As a sure sign that I'm getting older, certain things made decades ago just seemed to be better. I grew up in the 60's with electronics as a hobby. I soldered together countless projects, Heath Kits, and Knight Kits.
I had a soldering gun back then that I used for most things--a Wen #100. It was 100 watts but worked better than any gun I've used since. Here are some of the pluses and minuses as I saw it about that gun. Mine still works, but the case is broken. I found one last month on Ebay and was happy to have a pristine one (see photo attachment).
Pluses:
1. While only 100 watts, the tip design is such that the highest resistance is right at the very tip where you need the heat. It narrows there.
2. Because only the tip heats up, the gun reaches melting temp in only one second. It starts glowing red in two. It's like the microwave oven of soldering guns.
3. The tip makes mechanical connection back in the case, not near the working end. This means that there's not a lot of temperature change there and the connection remains good almost forever. This gun works every time you pick it up with no need for tip tightening.
4. The gun features a 1.5V bulb with a built-in focus lens.
5. The gun is very small and lightweight, making it easy to get around say--inside a pinball machine where mine spent a lot of time in the 80's.
6. The tip will last a lifetime if you don't pull the trigger a lot just to see it turn red hot.
7. These guns sell on Ebay for less than 10 dollars.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...rue&rt=nc&si=MpiMpLrlSm%2FkH8ekLXyXrcuo69Y%3D
Minuses:
1. The case is very fragile bakelite plastic. Drop it once and it cracks.
2. They quit making this gun in the late 60's. If you do need a new tip, it would be hard to find, but not impossible--they show up on Ebay now and then.
I'm not the tech that many here at klov are, but I think if you use one you'll get hooked. Anybody agree/disagree? Any better gun out there?
I had a soldering gun back then that I used for most things--a Wen #100. It was 100 watts but worked better than any gun I've used since. Here are some of the pluses and minuses as I saw it about that gun. Mine still works, but the case is broken. I found one last month on Ebay and was happy to have a pristine one (see photo attachment).
Pluses:
1. While only 100 watts, the tip design is such that the highest resistance is right at the very tip where you need the heat. It narrows there.
2. Because only the tip heats up, the gun reaches melting temp in only one second. It starts glowing red in two. It's like the microwave oven of soldering guns.
3. The tip makes mechanical connection back in the case, not near the working end. This means that there's not a lot of temperature change there and the connection remains good almost forever. This gun works every time you pick it up with no need for tip tightening.
4. The gun features a 1.5V bulb with a built-in focus lens.
5. The gun is very small and lightweight, making it easy to get around say--inside a pinball machine where mine spent a lot of time in the 80's.
6. The tip will last a lifetime if you don't pull the trigger a lot just to see it turn red hot.
7. These guns sell on Ebay for less than 10 dollars.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...rue&rt=nc&si=MpiMpLrlSm%2FkH8ekLXyXrcuo69Y%3D
Minuses:
1. The case is very fragile bakelite plastic. Drop it once and it cracks.
2. They quit making this gun in the late 60's. If you do need a new tip, it would be hard to find, but not impossible--they show up on Ebay now and then.
I'm not the tech that many here at klov are, but I think if you use one you'll get hooked. Anybody agree/disagree? Any better gun out there?
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