Soldering Iron

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kevin
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Joined: Sun May 12, 2013 7:49 am

Soldering Iron

#1 Post by kevin » Sun Jul 03, 2016 6:09 pm

Been doing some rewiring on my sons moped today due to a badly routed section of the loom catching the exhaust.
The electric iron I use is quite old and beyond its best, it doesn't seem to get to temperature any more.
What make do you find decent?

Kev

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JPB
Posts: 10319
Joined: Fri Jan 07, 2011 3:24 pm

Re: Soldering Iron

#2 Post by JPB » Sun Jul 03, 2016 6:53 pm

Iroda's excellent Solderpro 120 is ideal for this sort of thing, I only ever use one other iron for outdoor work, and that's the Solderpro 50, which can use the same range of tips, and has more fuel capacity, but is fatter and slightly prone to backfiring from its cat port if you carelessly point it tip down when it's full. Great if you like hairless hands and eyebrows though.. ;)
J
"Home is where you park it", so the saying goes. That may yet come true.. :oops:

kevin
Posts: 856
Joined: Sun May 12, 2013 7:49 am

Re: Soldering Iron

#3 Post by kevin » Sun Jul 03, 2016 7:24 pm

I've been looking at them John, are easier/mire reliable to use than the standard electric irons?

Kev

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JPB
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Joined: Fri Jan 07, 2011 3:24 pm

Re: Soldering Iron

#4 Post by JPB » Mon Jul 04, 2016 12:44 am

For working on vehicle wiring, I much prefer the gas irons, but I still need to have an electric iron (Antex are hard to beat) and a (Bosch) soldering gun with a variety of tips for the non-car stuff. Another good reason to own at least one gas iron is that one of the available tips is a mini blowtorch which is capable (when used on the Solderpro 120) of making enough heat for small plumbing tasks, such as repairing leaks on old, but otherwise sound car radiators where the soldered seam between a tank and a core can often be found to be incontinent.

Were someone to ask me to give up either electric soldering irons or gas ones, I'd have to keep the gas as they're ultimately more versatile, even when taking into consideration that more care must be taken when using such devices in confined spaces.
Avoid cheap gas soldering irons of the type that are often seen on tool stalls on the markets and car boot sales, these can be downright lethal even in experienced hands and they tend to lack the range of accessories that can be found for Iroda products and many cheap ones are made from plastics that can't withstand the occasional backfire - Iroda irons will survive such events.
J
"Home is where you park it", so the saying goes. That may yet come true.. :oops:

kevin
Posts: 856
Joined: Sun May 12, 2013 7:49 am

Re: Soldering Iron

#5 Post by kevin » Mon Jul 04, 2016 7:48 am

Got my eye on one John, I felt my old electric iron lacked the oomph yesterday and we really struggled to get the correct heat to make a good joint, after reading up last night, I suspect the tip im using has oxidized beyond use and needs replacing, could so do with doing a proper course on soldering somewhere!

Thanks for the advise john

Kevin :thumbs:

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JPB
Posts: 10319
Joined: Fri Jan 07, 2011 3:24 pm

Re: Soldering Iron

#6 Post by JPB » Mon Jul 04, 2016 8:33 pm

Any time, Kevin. Another thing just popped into my mind: Modern solder. Avoid it as you would a rabid animal, traditional lead/tin solder (60% tin, 40% lead) is simply better and the newfangled lead free stuff is unreliable, requires far more heat to work at all and is very much more prone to dry joints. Oh, and the risk from lead in the older type is negligible unless you eat it, plus the good stuff is, wait for it.. CHEAPER! I buy 60/40 by the Kilo roll from eBay sellers and sneak it into the stores at work so that the students at least have a chance of making decent joints. :shock: Sorry, I ought to have added the word "soldered" between decent and joints.. :oops:
J
"Home is where you park it", so the saying goes. That may yet come true.. :oops:

GHT
Posts: 1523
Joined: Mon Jan 26, 2015 3:09 pm

Re: Soldering Iron

#7 Post by GHT » Mon Jul 04, 2016 9:46 pm

Never been into 'I' technology. Not even I-ron. We have an I-roning fairy that irons the laundry and an I-roning fairy, although he would thump me if he knew that I called him a fairy, who uses a soldering I-ron on the car. Sorry I can't be more helpful.

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