I had one of those briefly, after being very frustrated with it while trying to splice some fine wires the thing suffered a fatal "accident"... regards, Graham Collins Senior Process Engineer Sunsel Systems (902) 444-7867 ext 211 On 4/7/2013 11:23 PM, Blair Hogg wrote: > And we also had these as well: > > http://science.howstuffworks.com/cold-heat.htm > > I think I have one somewhere, not sure since I don't remember ever using it. Interesting idea, but I don't think it was very practical. > > Blair > > On Fri, 5 Apr 2013 18:11:31 +0100, Mike Fenner <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > >> I have a couple of these, very handy for working on my old car and odd jobs. >> The problem with them for anything serious is that the tip temperature is >> not well controlled. >> 1) The heat output from the catalytic combustion heater is not calibrated; >> it can be set to anything. Probability is that it will end up on max, >> because when things don't work in soldering that's what people do. >> 2) the overall design is geared to a quick warm up, so there is little >> thermal mass, this will allow big temperature variation with more than one >> joint or if the work requires long heat time because of its own thermal >> mass. >> 3) The bit is a screw on type and this gives poor thermal coupling >> especially after some period of use. >> The reason I have two, is that the first one had these problems in spades, >> the second I paid a lot more for. It is better, so I can solder up my old >> car wiring and stuff like that just fine. For circuit board work they make >> me nervous. >> Cordless irons tend also to go for a high temp, low mass, quick warm >> approach. >> Need to think in terms not just of temperature but the amount of heat >> available. A lot of heat is not the same as a high temperature. >> >> So overall it means you would be putting a high premium on operator skill. >> IT would be worth going to some trouble to avoid them. >> For example low voltage irons that could run from a car battery. >> Alternatively an inverter so you could use a regular iron. >> Example: for my bush camping trips I just have a small inverter which >> generates 140W mains output. It�s the size of a small apple and plugs in to >> car socket and cost about 50USD. Probably less in USA. Saves buying a >> separate charger for each piece of kit and doesn't become obsolete if I up >> grade anything. >> So one of those with a mains extension cord could do it I think. >> >> Regards >> >> Mike >> >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: TechNet [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Gregg Owens >> Sent: Thursday, April 04, 2013 3:38 PM >> To: [log in to unmask] >> Subject: [TN] Butane Soldering Irons >> >> Since we hand solder outside of the normal manufacturing floor, our >> technicians are requesting to use a butane soldering iron. I have no >> previous experience with this type of soldering iron. With a temperature >> setting of 1076�F it seems rather high and potentially damaging to resulting >> solder connection, insulation, people, etc. >> >> http://www.apexhandtools.com/brands/CF_Files/model_detail.cfm?upc=0371030609 >> 76 >> >> Any thoughts from experience would be most appreciated. >> >> Gregg >> >> ______________________________________________________________________ >> This email has been scanned by the Symantec Email Security.cloud service. >> For more information please contact helpdesk at x2960 or [log in to unmask] >> ______________________________________________________________________ >> >> >> ______________________________________________________________________ >> This email has been scanned by the Symantec Email Security.cloud service. >> For more information please contact helpdesk at x2960 or [log in to unmask] >> ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ This email has been scanned by the Symantec Email Security.cloud service. For more information please contact helpdesk at x2960 or [log in to unmask] ______________________________________________________________________