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where are my helpers??



 
 
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  #1  
Old June 7th 06, 03:14 PM posted to rec.crafts.glass
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Default where are my helpers??

Hi again,

Sorry to do this, but I need some more assistance. You may not know of
the brands I'm writing about but maybe you've also experienced some of
the same problems.

There's a German brand of soldering iron...from the ESRA Group...it's
rather expensive as irons go...(at least to my budget)...there's a
Turkish 'copy' that I purchased at about 1/2 the price.
(I should have known, right???)...

Anyway, the 150w iron that I purchased came with a copper tip...it's
just not satisfactory and no one seems to know what a sal ammoniac
block is (or maybe i just haven't found the right people to ask)
so I opted to purchase an iron tip that's supposed to be compatible
with both brands. well, guess what? it won't fit ...it's probably been
made 1mm wider at the base only so that it can't be used in other
irons....smart Germans...bad for me...

so the question is...can i file down this 1mm to make the tip fit in my
turkish copy iron?? or will it render it unusable?

and while i have your undivided attention...what is an 'analog
soldering iron'?? it appears to be a 'lightweight iron' with a
thermostat control..(rhea stat?)

it's very very expensive...over $300...it's only an 80 watt...is it
worth the expenditure?

the 150 watt iron i have now is just so heavy, i can't believe it. i
don't see that i'll be able to do any soldering of more than 30 minutes
at a time...my hand goes numb!!!

i STILL want a Hexacon...but haven't had any luck finding one that
works on 210-220 current.

any ideas?

arlene


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  #2  
Old June 7th 06, 03:31 PM posted to rec.crafts.glass
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Default where are my helpers??

Probably not. If it's a steel tip then maybe. If it's a iron clad
copper core tip then no. Why not just buy some el cheapo Turkish irons
and have a go at that?

Scratch

wrote:
Hi again,


so the question is...can i file down this 1mm to make the tip fit in my
turkish copy iron?? or will it render it unusable?


arlene


  #3  
Old June 7th 06, 04:16 PM posted to rec.crafts.glass
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Posts: n/a
Default where are my helpers??

Arlene



wrote in message
oups.com...
Hi again,

Sorry to do this, but I need some more assistance. You may not know of
the brands I'm writing about but maybe you've also experienced some of
the same problems.

There's a German brand of soldering iron...from the ESRA Group...it's
rather expensive as irons go...(at least to my budget)...there's a
Turkish 'copy' that I purchased at about 1/2 the price.
(I should have known, right???)...

Anyway, the 150w iron that I purchased came with a copper tip...it's
just not satisfactory and no one seems to know what a sal ammoniac
block is (or maybe i just haven't found the right people to ask)
so I opted to purchase an iron tip that's supposed to be compatible
with both brands. well, guess what? it won't fit ...it's probably been
made 1mm wider at the base only so that it can't be used in other
irons....smart Germans...bad for me...

so the question is...can i file down this 1mm to make the tip fit in my
turkish copy iron?? or will it render it unusable?

and while i have your undivided attention...what is an 'analog
soldering iron'?? it appears to be a 'lightweight iron' with a
thermostat control..(rhea stat?)

it's very very expensive...over $300...it's only an 80 watt...is it
worth the expenditure?

the 150 watt iron i have now is just so heavy, i can't believe it. i
don't see that i'll be able to do any soldering of more than 30 minutes
at a time...my hand goes numb!!!

i STILL want a Hexacon...but haven't had any luck finding one that
works on 210-220 current.

any ideas?


If you don't like the weight of that Iron, you won't like the Hexacon any
more, they are the same weight, or similar at least. And as to expense,
they are now an import item to the country you are in, so there are
additional duties.

What are you using for flux? If you heat your iron, thoroughly coat it with
flux, (yup if its liquid flux, dunk that sucker, stay below the heater,)
while it is HOT, then touch the solder to it liberally and roll it in your
hand, and wipe on a wet sponge as you are working with it. Should coat the
copper with solder. Do not dunk again, only wipe on water wet sponge to
clean. You have no protection against oxidation with that tip.


  #4  
Old June 7th 06, 08:48 PM posted to rec.crafts.glass
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Default where are my helpers??

Thanks Javahut...
okay...scrap the Hex then...i can't deal with the weight.

what's an analog? and is it a lot lighter? will an 80 watt analog be
sufficient? i'm using the 63/37 solder...and it's very nice...i'm
pleasantly
surprised!!

please explain to me again what you mean with these directions for
'coating the tip'...

what do you mean when you say 'stay below the heater'???

and what exactly am i supposed to 'roll in my hand'?? OUCH that's
hot!!!

i used the iron for less than 3 hours today and already the tip is
crapola...

at this rate, i'll be filing it down every time i use it and so in less
than a month,
i'll need a new one.

i'm on a quest for a sal ammoniac block here...this is something that
should
be easily available...my electronics guy in town should have one,
right?
oh wait, this IS turkey...heaven knows where this search will take me!!

please clarify your instructions...and thanks again.

Ar.

