[TowerTalk] Slobering Irons

[Roger (K8RI) on TT]

But the Wellers are, or were, inexpensive and are adequate  for my use.
If I were 30 or 40 years younger and had two steady hands I'd want 
something better for surface mount and DIPs. At 75 they are sufficient. <:-)

73

Roger (K8RI)


On 7/28/2015 5:24 AM, Bryan Fields wrote:
> On 7/26/15 8:55 PM, Roger (K8RI) on TT wrote:
>> I use a soldering station.  I think it's a Weller, but it's in the shop
>> and I'm in the house.  It's a rarger simple affair, with a coil holder
>> for the iron and adjustable heat.  It has a small tray to hold a sponge
>> with water for wiping the tip.  The tips screw in.  I don't like the
>> cheap ones that use a set screw to hold the tips.
> TBQH the weller stations are crap.  I had one and loved it, until I was
> introduced to a Metcal soldering station.
>
> The metcal uses a 13.65 MHz RF source to heat the tip of the iron up, and once
> it hits the set point, the tuned circuit changes in the tip and it stops
> heating. As soon as it cools, it begins heating back to the set point.  This
> makes a 40w iron act like a much larger conventional heating element iron.
> What's interesting with the metcal is there is no adjustment for the
> temperature, the tip has a set temperature and will stay at it.
>
> I've soldered copper shields with more mass than a PL259 with it, and it's had
> more than enough power to handle it.
>
> I have a magnetic holder that the iron rests in, the magnetic field de-tunes
> the tip so it cools down to 300f from 700f, prolonging the tip life.  When
> it's removed, the tip heats up in under a second.  Even from power off the tip
> is up to working temp in under 2 seconds.
>
> Here's a video about the concept behind it:
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S9Wmqc9O24w
>
> I bought a refurb unit from a well known seller at Dayton a couple years back
> for about $200 including a bunch of tips and accessories.  Buy one, get the
> 700f tips, you will wonder how you ever made due with your weller.
>
> 73's


-- 

73

Roger (K8RI)


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