Fwd: [SOC] Looking for Heavy Duty Soldering Iron

[hank k8dd]

On 10/8/07, Tom McCulloch <thom2 at att.net> wrote:
>  Hi,
>
>  For a while now I've been looking for a heavy duty soldering iron mostly to
> use in soldering coax to PL-259's and the like. The biggest thing I have is
> a 100 watt RS/Weller solder gun but even with that the connector acts as a
> heat sink and I have a lot of trouble making the connection.
>
>  When I was a little ham my dad had this huge soldering iron which probably
> could have been used to connect steel girders together and that was great
> for this type of thing.  I was wondering if anyone knows where I can find a
> heavy duty iron?
>
> In desperation I was looking through the crafts section on e-Bay and I have
> come across soldering irons used for connecting pieces of stained glass.
> They seem to be rated at 100 watts (same as my RS gun) but have a big 3/8
> inch tip.  There are several out there, this is one that seem to be
> representative:
>
>  http://www.yglass.com/1078.html
>
> On e-bay they seem to go for about $30 after shipping, or so, although it is
> higher at this site.
>
> My question to the group is do you think this would do the job?
>
> Thanks for any help or suggestions you might offer on this.
>
> Tom
> WB2QDG


I use a Weller model GT-1 with a 3/8" chisel tipped plug-in element
that works on PL-259's in the middle of winter, at the top of the tower
when it's snowing and 10 degrees F.  Also have a pointed tip element
that works almost as well on UHF connectors - you can stick the
point in the hole and get the solder flowing between the braid and the
connector.
When I bought the first one, they were about $20 with an element - in
1990.  The second one cost $20 for the gun and $20 for the tip.  The
third one I found at Fair Radio back on a shelf at the old location.  That
one was $15 with an element - they didn't know what they had!  They
are probably a lot more now!
But ..... it is the smallest soldering gun with the hottest (700 deg F, I
think) tip.

#69

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