On Sat, 14 Dec 2013 11:14:24 -0700, "Bob La Londe"
wrote:
"rangerssuck" wrote in message
...
My trusty Portasol has, apparently, given up the ghost. I don't use it
very often, but when I need it (as I did yesterday), I expect it to work.
Yesterday it did not. I filled it with butane, turned it on, and no gas
flowed. The on/off switch feels kind of funky, and I suppose that after
the 20 or so years that I've had it, I can't complain.
So, today I went looking at Amazon, ebay, home depot, etc, and it seems
like there's a pretty huge array, some good reviews and some horrible
reviews for each of them.
I don't want to spend a LOT of money, but I don't want to but crap,
either. Any suggestions would be welcome.
I've got a couple butane soldering irons. They work ok, but recently I had
to do a repair on an alarm panel (fusible link was blown) and didn't have
one in the truck. Rather than a 45 minute trip (one way) back to the shop I
stopped by a local Radio Shack and found one that operates on a couple AA
batteries. Along with it I picked up a small roll of light (thin) rosin
core solder. I also bought a pack of batteries to go in it, as I didn't
expect them to last long. That soldering iron has seen half a dozen uses in
the field now, and at the moment it sitting on my work bench because I just
used to to make up some battery packs. It still has the first set of
batteries in it. The pack I bought has come in handy, but so far not for
that iron.
I would not use it to try and solder a T-tap in 12 ga electrical wire, but
it does a great job for fine soldering of 22ga stuff, circuit boards, etc
and its great in close quarters were I am not 100% certain of the
flammability of the surrounding dust and the glow of a butane iron makes me
nervous.
I don't know what its life actually is because I don't normally use it on
the bench, but I've had it for over a year. Normally it rides around in my
tool pouch in the truck.
Good report! Thanks!
Ive had several battery powered irons..and with exception of one..a
Weller IRRC..they all sucked big time. But the last one I purchased
was at least 12 or more years ago..the Weller and it had a heating
module on 2 wire leads sticking out the front. Put it down carefully
or it would bend the heater off to one side or another and pushing
against the workpiece tended to bend the leads without much pressure.
http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=...soldering+iron
Some of the current ones look pretty good.
I currently use the Master Appliance UT-100 iron for the most part out
in the field, but have a couple 110vt irons in the "soldering box" in
the truck.
http://www.grainger.com/product/MAST...ing-Iron-5HD27
I paid about half the Grainger price btw , for a new kit.
Its about the only cordless iron Ive found that will properly do
PL-259 coax fittings. For those..I generally use a Well 150 watt gun
without the heating loop/tip. The Master Applience gave me more
versitility out in the field..vehicle etc.
Thanks!!
Gunner
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