"Cool Touch" Soldering Tool

Whilst this is a clever idea, I don't think that I would want to risk a spark-based iron, soldering on a board with LSI's on it, like they show on the website. Also, see #8 on their FAQs

Arfa

I know someone who for curiosity tried one. I would not use it on anything with electroncs connected to what is being soldered.

It is great for small gadgets and simple wire solders only to a certain degree. Nothing beats the proper conventional soldering tool for the required job.

Jerry G.

It might be some use for occasional field servicing - indeed I have a Draper cordless rechargeable that is similar, so I suppose using disposable batteries makes sense in some applications. However my sort of field servicing is likely fixing a broken XLR mic cable etc, so a gas iron is even better.

But all are too bulky for general work - and having to wait for it to heat up for each and every joint a pain.

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*Snowmen fall from Heaven unassembled*

    Dave Plowman        dave@davenoise.co.uk           London SW
                  To e-mail, change noise into sound.

I work in the salvage , store return business and have seen and messed with bunches of these . They would be very good in certain situations even on circuit boards . The biggest problem is that split tip . Its made of some sort of carbon and will break off REAL easy . You need to push the tip into the metal or wire you want to solder hard enough so it will contact both sides of the split tip . To hard and SNAP .

3/4 of the ones i see returned have broken tips . I sat and removed several parts from junk tv chassis . It worked great and fast . After 20 or more heatings the tip did get hot and stay hot for a bit . The batterys stayed up . A plus side if you have one in your tool box .. the LED light on it makes a good little flashlight because the tip does not get hot when not used . They should have used that as a selling point .... you know after the tip breaks .

How do you _unsolder_ with it?

Desolder braid and then pull? ;-)

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*Beauty is in the eye of the beer holder...

Dave Plowman snipped-for-privacy@davenoise.co.uk London SW To e-mail, change noise into sound.