If you don't like the weight of that Iron, you won't like the Hexacon any
more, they are the same weight, or similar at least. And as to expense,
they are now an import item to the country you are in, so there are
additional duties.

What are you using for flux? If you heat your iron, thoroughly coat it with
flux, (yup if its liquid flux, dunk that sucker, stay below the heater,)
while it is HOT, then touch the solder to it liberally and roll it in your
hand, and wipe on a wet sponge as you are working with it. Should coat the
copper with solder. Do not dunk again, only wipe on water wet sponge to
clean. You have no protection against oxidation with that tip.


  #5  
Old June 7th 06, 09:27 PM posted to rec.crafts.glass
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default where are my helpers??

OK , but you have to read between the lines

wrote in message
oups.com...
Thanks Javahut...
okay...scrap the Hex then...i can't deal with the weight.


look for a an iron with a ceramic heater, you are not doing production work
and do not need an indutrial iron, shop smart! Electronics store will work,
look for an tip shank diameter of 3/8", 10-12 mm. My 60 watt Hakko gets
that tip hot just fine, in 30 seconds , and is nice and light in hand
weight. Se what is similar with iron clad tip...


what's an analog? Not digital! Has a knob that you turn like any other

variac type resistance, translates to less expensive, but not in this case ,
eh?


and is it a lot lighter? will an 80 watt analog be
sufficient? in some cases, maybe not in others, depends on the

iron.


i'm using the 63/37 solder... nice stuff, a bit pricier than 60/40, but if
you have it, use it, may pationa differently due to alloy but it works well
here too. sometimes...depends what I am doing


please explain to me again what you mean with these directions for
'coating the tip'...

what do you mean when you say 'stay below the heater'???

Don't dip the heater portion of the iron in the flux, don't go that deep,
only the end of the tip , maybe 1"- 1 1/2" of the working end.

and what exactly am i supposed to 'roll in my hand'?? OUCH that's
hot!!! Man, do you need an instructor , the hand that is holding the

iron turns, rotates, so that the tip gets coated

i used the iron for less than 3 hours today and already the tip is
crapola... Describe "crapola"? You mean it got dirty? I should hope so,

that happens, drag the tip, hot, across a wet sponge, to rough for that,
grab your grozing pliers and litely rotate the tip while hanging on with the
pliers, lightly, and all the crude falls off, into, hopefully a bucket.

at this rate, i'll be filing it down every time i use it and so in less
than a month,
i'll need a new one. Why are you filing, does it get that dirty that

fast? either go to a less powerful iron or solder faster... the heat is
building up faster than you use it.

i'm on a quest for a sal ammoniac block here...this is something that
should
be easily available...my electronics guy in town should have one,
right? Salts of Ammonia, may come in a box of loose powder. if it does,

try to dissolve it in a small pan and leave it out to evaporate it will be a
block, hopefully in a couple of days, ( been years since I tried that,
results varied.)

oh wait, this IS turkey...heaven knows where this search will take me!!

please clarify your instructions...and thanks again.


That is as good as it gets......




Ar.

If you don't like the weight of that Iron, you won't like the Hexacon

any
more, they are the same weight, or similar at least. And as to expense,
they are now an import item to the country you are in, so there are
additional duties.

What are you using for flux? If you heat your iron, thoroughly coat it

with
flux, (yup if its liquid flux, dunk that sucker, stay below the heater,)
while it is HOT, then touch the solder to it liberally and roll it in

your
hand, and wipe on a wet sponge as you are working with it. Should coat

the
copper with solder. Do not dunk again, only wipe on water wet sponge to
clean. You have no protection against oxidation with that tip.




  #6  
Old June 8th 06, 04:19 AM posted to rec.crafts.glass
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default where are my helpers??

i STILL want a Hexacon...but haven't had any luck finding one that
works on 210-220 current.

Buy the 2:1 transformer.

--
Mike Firth
Furnace Glassblowing Website
http://users.ticnet.com/mikefirth/
wrote in message
oups.com...
Hi again,

Sorry to do this, but I need some more assistance. You may not know of
the brands I'm writing about but maybe you've also experienced some of
the same problems.

There's a German brand of soldering iron...from the ESRA Group...it's
rather expensive as irons go...(at least to my budget)...there's a
Turkish 'copy' that I purchased at about 1/2 the price.
(I should have known, right???)...

Anyway, the 150w iron that I purchased came with a copper tip...it's
just not satisfactory and no one seems to know what a sal ammoniac
block is (or maybe i just haven't found the right people to ask)
so I opted to purchase an iron tip that's supposed to be compatible
with both brands. well, guess what? it won't fit ...it's probably been
made 1mm wider at the base only so that it can't be used in other
irons....smart Germans...bad for me...

so the question is...can i file down this 1mm to make the tip fit in my
turkish copy iron?? or will it render it unusable?

and while i have your undivided attention...what is an 'analog
soldering iron'?? it appears to be a 'lightweight iron' with a
thermostat control..(rhea stat?)

it's very very expensive...over $300...it's only an 80 watt...is it
worth the expenditure?

the 150 watt iron i have now is just so heavy, i can't believe it. i
don't see that i'll be able to do any soldering of more than 30 minutes
at a time...my hand goes numb!!!

i STILL want a Hexacon...but haven't had any luck finding one that
works on 210-220 current.

any ideas?

arlene




  #7  
Old June 8th 06, 07:10 AM posted to rec.crafts.glass
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default where are my helpers??

