Portable gas soldering iron?

[BillyH]

Are the cheap and cheerful eBay jobbies any good or do I need to splash the cash. It's not something I would use on a regular basis but would be useful to have on the van just in case. What should I look for? How much should I pay? Occasional soldering duties and heat shrinking

 

[vjsmarwick]

Just read your post can only give you one bit of advice and that is put it in your van not on your van or no matter which one you buy it will be money wasted ; ) as for which one you get what you pay for so only you know what you can afford but good luck anyway

 

[BillyH]

Just read your post can only give you one bit of advice and that is put it in your van not on your van or no matter which one you buy it will be money wasted ; ) as for which one you get what you pay for so only you know what you can afford but good luck anyway

Thank you for your very useful advice!

 

[amlu]

iroda solderpro
IRODA - SOLDERPRO 70K SOLDERING IRON KIT - BRAND NEW AND UNOPENED | eBay
managed to pick mine discounted in maplins couple of years ago, good piece of kit, comes with small blowtorch attachment too for heatshirnks etc.

 

[brman]

iroda solderpro
IRODA - SOLDERPRO 70K SOLDERING IRON KIT - BRAND NEW AND UNOPENED | eBay
managed to pick mine discounted in maplins couple of years ago, good piece of kit, comes with small blowtorch attachment too for heatshirnks etc.

I've got one of those. last time i used it it went up in flames. maybe I was just unlucky.....

 

[Deleted member 26818]

I use a make called Portasol, comes with 4 different size bits, a knife bit and a hot air bit.

 

[tazz]

We got fed up with gas soldering irons, no matter how much we spent. Purchased a small little battery pack 200w mains invertor from maplins for £39, now we just charge and use 25w mains soldering irons...plus we can use to charge drills phone, so it gets used

 

[SirKit Breaker]

Got mine from Aldi a year or 2 ago. Doesnt get a lot of use now, but was always good and reliable, Cost about a tenner, and comes with all sorts of attachments. I always had a blow torch in my van, and a few plumbing bits and pieces, i have had to fix what i broke on more than one occasion.

Cheers........Howard

 

[not clever]

Make sure your insurance covers you for hot work

 

[UNG]

I have a couple of these Portasol - Super Pro Gas Soldering Iron Kit - SPK - Alan Cooke-Sanderson from when I did radio comms work on masts. Superb bit of kit and wouldn't be without it

 

[grantr37]

Irodo seems to have taken over from Antex for Gas soldering irons from what I gather, I have an Antex Gascat 70 soldering Iron and the replacement bits from Irodo all fit it, also the new Irodo soldering Irons all look 100% the same as the Antex ones that used to be on sale which no longer seem to be sold/manufactured, the only difference is that they are blue and the Antex ones were yellow....
I only use Antex Electric soldering Irons, they are the best ones I have used and I like them, have been using for years now, and I have an Antex gas one, the Irodo Gas soldering Irons are good, they have them on special offer in Maplins every year around this time, I get a maplin special offer booklet in the post a few times a year and I'm sure that the gas soldering irons are on offer at the moment...
for heatshrink I use a small gas torch instead of the heat attachment on a soldering iron as it has a bigger flame, I have one with Flame master printed on the side of it, I bought it in Maplins years ago and it fills up with the yellow tins of lighter gas....

at full price the soldering iron kit is about £40 and on offer its about £15.....handy to have one in the toolbox for when you want to tin something or solder a tag connection or the likes....

 

[grantr37]

I could only find 1 picture of the flame master on the internet on google images, might be discontinued now.....could look in maplin anyway as they will still be selling something similar I'm sure....

 

[Deleted member 26818]

I have a couple of these Portasol - Super Pro Gas Soldering Iron Kit - SPK - Alan Cooke-Sanderson from when I did radio comms work on masts. Superb bit of kit and wouldn't be without it

I have the older model of one of these.

 

[static zap]

IRODA - SOLDERPRO has a bigger brother 140W , those bits are different

with no bit its a blow torch ! ( bits 21 pnd Maplin --Ouch )

 

[steve50]

i use this one i find it is very good Buy Soldering Irons Piezo auto-ignition gas iron,20-125W Antex Electronics XG12P20 online from RS for next day delivery.