[Boatanchors] Cheap, but good, soldering iron revisited

[R.J. Keller]

Glen,
Thanks for the "TIP" hi, hi (pun intended)
73, Dick KF4NS
St. Petersburg, FL 33714 
Keep the glow!

Message: 4
Date: Fri, 25 Apr 2003 21:09:51 -0700 (PDT)
From: Glen Zook <gzook@yahoo.com>
To: boatanchors@mailman.qth.net
Subject: [Boatanchors] Cheap, but good, soldering iron revisited

The soldering iron that I found at "Big Lots" for
$2.88, which is a very good deal, and reported on
several weeks ago, uses soldering iron tips that are
5/32" in diameter and 3" long.  The tip actually rests
about 2.250 inches into the body of the iron and is
held in place by a Phillips head screw on the side.

Since this is not the most usual size of tip, I have
done the following:  At a hobby shop I purchased a 12
inch length of 5/32" diameter rod (95 cents) and cut
it into 4 pieces (each 3 inches long).  Then I put the
rod into an electric drill and held the rod against a
file as it rotated.  The result was a very good pencil
tip replacement at a cost of about 25 cents each.

The replacement tips work fine and are very cheap to
make.

I did buy another one before the store sold out. 
After all, $2.88 plus tax for a good working 30 watt
iron is a very good price.

Glen, K9STH