omega0684
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| posted on 28/1/11 at 04:36 PM |
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Recommend me a Good Soldering Iron & Avometer
afternoon all,
after vertually rewiring my entire car i've come to the descision that soldering iron is pooh, it takes forever to warm up its not temperature
adjustable and it forever needs cleaning.
im also after a avometer, ideally small, light weight and compact. my current one is a dad special, 20 years old and the size of a kids lunch box!
not too worried about budget at the moment as long as its not uber expensive!
Any help welcome, i know the must be some car sparkies out there, so what kind of kit do you use?
All the best
Alex
[Edited on 28/1/11 by omega0684]
I love Pinto's, even if i did get mine from P&O!
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HowardB
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| posted on 28/1/11 at 04:41 PM |
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try maplin, good stuff,....
get a high wattage iron, they are better, and quicker to use.
ensure that your meter is one where you can't try to measure amps on the volts scale or vissa verssa,...
hope that helps
Howard
Fisher Fury was 2000 Zetec - now a 1600 (it Lives again  and goes zoom)
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SeaBass
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| posted on 28/1/11 at 05:11 PM |
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I bought a Weller gas iron @ a Machine Mart VAT free evening to replace my Antex that gave up the ghost. It's been invaluable for car wiring,
you don't have to run an extension - I sorted all the problems on a friends Europa Twincam outdoors on one refill. If you know Lotus wiring
you'll appreciate how long that took. I do still have a Rapid electric iron for benchwork and a lower power iron for sensitive devices.
As for Multi meter - Maplin are good or eBay. I've got a couple one for proper electronics and another UNI-T specifically for car work with an
RPM setting and dwell for the VW flat fours I work on.
Cheers
JC
[Edited on 28/1/11 by SeaBass]
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britishtrident
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| posted on 28/1/11 at 05:13 PM |
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Really no point in spending a lot on a DMM these days I have a collection of meters of various quality but I have a cheap Uni-T UT203 that I find
has become the one I use all the time it autoranging has a clamp meter built in that will measure DC current. For the ebay price it is mazingly
good quality If you buy one make sure you get the right model as the older UT201 clamp ammeter is AC only.
see Ebay item. 190390435460
I can also recommend a little ammeter with a blade fuse plug for checking out current rather than using a DMM You can get them in blade, mini blade
or maxi blade sizes.
http://www.shopwiki.co.uk/Automotive+Current+Testerstd
See also ebay item 190390435460
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whitestu
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| posted on 28/1/11 at 05:25 PM |
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I like the SolderPro gas irons for car use as they heat up dead quick and don't need a lead trailing behind.
Stu
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hootsno1
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| posted on 28/1/11 at 06:27 PM |
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tool station do a kit it comes with 2 irons clamps solder clamps solder sucker and a magnifying glass for the blind and a case for £20
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cliftyhanger
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| posted on 28/1/11 at 06:50 PM |
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Antex are good soldering irons, cheap ones are often a bit naff and short lifespan.
As to meter, what do you use it fior?
I have several of the £2.50 dmms, find they do most things, even have a 10A facility. Plus I don't lose sleep when one dies.
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Confused but excited.
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| posted on 28/1/11 at 07:43 PM |
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If you want an iron that will last for years, the only one to get is a Weller but NOT the gun type. Either mains or a 24v 50watt one, with changeable
sintered iron tips.
I have two of the 24v, 50W ones that were initially bought for electronic production work. Twenty years later they are working just fine. One still
has the original tip.
They ain't cheap but have worked out cheaper over time than using crappy Antex ones with copper tips that just disappear (the flux corrodes the
copper tips away) after a few hours work.
Tell them about the bent treacle edges!
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rusty nuts
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| posted on 28/1/11 at 08:04 PM |
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Got a gas powered iron from Snap On and have never looked back, quick warm up , loads of attachments, small , adjustable , no lead and fully portable
. My Weller irons haven't been used since I got it. The only down side is it wasn't cheap but has paid for itself loads of times.
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r1_pete
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| posted on 28/1/11 at 09:17 PM |
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If your AVO is something like this, they take some beating in my opinion, mines from 1969, and still does the job and more.
 
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wilkingj
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| posted on 29/1/11 at 12:47 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by r1_pete
If your AVO is something like this, they take some beating in my opinion, mines from 1969, and still does the job and more.
The Engineers Friend.... Its just a pity they have stopped making the Avo Mk8.
Thay may be big and heavy, but they are the dogs dangly bits as far as us old timers are concerned.
Wouldnt swap mine for anything.
I also have a cheap DMM, and this is good as well, but you cant beat a meter with a needle and mirror scale on it 
1. The point of a journey is not to arrive.
2. Never take life seriously. Nobody gets out alive anyway.
Best Regards
Geoff
http://www.v8viento.co.uk
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