Which Gas soldering iron

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DogWatch

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I need a better gas soldering iron. I currently use the '50' type from maplin, but it is a little heavy on tips and in truth a not very well built tool. Plus they have stopped selling tips individually, god knows why?

I see Dremel produce a gas iron; Dremel are usually reputed for making decent kit, but hours of searching and I can't find spare tips anywhere, so that's a no.

I am not looking for cheap and nasty, this is my profession, so I would prefer a quality tool that will last me. I think one which does not have a gauze in the tip might be better as the gauzes in the tips does seem to weaken the tips? I am not bothered about self lighting or other such features, but decent temperature control would be nice. Oh and it must have a range of tips including a rope cutter.

Budget up to approx £100, I realise this is above the PBO forum limit of £6 or find in the marina skip, but I no longer have a mains iron so this has to be an all-round tool for jobs at home too.

Thanks in advance
 
DogWatch said:
I need a better gas soldering iron. I currently use the '50' type from maplin, but it is a little heavy on tips and in truth a not very well built tool. Plus they have stopped selling tips individually, god knows why?

I see Dremel produce a gas iron; Dremel are usually reputed for making decent kit, but hours of searching and I can't find spare tips anywhere, so that's a no.

I am not looking for cheap and nasty, this is my profession, so I would prefer a quality tool that will last me. I think one which does not have a gauze in the tip might be better as the gauzes in the tips does seem to weaken the tips? I am not bothered about self lighting or other such features, but decent temperature control would be nice. Oh and it must have a range of tips including a rope cutter.

Budget up to approx £100, I realise this is above the PBO forum limit of £6 or find in the marina skip, but I no longer have a mains iron so this has to be an all-round tool for jobs at home too.

Thanks in advance
Click to expand...

why one one 240v & one 12v
 
First off tips Maplin still appear to have stock all over the place?

Both Antex and Weller do Gas irons. I have a large Weller one but it's more a welding tool than a soldering iron :)

I have had good service from a Portasol 15 - 75w iron. ( RS ) but I do still have 2 Maplin solderpros - one at home and one on the boat.

Check out RS components, Conrad and Farnell
 
Last edited:
Cheers for the advice above, I will go look at the suggestions given.

I thought about a 12v iron, but to be honest, the cordless aspect is why I no longer use a mains iron at home.. when my mains iron gave up the ghost I had no compulsion to replace it.

The tips are available if I buy a pack of four, now means I am left with three tips I have no use for. They always seem to put two blowtorch tips in with the pack too, I don't use the blow torch as I have a wind proof lighter which is just as good for this purpose so I don't need to mess around changing tips when I need to use it.

The trouble I am having is most places selling to the public sell hobby irons, I really need something a little more than that.
 
NeilT said:
Weller Pyropen or Snap-On do a re-badged Portasol - used both in the past with no problems.
HTH
N
Click to expand...

Yup I think it's time to stump up and fork out for a weller, stop messing about with hobby irons.

Not sure I understand your message though, are you saying weller don't actually make the pyropen soldering irons, or the portasol is the same unit but possibly cheaper?

I don't know why I didn't look up weller before, always used them in work, the pro choice... always been frightened by the price tag. Buy cheap, buy 3 times!
 
andythilo said:
I bought this cheeky little one from Maplin and it's excellent.

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=34949

I use them for work and use Weller ones, and this one is just as good TBH.
Click to expand...

No they're not, they're junk.

  • When they get hot the collar melts and becomes floppy.
  • The rope cutting tool bends when hot
  • The temp is up and down like a whore's knickers
  • As they aged, both the units I had required banging on the table to get them to stay hot, they would just decide to cool down, I presume the valve stops working as it is near the collar that melts.
  • The first one I had sprang a leak, blue flame came out of the handle burning my fingers and palm. I had to throw it in a bucket of water as it would not go out... When you take them apart it is frightening how poor the workmanship is. I only bought a second unit as I was in the middle of a job and desperate at the time.
  • The stand is next to useless as the flame spurting from the gauze burns anything within a few inches (including equipment you are working on)
  • The gauzes don't last very long, in fact a ridiculous amount of time, I think I mentioned no gauzed tips in my first post for this reason.
  • The tips are chromed, the chrome flakes quickly causing the tip to have hot and cold spots, useless for precision soldering.
  • Don't even try to solder outside or in any breeze, the temp holding and power is laughable
  • The iron body is so fat it resembles a Fisher Price™ 'My First Soldering Iron'

I have thought about this, I am not trying to insult you I am having a go at the iron. Okay as a hobby iron I suppose but for any serious use, the solderpro 50 irons should not be considered at all.
 
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DogWatch said:
Yup I think it's time to stump up and fork out for a weller, stop messing about with hobby irons.

Not sure I understand your message though, are you saying weller don't actually make the pyropen soldering irons, or the portasol is the same unit but possibly cheaper?

I don't know why I didn't look up weller before, always used them in work, the pro choice... always been frightened by the price tag. Buy cheap, buy 3 times!
Click to expand...

Sorry should have been clearer - Weller make the pyropen range,
Portasol also make a very good set which is sold under their name and also badged snap-on. Both have served me well for years.
HTH
N
 
Hi, has anyone tried the Dremmel gas iron? It has a integral lighter and selection of tips including rope cutter. A superb little bit of kit.
 
Having used several over the years my vote goes for the ALDI one, I now have 2, one on the boat and one at home. Does both quite delicate stuff and and the bigger stuff as well as having a good rope cutting blade too. I also has the benefit of coming in at half the typical price too.
 
I did it

Found a scratched but brand new shop demo weller pyropen on ebay. Bidded and got it half price (£63).

What an amazingly different iron, the build quality is so evident to the chinese built cheapo irons. The first thing you notice is a ceramic heat sink to control the temperature, a full metal body and a strong tin box.

Thanks to responders for getting me to look for a properly built iron by a reputable company.
 
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