Lostgallifreyan wrote in message
. ..
john wrote in news:Xns9BCE6F0D54C35451E7A@news-
3.octanews.net:

I must have lived a sheltered life because onmy Antex soldering iron I
have always used a standard chisel tip.

Recently I saw a lot of cheap soldering irons in the stores with a
conical tip. I can't think I'd ever want to use that shape but someone
must be doing so. What use does a concial tip have for
electrical/electronic work?


They're awesome for DIY surface mount parts. A bright light, a conical tip
and a temperature controlled iron do wonders, especially if you can get
0.27mm thick solder. What looks impossible becomes almost easy.

For what it's worth, some years back I tried a Weller TCP (Magnastat)
iron. I
never looked at an Antex again. The TCP iron cost more, but I still have
it
10 years later and although I can get spares for it I haven't had to yet.
I
used to have to replace Antex irons far too often, it's a false economy.
Their elements are way too fragile.

Ditto, recommend magnastat, and conical tips.
I rarely need to use very fine solder, and when I do, I flatten some 1 mm
solder in a "set of rolls" and then slice the flattened solder with a razor
blade for an odd inch or so of 1/3mm or so solder.


--
Diverse Devices, Southampton, England
electronic hints and repair briefs , schematics/manuals list on
http://home.graffiti.net/diverse:graffiti.net/