"Highland Ham" wrote in message
...

"m005kennedy" wrote in message
ups.com...
I usually do a small amout of soldering at once. I was thinking of
getting a recharable soldering iron just for the convience factor. I
was hoping to get a brand and supplier recomendation. I've seen them
for around $60. I would think they would be fine for QRP type
construction.
===========================
Suggest you consider a butane gas iron with choice of a number of tips
with integral cathalitic burner . Gas flow can be adjusted ,hence the
tip's temperature.
There are various makes . I happen to use the Portasol Professional iron
,made in the Republic of Ireland, but there are other cheaper but equally
effective makes.

The iron's gas container with shut-off valve can be filled with a butane
gas cannister as used for cigarette lighters.

The smaller tips are excellent for printed circuit boards involving ICs
and the usual discrete components.
The larger tips are good for more heavy work like soldering PL259 plugs to
coax .
A 'Jumbo' tip has an equivalent rating of 100 Watts
However for surface mount components you need a micro tip. For this type
of work I use an electric cordless iron powered by 2 pcs 1.2V NiCad
batteries. But after a number of joints the batteries must be charged by
placing the complete iron in a stand . The unit I use is called ISOTIP
,made in USA by Wahl Clipper Corporation.
The iron was purchased in 1980 and used regularly ,however the charger is
very primative (just a transformer with an embedded diode in the secondary
low voltage winding), resulting in relatively short battery life . I now
use the iron with a homebrew charger permitting 2 selectable charge rates
being 300 and 10 mA , the first used while using the iron , the 10 mA rate
when idle (trickle charging). Now the batteries hold their charge well and
the iron is ready for use at all times . Battery replacement however is
awkward .
Frank GM0CSZ / KN6WH

Wahl Corporation's HQ is about 100 miles due west of my QTH (outside of
Chicago).
http://www.iso-tip.com/html/soldering_irons.htm

They sell both the Iso-Tip cordless as well as an EZ Change model
Here are the web pages:
http://www.iso-tip.com/html/cordless_irons.htm
http://www.iso-tip.com/html/iso_tip_accessories.htm
http://www.iso-tip.com/html/ez_change.htm

They also sell a line of butane irons
http://www.iso-tip.com/html/butane_irons.htm

w9gb

Hi, all concerned:

I have 3 old, well-used Wahl rechargeables and charger-holders: 2 black
"slow charge" units, and one orange "fast charge" unit. I used the
beejeebers out of them in my spare-time-electronic-repairs-shop days.

New Wahl tips, batteriesamerica.com replacement solder-tab nimh C-cells, and
some charger mods to work around the evils mentioned below, would rejuvenate
them nicely.

Best offer gets the lot, and pls include $6 for shipping in your offer.

Tks for reading.

73, Dave, N3HE

SNIP
the complete iron in a stand . The unit I use is called ISOTIP ,made in
USA by Wahl Clipper Corporation.
The iron was purchased in 1980 and used regularly ,however the charger is
very primative (just a transformer with an embedded diode in the
secondary low voltage winding), resulting in relatively short battery
life . I now use the iron with a homebrew charger permitting 2
selectable charge rates being 300 and 10 mA , the first used while using
the iron , the 10 mA rate when idle (trickle charging). Now the batteries
hold their charge well and the iron is ready for use at all times .
Battery replacement however is awkward .
Frank GM0CSZ / KN6WH

Wahl Corporation's HQ is about 100 miles due west of my QTH (outside of
Chicago).
http://www.iso-tip.com/html/soldering_irons.htm

They sell both the Iso-Tip cordless as well as an EZ Change model
Here are the web pages:
http://www.iso-tip.com/html/cordless_irons.htm
http://www.iso-tip.com/html/iso_tip_accessories.htm
http://www.iso-tip.com/html/ez_change.htm

They also sell a line of butane irons
http://www.iso-tip.com/html/butane_irons.htm

SNIP