Hi Mike...
what is this?

i don't seem to have much of a choice here...the only two irons on the
market,
as far as i can tell are the German models and the Turkish knock-offs.

There are two analog irons..one is a 60watt, the other an 80watt.

i STILL can't find a supplier outside Turkey that can give me
electrical stuff
that works on our current!

The folks in UK don't seem to be able to help me...their plugs are so
strange...
are there NO SUPPLIERS in Italy, France, Spain, anywhere except UK???

they don't show up on any searches i've been doing. this is crazy!
there MUST
be people doing stained glass in those countries!!!

so frustrating!! hopefully it will get solved one of these days.

explain the 2:1 transformer...what is it?

thanks,
arlene


Mike Firth wrote:
i STILL want a Hexacon...but haven't had any luck finding one that
works on 210-220 current.

Buy the 2:1 transformer.



  #8  
Old June 8th 06, 08:24 AM posted to rec.crafts.glass
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Posts: n/a
Default where are my helpers??

HI Arlene

On 7 Jun 2006 23:10:22 -0700, wrote:

Hi Mike...
what is this?

i don't seem to have much of a choice here...the only two irons on the
market,
as far as i can tell are the German models and the Turkish knock-offs.

There are two analog irons..one is a 60watt, the other an 80watt.


Based on my quick 'playing' with the temperature-controlled 100W
Weller last night - avoid 'non-temp-controlled' irons unless you
really have no choice.


i STILL can't find a supplier outside Turkey that can give me
electrical stuff
that works on our current!

The folks in UK don't seem to be able to help me...their plugs are so
strange...


Ahem !
_Our_ plugs are normal g - it's everybody else that uses strange
ones gg

Seriously though - if the only problem you have with Irons (& other
kit) from UK suppliers is the plug - why not do what I've just done...

Because I happened to have a 240 - 110V transformer (our UK mains is
240v), I now also have a 120V grinder (ebay) and a 120V Weller iron.
Both of these pieces of kit come with 'strange' USA plugs - but they
now connect through one of those multi-way extension leads - with
sockets that fit the USA plugs and the 'other end' wired straight into
the transformer.
All you'd need is a UK-style extension lead - and then you could plug
whatever UK-style kit you wanted (within reason & taking account of
the maximum current it'd handle) into your extension lead - while the
other end was wired into whatever they use in Turkey...

If you went the 'transformer' route, then you might find that (120V)
kit like soldering irons bought from the USA worked out much cheaper
than buying the 'same thing' in 240V versions....

are there NO SUPPLIERS in Italy, France, Spain, anywhere except UK???

they don't show up on any searches i've been doing. this is crazy!
there MUST
be people doing stained glass in those countries!!!

so frustrating!! hopefully it will get solved one of these days.

explain the 2:1 transformer...what is it?


Big, heavy lump of metal with windings on it.
Conect it up correctly and you can put 240V into it and get 120V out
of it. Worth getting assistance if you're not 100% confident - because
there are 'other' ways to (mis)-connect it - one of which would give
you about 480V output - which might cause your equipment some
surprise!...... BTDT.....

The bigger & heavier the transformer, the more power it can handle.
Tiny ones are available for travellers - but they're likely to be too
small for your use.
Mid-sized units will handle a soldering iron or two - or an iron and a
grinder. Not a kiln !

If you really wanted something powerful there are things (at least in
the UK where we have funny mains plugs g) called 'site transformers'
- which are big yellow cubes intended for use on building sites -
where 110V tools are used for safety purposes. I can buy one of these
new for about 50 UK pounds - and this would probably run a small 110V
kiln, - or lots and lots of soldering irons.
Weighs a ton though - don't recommend you try & get one via mail
order!

You could always modify an arc welder, of course. I'm reliabily
informed that having lots of heat while soldering is the only way to
go - so a nice carbon arc - or mayble plasma....? ONLY JOKING !

Have fun
Adrian
Suffolk UK - (but only for a few more weeks !)
======return email munged=================
take out the papers and the trash to reply
  #9  
Old June 8th 06, 01:56 PM posted to rec.crafts.glass
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Posts: n/a
Default where are my helpers??


wrote in message
oups.com...

The folks in UK don't seem to be able to help me...their plugs are so
strange...
are there NO SUPPLIERS in Italy, France, Spain, anywhere except UK???

As long as the the iron you have (or want) will work on the Turkish voltage,
(220V AC?) it's a simple matter to change the plug from the UK or US style
to the Turkish configuration. Just cut the wrong plug off and put a new
Turkish one on the end of the wire. Problem solved.


 




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