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29

My off grid soldering iron.

submitted by registereduser to Survivalist 1.5 yearsNov 9, 2023 09:44:48 ago (+30/-1)     (Survivalist)

I've owned I think four store bought soldering irons. Last one I purchased was around 2007 for maybe 30 bucks at radio shack.

All of them were in that range and all of them were garbage.

I think it was around 2012 I did some hard searching for something that was not stupid expensive and not a piece of shit. I eventually built this. It is by far the best soldering iron I have owned and cost pennies to build.

https://i.imgur.com/gvO94p6.jpg

Tip is approx. 16 ga. copper wire. I think that is an old bicycle spoke wrapped around it. Scrap dowel rod handle and uprights. Some thicker wire in the uprights for adjustable rest. Simple alcohol bunsen burner for heat. Hot glue stick laying between uprights. Can in front is cap for burner.


14 comments block

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[ - ] allAheadFull 2 points 1.5 yearsNov 9, 2023 16:18:51 ago (+2/-0)

Seems unwieldy but if it works for you godspeed. Curious what you didn't like about the store bought ones?

[ - ] registereduser [op] 0 points 1.5 yearsNov 10, 2023 02:06:23 ago (+0/-0)

If you're referring to the bulky tip, ya kinda. But the stuff I work on is all ugly construction so I can put parts where I want them to make room.

Store bought one in the 30 dollar range are absolute garbage in comparison. Shitty tips, too cold, and so on. Especially when you consider price, which is practically free for this one. This specific one was in fact made from all scrounged (free) parts. The only expense is the fuel. Don't know how the price of fuel would compare to price of electricity would compare. Probably elec. would win big time, but I don't use it enough for that to be a consideration.

[ - ] Glowbright 2 points 1.5 yearsNov 9, 2023 12:16:07 ago (+2/-0)

Its great that it is completely off grid, but that tip is not fine enough to work on any electronics made after the '80s. I think this is only going to be useful for automotive and mechanical applications

[ - ] registereduser [op] 4 points 1.5 yearsNov 9, 2023 12:44:37 ago (+4/-0)

The tip is plenty fine for transistors, diodes, caps and an lm386.

[ - ] x0x7 2 points 1.5 yearsNov 9, 2023 14:40:32 ago (+2/-0)

Plus if you do need to go smaller reflowing is always a thing. I'd love to see that done DIY. Most common tools are just a simple hot plate or a hot air gun. Sometimes an oven.

[ - ] TheGreatWar 1 point 1.5 yearsNov 9, 2023 11:03:54 ago (+1/-0)

Cool. Ironically add a digital temperature readout with an IR heat sensor.

[ - ] registereduser [op] 2 points 1.5 yearsNov 9, 2023 11:32:25 ago (+2/-0)

I thought about taping my digital cooking thermometer to it for the other commenter but decided that was too much bother.

The 'need' for a temp readout is of course pure shilling/propaganda to $ell usele$$ crap to losers.

[ - ] x0x7 2 points 1.5 yearsNov 9, 2023 14:46:33 ago (+2/-0)

It's also used to make QA slightly more accountable inside companies where you have a gradient of employees who give a shit. Then you can write procedure, heat solder to X, and make sure people are doing the same thing every time just to narrow down by exclusion what went wrong when something does go wrong. That's the actual reason why companies will pay extra for a hot stick of metal.

[ - ] PotatoWhisperer2 0 points 1.5 yearsNov 9, 2023 17:42:28 ago (+0/-0)

What a pain.

[ - ] deleted 1 point 1.5 yearsNov 9, 2023 10:25:04 ago (+1/-0)

deleted

[ - ] registereduser [op] 2 points 1.5 yearsNov 9, 2023 11:29:40 ago (+2/-0)

The tip is removable and it does not depend on a shitty stripped out set screw.

The only purpose a digital readout serves is to over complicate a simple thing and therefore justify raising the price another several thousand percent over the cost of producing it.

[ - ] deleted 0 points 1.5 yearsNov 9, 2023 12:41:48 ago (+0/-0)

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[ - ] deleted 0 points 1.5 yearsNov 10, 2023 01:44:52 ago (+0/-0)

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[ - ] registereduser [op] 0 points 1.5 yearsNov 10, 2023 01:57:42 ago (+0/-0)

This one definitely ain't winning any races to heat up fast, plenty fast for me though.

[ - ] beece 0 points 1.5 yearsNov 9, 2023 12:47:27 ago (+0/-0)*

I've got a Pace ADS200 and a Yihua 995 Hakko knockoff which has hot air as well. Not interested in trading. I applaud your ingenuity! You likely need a lot of skill to fire yours up and make it operate, which you appear to have. Me? Not so sure.

BTW, if anyone needs a cheap portable one which works fantastic and you can run off battery (21 watts minimum) or a type C, get the PineCil. $26 gets you this amazing bargain: https://www.pine64.org/pinecil/