Soldering iron

[GrahamM376]

I've had one of these Portasol kits for around 30 years and still going strong - http://www.portasol.co.uk/catalog/index.php?cPath=25&osCsid=cfa44da24ae022a7a04a01d59b3448aa

 

[Bru]

I have two Irodo irons in the work toolkit . The big one for soldering and the next size down which has the catalytic heat bit on fur heat shrinking (saves faffing around changing bits on a hot iron)

There's another of the big Irodo irons in the boat toolkit

Btw, an 18w iron is of use to neither man nor beast. Especially with lead free solder (dreadful stuff but no choice professionaly). A woefully underpowered iron like that is a recipe for dry joints

(Back in the day when I worked on lift control electronics , the smallest iron on my workbench, for very delicate PCB work, was 90w. Normally I'd use a 150w iron. If i needed to get serious the 300w job would come out)

 

[nigelmercier]

I normally use a temperature controlled soldering station, both at home (where I have three!) and on the boat (just one). Plus I also have a mighty 120W Weller (with a bit the size of my little finger) for soldering big stuff.

 

[JumbleDuck]

I normally use a temperature controlled soldering station, both at home (where I have three!) and on the boat (just one). Plus I also have a mighty 120W Weller (with a bit the size of my little finger) for soldering big stuff.

I used to solder voltage taps onto test windings of superconductors. Since they were on a thick copper mandril, it needed a lot of heat to do the soldering, so we used an old iron with a tip about 2" wide by 1" high and the element in a 2" wide by housing above it. It was invariably known as "the electric cricket bat"

 

[alahol2]

The Portasol Pro 50 is cheap £16.50
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/PORTASOL-PRO-50-PORTABLE-CORDLESS-GAS-SOLDERING-IRON-/160566240413

Even cheaper here... http://www.portasol.co.uk/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=31

 

[Spirit of Glenans]

When I bought the Aldi one I discovered that, yes, I am able to solder

 

[single]

I bought the Dremel VersaTip off of Amazon, see eg here : http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dremel-Hobby-VersaTip-Heat-Tool/dp/B002LARRQW

I've found it excellent for light use on the boat and have used it for soldering and for shrinking heatshrink connectors etc. It comes with a hot knife tip which works OK for cutting ropes up to about 12mm thick, but it's not really big enough for eg mooring lines.

Boo2

I just bought the Dremel but how on earth do you fill it. Whichever nozzle i use with the Swan butane cylinder, it just sprays everywhere.

 

[Lon nan Gruagach]

I just bought the Dremel but how on earth do you fill it. Whichever nozzle i use with the Swan butane cylinder, it just sprays everywhere.

Have you tried no nozzle., just the tube on the tin?, sometimes works.

 

[Dougal]

I've tried a couple of the gas ones, both from Force4. Don't remember the brand of the 1st one. It came in a kit inside a grey plastic box. It quite literally FELL TO PIECES on first use! Then I tried the Draper item which I still have. Not very good at all. Whatever you do, don't use any form of acidic flux with it, as the heads disolve like they're made of chocolate!

 

[ghostlymoron]

I bought one from lidl last week. It doesn't have a rope cutting bit but otherwise is fine. I've used it a couple of times so far with good results. It cost £15 only and I consider it good value.

 

[Boo2]

I just bought the Dremel but how on earth do you fill it. Whichever nozzle i use with the Swan butane cylinder, it just sprays everywhere.

Have you tried no nozzle., just the tube on the tin?, sometimes works.

That's the one I use but if it is already full then it will spray everywhere as you say. If empty then just woggle the nozzxle down whilst filling and you should be OK, might take a couple of goes.

Boo2

 

[rob2]

It comes with a hot knife tip which works OK for cutting ropes up to about 12mm thick, but it's not really big enough for eg mooring lines.

If you rotate either the knife or the rope you can cut up to about 18mm, rather like using a pipe cutter. You can actually go bigger, but it can get a bit messy (though effective) and hot , melted rope on the fingers is not good.

Rob.