As a ham who happens to be blind, I have been soldering for
near 40 years. Yes, it certainly can be done, but it works best if
one does a few things differently.

One thing that helps a lot is if the soldering appliance such
as a soldering gun heats very fast. This lets you position everything
safely without burning either fingers or the work before applying
heat.

The first soldering I ever did was with a Weller gun. They do
heat relatively fast and let you put the tip where it needs to be just
as you pull the trigger.

My all-time favorite soldering tool for small work is the Wahl
cordless gun with the smallest tip they sell. I believe it is called
the Wahl Isotip.

This brings me to my question. Is there anything else which
has come along that heats a small tip rapidly, the faster the better?

I have even tried one of Radio Shack's butane-powered
soldering irons. They certainly work, but the experience is similar
to a continuously-on electric iron except one must be mindful of the
little flame inside the screened-in area at the tip base.

There was recently some discussion on the blind-hams mailing
list I am on about this topic and I thought I'd check to see if
anything has changed.

My only gripe about the cordless guns is that the nicads go
bad after two or three years and it is necessary to replace them.
Of course, the task of replacing them is a drag in that the challenge
is that of getting everything back in the case exactly the way it was
before. It can be done, but patience is very much in order.
--

Martin McCormick WB5AGZ Stillwater, OK
Information Technology Division Network Operations Group

My all-time favorite soldering tool for small work is the Wahl
cordless gun with the smallest tip they sell. I believe it is called
the Wahl Isotip.
=================
Indeed a very nice handy (cordless) soldering iron I have used regularly
since the mid 1980s
It is powered by 2 NiCad cells (total 2.4 V). and when not in use sits in a
table top charger which is very primitive.
The charger is no more than a tiny transformer with an internal diode.
The problem is that keeping the iron in the powered charger all the time for
readiness , there is no control and after some time the batteries get rather
warm.
I now have modified the charger by removing the transformer ,fixing the unit
on top of a separate plastic box inside which there is a 12 V transformer ,
small bridge rectifier , 1 electrolytic cap. ,a LM317 used as a constant
current device , 2 resistors , 2 LEDs a few diodes and a DPDT front panel
switch.

When not in use the switch is in trickle charge position ( 10 mA) with green
LED ON
When the iron is in use the switch is put in normal charge position (approx
300 mA) with red LED ON

3 small diodes in series are always in circuit causing an approx 1.9 V
voltage differential ,sufficient to light either LED.
This means that either LED is only ON when the iron is placed in its charger
.. Hence when the iron is placed in the charger and none of the LEDs are on
,there is a problem (bad charger contacts or blown fuse wire inside iron ,
the latter an unlikely event since modifying the charger)

I mainly use the fine tip Wahl Clipper Corp. nr 7566 costing US$ 6.75

Over the years I have replaced the batteries twice ( before modifying the
charger a few months ago )

Note : The fine tip is very handy when working with SMD components.

Frank GM0CSZ / KN6WH

My all-time favorite soldering tool for small work is the Wahl
cordless gun with the smallest tip they sell. I believe it is called
the Wahl Isotip.
=================
Indeed a very nice handy (cordless) soldering iron I have used regularly
since the mid 1980s
It is powered by 2 NiCad cells (total 2.4 V). and when not in use sits in a
table top charger which is very primitive.
The charger is no more than a tiny transformer with an internal diode.
The problem is that keeping the iron in the powered charger all the time for
readiness , there is no control and after some time the batteries get rather
warm.
I now have modified the charger by removing the transformer ,fixing the unit
on top of a separate plastic box inside which there is a 12 V transformer ,
small bridge rectifier , 1 electrolytic cap. ,a LM317 used as a constant
current device , 2 resistors , 2 LEDs a few diodes and a DPDT front panel
switch.

When not in use the switch is in trickle charge position ( 10 mA) with green
LED ON
When the iron is in use the switch is put in normal charge position (approx
300 mA) with red LED ON

3 small diodes in series are always in circuit causing an approx 1.9 V
voltage differential ,sufficient to light either LED.
This means that either LED is only ON when the iron is placed in its charger
.. Hence when the iron is placed in the charger and none of the LEDs are on
,there is a problem (bad charger contacts or blown fuse wire inside iron ,
the latter an unlikely event since modifying the charger)

I mainly use the fine tip Wahl Clipper Corp. nr 7566 costing US$ 6.75

Over the years I have replaced the batteries twice ( before modifying the
charger a few months ago )

Note : The fine tip is very handy when working with SMD components.

Frank GM0CSZ / KN6WH

Martin McCormick wrote:


As a ham who happens to be blind, I have been soldering for
near 40 years. Yes, it certainly can be done, but it works best if
one does a few things differently.

One thing that helps a lot is if the soldering appliance such
as a soldering gun heats very fast. This lets you position everything
safely without burning either fingers or the work before applying
heat.

The first soldering I ever did was with a Weller gun. They do
heat relatively fast and let you put the tip where it needs to be just
as you pull the trigger.

My all-time favorite soldering tool for small work is the Wahl
cordless gun with the smallest tip they sell. I believe it is called
the Wahl Isotip.

This brings me to my question. Is there anything else which
has come along that heats a small tip rapidly, the faster the better?

I have even tried one of Radio Shack's butane-powered
soldering irons. They certainly work, but the experience is similar
to a continuously-on electric iron except one must be mindful of the
little flame inside the screened-in area at the tip base.

Martin:

It works more along the lines of a regular soldering iron in that it
is intended to be turned on and then left on during a single soldering
session. But it does have a rapid heat up time and may be able to be used
in the way that you are speaking.

The device is a Metcal soldering station. The tip will go from
cold to hot and useable in about five seconds. The tip has the temperature
regulator built into it and the tip can be easily changed to different
types and temperatures that would be most suitable for the particular job.

Maybe you could use it with a foot switch to turn it on much as you
turn the sodering gun on now. The benefits would be to have a much lighter
hand piece. Easily changed tips. And more stable temperature at the tip.

Good luck and I hope this helps.

Al
ka0ies

Martin McCormick wrote:


As a ham who happens to be blind, I have been soldering for
near 40 years. Yes, it certainly can be done, but it works best if
one does a few things differently.

One thing that helps a lot is if the soldering appliance such
as a soldering gun heats very fast. This lets you position everything
safely without burning either fingers or the work before applying
heat.

The first soldering I ever did was with a Weller gun. They do
heat relatively fast and let you put the tip where it needs to be just
as you pull the trigger.

My all-time favorite soldering tool for small work is the Wahl
cordless gun with the smallest tip they sell. I believe it is called
the Wahl Isotip.

This brings me to my question. Is there anything else which
has come along that heats a small tip rapidly, the faster the better?

I have even tried one of Radio Shack's butane-powered
soldering irons. They certainly work, but the experience is similar
to a continuously-on electric iron except one must be mindful of the
little flame inside the screened-in area at the tip base.

Martin:

It works more along the lines of a regular soldering iron in that it
is intended to be turned on and then left on during a single soldering
session. But it does have a rapid heat up time and may be able to be used
in the way that you are speaking.

The device is a Metcal soldering station. The tip will go from
cold to hot and useable in about five seconds. The tip has the temperature
regulator built into it and the tip can be easily changed to different
types and temperatures that would be most suitable for the particular job.

Maybe you could use it with a foot switch to turn it on much as you
turn the sodering gun on now. The benefits would be to have a much lighter
hand piece. Easily changed tips. And more stable temperature at the tip.

Good luck and I hope this helps.

Al
ka0ies