[TowerTalk] Slobering Irons

[Wes Attaway (N5WA)]

This is a really goofy answer, but I bought a great soldering iron at 
Hobby Lobby about a year ago.  It won't solder a PL259 in mid-winter 
when you are up on top of a tower but for just about everything else it 
is super.

I don’t recall the wattage.

You can use a variety of tips.

It was on sale for about $15 and there was a tag that said 50% off.  So 
I picked it up and went to the counter and pulled out my cell phone and 
checked the Hobby Lobby website and got another 50% off coupon.

Needless to say, it was a bargain.

Wes - N5WA


On 2015-07-26 20:15, Paul Christensen wrote:
> Don,
> 
> I'm not sure of your budget for a replacement, but consider either a
> Hexacon or American Beauty iron in the 60W-100W range.  As you know
> from your experience with Weller guns, it's not the wattage that
> matters most -- it's the tip mass.  The model below has ample front
> end mass, but also has a tip fine enough to solder the center pin of a
> UHF/PL-259.
> 
> https://www.americanbeautytools.com/Soldering-Irons/12
> 
> I've seen these irons as low as $100 new, but much less on the used
> auction market.
> 
> Paul, W9AC
> 
> -----Original Message----- From: Don W7WLL
> Sent: Sunday, July 26, 2015 7:39 PM
> To: Towertalk
> 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
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