Solder station for working on the vintage radios?

This is what I have been using, with a 3mm tip to get some thermal mass.
[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]
I found spare tips on ebay, don't have the link handy.
Mike AD1OS

Here it is-
[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

FrankB wrote:

I would not worry about the "O" ring breaking down, its the plastic barrel & a petroleum based product damaging it that I would be concerned over.

The barrels on both of mine are aluminum, so me thinks I am OK here. Alcohol for cleaning and Vaseline for the lube, I'm set now.

Thanks guys.

Bob

I would not worry about the "O" ring breaking down, its the plastic barrel & a petroleum based product damaging it that I would be concerned over.

Vaseline works well in solder suckers. The rings are butyl so any lubricant should work even sewing machine oil.

FrankB, thanks for the info. I live way out in the sticks, so I imagine I would have to mail order the items. The next time I am making an order for stuff from my electronics place, I'll see if they have the lube on hand, and maybe even the O ring itself too.

Cheers, Bob

Bob,
No good sub I am aware of for the correct lube.... but maybe NAPA has an "O" ring lube that you could try.
It takes very little of it to do the job.
Just be sure it wont attack the "O" ring ot the solder sucker plastic.

My tube cost about 6.00 and has lasted me for about 15 years. I finally had to buy a new tube of it- from Philmore IIRC, only because I split open my old tube and it got contaminated.

So it takes VERY little to do the job.

One secret is to totally clean out the sucker regularly, and the groove the "O" ring is in. I used denatured alcohol. Swabbed it out like a gun barrel. You can easily tell if you did a good job, and the tip is good by putting it against your hand and see if it sucks up the flesh a little bit into the sucker.
Oh, & after many years I finally replaced the "O" ring with an OEM one too, but I suspect any good auto parts store ( like NAPA) carries them in the right size. One runs about 1.00 here for a single one out of their selection box.

A professional grade butane soldering iron, like the Weller Pyropen or Portasol Ultratorch (they're the exact same iron, just branded differently), works great too. They're small enough to get into tight spaces, have variable heat settings and get hot enough for even the most stubborn joints. Tips last for years if cared for and they come with a hot air tip which is perfect for using on heat shrink.

Just as an FYI, nothing fouls a tip faster than using lead free solder. I tried using it for a while at work but had to replace my tip at least once a week, sometimes they would be completely useless within just a few hours. Solder station tips cost way too much to be replacing that often, so I switched back to the good 'ol fashioned cancer causing stuff.
Dave

Frank (or anyone else),

What's a good substitute for that purpose O-ring lube in those solder suckers? Both mine could really use a bit of that right about now.

Bob

I use a old Weller WTCP station for some of the work, but sadly the tips just don't last, like their tips made in the 60's did. Anyway thats been my experience in 45 years of repair work.

I do use the 700-800 deg tips when I can find them too. The lower temp tips are pretty useless, IMHO, even for solid state work. (The longer you have to stay on the traces to heat the solder, the more often you will lift the trace, which is why I use only the highest temp. tips).

My preferred tools are an ancient Weller gun that goes like 325 and 400 or so for a lot of the work and 2 smaller guns for some of the work. A large solder sucker- Soldapullit Brand - with a GOOD tip ( Yeah- when you buy one, buy at least 2 spare tips AND the special O-ring lube too- Edyson's (sp)is really good and lasts for a long time) is the best for removing solder from the connections, altho my Denon de-soldering gun does a fair job too.

The Weller's typically run from $2.00 to 5.00 here at garage sales & ham fairs around here when you can find them.

Replacement tips are easily made from # 10 or 12 house wiring, instead of paying $5-6.00 for a replacement tip.

You might like to go to some of your area hamfests. You'll probably find sevesal. ..... Gregg

902-091 $65 Soldering Station 48W LED Display
[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Thanks for looking Cliff.

I saw some on the Web, I'll Have to look, and provide the link.

Hello all. I am looking for a solder station that has a big enough iron and tip to work on the old radio chassis. I have one for my smaller transistor work. I use a Weller solder gun for most of my repair work and its ok. But cannot seem to find a station thats has a big enough iron for the larger old electronics. Thanks