variable heat solidering iron

[mmts]

I am contemplating some kit building in brass and white metal and having sought advice at Warley on sunday, the chap there had a selection of irons ( 4 infact all of differing temperatures.......)
Now being a tight so-n-so would this one device do???
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Aoyue-937...erTools_SM&hash=item415d5ee2a8#ht_3539wt_1265
I have some solider ... 70 deg for the white metal and 145 deg for the brass

Or would you like to advise me of any other devices????
Many thanks

 

[Gizzy]

That will do the job as you can set your solder melt temp so it doesn't melt the white metal....

 

[stockers]

For soldering brass kits you might want quicker heat transfer than that small bit can give. For some heavier jobs it is easier with a large chunk of metal at the iron tip - this holds heat and can more readily transfer it quickly. This 'quickness' also helps reduce over heating the rest of the model.
It does depend on the thickness of the brass kit of course.
For heavy jobs like rail joint jumper wires, I use a very old iron that weighs the proverbial ton!
just my penny worth anyway.

 

[Zerogee]

That will do the job as you can set your solder melt temp so it doesn't melt the white metal....

Provided you keep the solder and iron temp under about 200 degrees C, you should be OK - the white metal alloys I use for casting don't start to melt until they hit around 250 C, and I raise them to nearer 370 C to actually get enough flow for fine castings! Do test first, though, because different blends of alloy all have different liquidus points.

Jon.

 

[maxi-model]

I note this is a 35 watt iron. Is this going to be powerfull enough for the jobs you are envisaging ?
Probably ok for your white metal but other materials like brass ?
Max

 

[tramcar trev]

Ok I'll try and explain a few things... I'd go for an adjustable iron that you can get replacement bits for around 45/50 watts this will suit just about all but the heaviest soldering jobs certainly would eat most kit assembly. The tip size is the critical item.... let me try and explain it this way; heat a pin to 200C and a 30 gram bit of copper to 200C now pick up both bits; one in each hand and see which one needs the most serious attention... its the mass of the tip that holds the temperature irrespective of what the temperature is set at. This 35 watt iron would be brilliant for electronics work but for mechanical type soldering you will find you need more mass in your tip.....
NOW BOYS & GIRLS DO NOT TRY THE EXPERIMENT INVOLVING THE PIN AND THE 30GRAM BIT OF COPPER AT ANY TEMPERATURE OVER 50C YOU WILL SERIOUSLY BURN YOURSELF...
These would be good, no not cheap but hey a good lifetime investment... Do an ebay search for say "LED soldering Iron"

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/ATTEN-SO..._Equipment&hash=item3cbc637069#ht_3285wt_1096
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Solderin..._Equipment&hash=item19c92bebc5#ht_3521wt_1096

 

[Gizzy]

NOW BOYS & GIRLS DO NOT TRY THE EXPERIMENT INVOLVING THE PIN AND THE 30GRAM BIT OF COPPER AT ANY TEMPERATURE OVER 50C YOU WILL SERIOUSLY BURN YOURSELF...

I feel this warning may have come a bit too late?

After all, this is Ed we are talking about....

 

[Gizzy]

For soldering brass kits you might want quicker heat transfer than that small bit can give. For some heavier jobs it is easier with a large chunk of metal at the iron tip - this holds heat and can more readily transfer it quickly. This 'quickness' also helps reduce over heating the rest of the model.
It does depend on the thickness of the brass kit of course.
For heavy jobs like rail joint jumper wires, I use a very old iron that weighs the proverbial ton!
just my penny worth anyway.

As we say in the military:

'The bigger the blob, the better the job....'