"Dave Plowman (News)" wrote in message
...
In article ,
Arfa Daily wrote:
Also, instead of the normal Antex split skirt and spring collar, which
have a tendency to seize unless you turn them daily, this one has a
solid skirt, and is retained on the shaft by a thin sheet of metal
rolled into a tube, and inserted inside the skirt.

Yes - I noticed that. Wonder if it will be easier to remove - I destroyed
an element once removing the old type. (Through carelessness, it must be
said)

I have to say though, that it did tin very nicely. Be interesting to see
how long it lasts with the iron idling away all day, as it does.

Nice to see another Antex fan. Still my favourite iron. Bought my first
one near 50 years ago - a delight after my Henley Solon.

--
*Rehab is for quitters.

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.


I did the same a few month's back with this actual iron. I had left the bit
for a while without turning it, and it seized solid. I tried every way I
could think of to release it, but it was totally jammed, and I eventually
destroyed the iron in my attempts to free it. The new iron that I got for it
came with a 'traditional' split skirt bit on it, that was definitely the
standard iron over copper type that Antex have used for some years now. It
hasn't lasted long, with the tip rapidly having been eaten away. I am still
using the same Multicore solder product (leaded) that I always have, and I
don't run the iron too hot at around 370 deg C for most work. The
replacement bit that I got today was ordered as being for this specific iron
series and was from Farnell, so I'm assuming that it is a genuine Antex
part. If so, this change to solid skirt and metal tube inside, must be
recent, and across the range.

As one long term Antex user (my first little CN15 was about 40 years ago I
reckon) to another, do I recall their bits having a very shiny chrome or
nickel chrome plating some years back ? I clearly remember the original bits
being solid unplated copper. How did they last so long without any
protective plating for that soft copper ? I know we used to get every last
bit of life out of them by filing them until they were just a stump, but
never-the-less, they *were* intrinsically long-lived ...

Arfa