Scratchbuilder's Tools |
Soldering Irons 1
The single most important scratchbuilder's tool is his soldering iron.
The soldering iron melts lead, and melted lead is the glue that holds together
the brass and steel of a slot car chassis.
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Above: Jim Allen - This is my Weller SP80, 80 watt heavy-duty soldering iron. The packaging says,
"This 120 volt iron develops a tip temperature of 950 degrees F (510 degrees C).
It has a stainless steel barrel and a 3/8 inch (10mm) nickel-plated MTG20 copper tip."
It took me a while to become used to a very hot iron. At first,
I was accidently de-soldering joints three inches away! My only complaint about this iron
is that it is a long way from the handle to the heated tip, and
I have a tendancy to waver and dip as I try to keep it pointed at the work.
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Above: Jim Allen - Here is my soldering gun,
which is used for small chassis repairs. Major advantage over the iron - it
gets hot quickly. Unfortunately, it gets cold quickly, too!
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Above: Jim Allen - These small soldering irons are made
for electronics, and are not hot enough to be suitable for
chassis construction. Useful for reconnecting motor leads.
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Above: Jim Allen - Just kidding! This is what soldering irons looked like
in the old days. These irons were heated over a flame, in a small oven, or
by an external electrical coil.
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