35 display from an old 3D printer
  • A 5V DC-DC converter
  • A 3D-printed enclosure
  • Other small electronic components

Reusing parts helped me keep the cost low.

How It Works

The Teensy microcontroller is the brain of the station.

It reads the temperature from the thermocouple inside the handle through a MAX6675 module.

The Teensy controls the heating element through a solid-state relay.

A separate 24V blower supplies the hot air.

The display allows me to adjust the temperature and airflow.

I also connected the original button and reed switch inside the ATTEN replacement handle. Both are used to control the station.

Building the Station

I designed and 3D-printed the enclosure to hold the electronics and other parts.

The display is mounted on the front.

The power supply, blower, controller, and other electronics are installed inside.

I wrote the control program for the Teensy and modified the display software to work with my station.

The project took several tests and changes before everything worked as expected.

Testing

I tested the completed station by removing small electronic components from old circuit boards.

The station works very well for the soldering and desoldering work I have tried so far.

The temperature and airflow can be adjusted for different jobs.

I am very happy with the results, especially considering the low cost.

Future Improvements

The station is working, but I still have some improvements planned.

  1. Connect the additional temperature sensor inside the handle for extra protection.
  2. Add another relay to disconnect power from the heating system when necessary.
  3. Make further improvements to the electronics and software.
  4. Prepare the wiring diagram, firmware, and 3D-printing files for sharing.

Final Thoughts

This project shows that it is possible to build a useful hot-air rework station without spending a lot of money.

I enjoy building things, testing my ideas, and learning from my mistakes.

I hope this project gives other people ideas for building their own equipment.

Thank you for watching!