Trains.com

Subscriber & Member Login

Login, or register today to interact in our online community, comment on articles, receive our newsletter, manage your account online and more!

resistance soldering irons

1804 views
9 replies
1 rating 2 rating 3 rating 4 rating 5 rating
  • Member since
    September 2002
  • 7,478 posts
resistance soldering irons
Posted by ndbprr on Saturday, April 8, 2023 1:43 PM

Cheapest one I can find is Micromark for $199.00.  They run to over $1000,  why so expensive?

  • Member since
    June 2005
  • 4,359 posts
Posted by Darth Santa Fe on Saturday, April 8, 2023 4:15 PM

My guess would be more precise engineering and a more complex control system.  A regular soldering iron is nothing but a heating element with a current controller, so it can be made very cheaply.

_________________________________________________________________

  • Member since
    September 2003
  • 21,544 posts
Posted by Overmod on Saturday, April 8, 2023 4:43 PM

ndbprr
Cheapest one I can find is Micromark for $199.00.  They run to over $1000,  why so expensive?

Read through this and get back to me if you still have technical questions:

https://steamtraininfo.com/resistance-soldering/resistance-soldering-unit

  • Member since
    April 2021
  • From: saskabush
  • 127 posts
Posted by wvgca on Saturday, April 8, 2023 4:56 PM

they are worth every penny ... don't be so cheap ....

a good brand is american beauty ...

  • Member since
    September 2002
  • 7,478 posts
Posted by ndbprr on Saturday, April 8, 2023 7:30 PM

great info.  thanks

  • Member since
    January 2017
  • From: Southern Florida Gulf Coast
  • 18,255 posts
Posted by SeeYou190 on Sunday, April 9, 2023 5:14 AM

I have never used one. I seem to read about them being used for scratchbuilding brass locomotives.

What else are they good for?

-Kevin

Living the dream.

  • Member since
    September 2004
  • From: Dearborn Station
  • 24,175 posts
Posted by richhotrain on Sunday, April 9, 2023 5:57 AM

SeeYou190

I have never used one. I seem to read about them being used for scratchbuilding brass locomotives.

What else are they good for?

-Kevin 

Good question.

As Edwin Starr put it in a song, absolutely nothing!

Rich

Alton Junction

  • Member since
    April 2002
  • From: Frankfort, Indiana
  • 424 posts
Posted by Morpar on Sunday, April 9, 2023 7:02 AM

richhotrain

 

 
SeeYou190

I have never used one. I seem to read about them being used for scratchbuilding brass locomotives.

What else are they good for?

-Kevin 

 

 

Good question.

 

As Edwin Starr put it in a song, absolutely nothing!

Rich

 

I have to disagree here. I bought the one from MicroMark and once I got the hang of it I love it. I wouldn't use it for electronics as I have heard (but don't recall where) the resistance method can damage them. But for everything else it is fantastic. I am in the process of laying track and I use the resistance soldering rig for soldering rail joiners in the curves and adding my power feeder wires to the track. All with no melted plastic ties.

Good Luck, Morpar

  • Member since
    April 2021
  • From: saskabush
  • 127 posts
Posted by wvgca on Sunday, April 9, 2023 6:35 PM

SeeYou190

I have never used one. I seem to read about them being used for scratchbuilding brass locomotives.

What else are they good for?

-Kevin

 

 
they can be used for many other things, including track, feeders, plastic loco assembly, putting -some- structures togther ...
they shouldn't be used for electronic assembly as they can put low voltage and high current to the item being soldered ..
  • Member since
    January 2017
  • From: Southern Florida Gulf Coast
  • 18,255 posts
Posted by SeeYou190 on Sunday, April 9, 2023 10:57 PM

I upgraded to this high quality Weller soldering station a couple of years ago.

-Photograph by Kevin Parson

It has made soldering feeders (which was never very hard) extremely fast and easy.

-Kevin

Living the dream.

Subscriber & Member Login

Login, or register today to interact in our online community, comment on articles, receive our newsletter, manage your account online and more!

Users Online

There are no community member online

Search the Community

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Model Railroader Newsletter See all
Sign up for our FREE e-newsletter and get model railroad news in your inbox!