I am in the market for a new soldering station and a de-soldering
station.
The following brands are available to me locally RS (electrocomponents
not radio shack) without too much bother for returns.

Weller
ERSA
Xytronic
Pace

I only have used Weller irons before and have found them reliable, make
good clean joints, tips last a long time, quite robust. Quite a few
Weller irons seem to go obsolete though which is a little concerning
Ahas anyone experience of any of these soldering stations and recommend
one or recommend one not to get?

I have not had much mileage out of Antex irons so don't want another one
of them.

For a de-soldering station the Weller DSVT80 Soldering Kit is about my
budget. Has anyone experience with this station? The pace iron looks
quite appealing though but out of my league. I don't have compressed air
and the old diving tanks are out of their certification date so no-one
will fill them.

Maybe I'd be better saving a bit more and getting a rework station - one
that will solder de-solder and also do SMT.
Again any recommendations?
Is this the way to go?
--
Z
Remove all Zeds in e-mail address to reply.