They offer a heavy duty unit now and there are several
different tips available, at comparatively high price. But
it is very handy when you need to solder a wire splice and
can't bring the work to the bench. If you're trying to
solder very light wires, back them up with a wooden stick, a
clean popsicle stick or buy some at a hobby shop.


--
James H. Macklin
ATP,CFI,A&P

--
The people think the Constitution protects their rights;
But government sees it as an obstacle to be overcome.
some support
http://www.usdoj.gov/olc/secondamendment2.htm
See http://www.fija.org/ more about your rights and duties.


"George Patterson" wrote in message
news:yLkuf.16244$yW1.321@trnddc05...
| Morgans wrote:
|
| Anyone have one, or seen one in action?
|
| Ok, just tried it out. Here's how they work. The tip is
actually two electrodes.
| When you touch the tip to the work, the work makes the
electrical contact, and
| it heats up like a light bulb filament. The tip doesn't
heat up much, but the
| work does. I tried to tin some 26 gauge stranded copper
wire, and it brought the
| flux to a boil much more rapidly than a hot soldering
pencil iron does.
|
| Here's the problem. You have to keep both electrodes in
contact with the work.
| In my case, this proved to be impossible; the wire was
just too flexible. I can
| see that there might also be problems heating up both
pieces when soldering two
| items together. Failure to get both pieces hot results in
what's called a "cold
| solder joint."
|
| There's a little light on top that tells you when contact
is being made. You
| really have to keep this light in sight. The tip has only
one flat surface, and
| the only way it works is to press this surface against the
work. Fortunately,
| the tip can be inserted in the iron in either of two
directions, so it shouldn't
| be much of a problem.
|
| Anyway. Imagine. There you are under your panel trying to
solder a wire to a
| lug. You hold the wire firmly in place with your left hand
and manipulate the
| soldering iron into position with your right hand. Wiggle
things around to keep
| the little red light on. When the joint gets hot, you
apply the solder with your
| third hand.
|
| Don't have a third hand? Then maybe this thing isn't for
you.
|
| George Patterson
| Coffee is only a way of stealing time that should by
rights belong to
| your slightly older self.