[TowerTalk] Butane soldering iron recommendations?

[David Aslin G3WGN]

I must try that Roger.
I was delighted to find, in a local antique store, exactly what you describe: a large lump of copper, with a wooden handle. About £6 or $10US IIRC and around 16-20oz of copper. Time to get the torch out, warm it up and have a play with it.
Down here in the South Hams of Devon we don't have the scale of temperature issues that you VE guys have, but daily 20-40mph winds on our hilltop soon cool the ardour of a battery or butane soldering iron...
73, David G3WGN M6O

-----Original Message-----
From: Roger Parsons <ve3zi at yahoo.com> 
Sent: Tuesday, September 26, 2023 2:21 PM
To: Tower and HF Antenna Construction Topics. <towertalk at contesting.com>
Subject: [TowerTalk] Butane soldering iron recommendations?

I've been holding off from commenting in case I am laughed at. However, the climate here is quite similar to Mike's - perhaps a few degrees colder.

When I want to solder in the field, I use a very old fashioned iron, which is basically a large lump of copper on the end of a handle. This can be heated red hot on the kitchen (gas) stove, or with a propane torch, and will hold its heat for many minutes even in windy, freezing conditions. If I am within a few hundred metres of the house I use the kitchen stove. If I am in the bush I use the propane torch.

I have no idea whether such an iron can be obtained these days. Mine came from my grandfather....

73 Roger
VE3ZI
(North-Eastern Ontario)