[TowerTalk] Slobering Irons

[Jim Thomson]

Date: Sun, 26 Jul 2015 16:39:23 -0700
From: "Don W7WLL" <w7wll at arrl.net>
To: "Towertalk" <towertalk at contesting.com>
Subject: [TowerTalk] Slobering Irons

My almost 60 year old trusty soldering iron which I used to solder the hole and pin of the UHF connectors went belly up. There is no information on it re brand or wattage but I could change tips.

I?m going to have to shop for a new one and that means buying on line since we are a long ways from anyplace that carries electronic stuff.

Please, no ?go to crimping? suggestions. I agree it?s a great method but at my age I?m not probably going to be doing many more, and I know the process for soldered UHF connectors.

Would just like some recommendations on soldering irons currently being used by some of you for UHF connector soldering that would be available on the market. I?ve  a couple of Weller guns and an old low wattage soldering station, but neither will work well for doing the UHF barrels.

Suggestions welcome,

Don T W7WLL

##  I use a 100w  american beauty soldering iron....with the .375 inch diam tips.  The tips taper down a bit in width. That iron was the standard used by all telcos, back when everything was soldered on the frame,
before the quick connect frames were used.  You can also get 150w ele for them.  The ele are field replaceable.   I have never had to replace an ele.   We used to leave em on for 8 hrs a day, 5 days a week, all
year round.  They also made a 500 watt version, with a .50 tip, that plumbers used instead of a torch.   The secret is the big tips retain a lot of heat  vs the small  40 watt tips used on pc boards etc.  Just about  every telco
will have half a dozen  of the american beauty irons laying about in a bottom shelf some where..never to be used again. 

Jim  VE7RF