solder pots, not potentiometers, but solder pots?

[JisforJustin]

Like these:

http://www.jameco.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CategoryDisplay?storeId=10001&catalogId=10001&langId=-1&categoryId=602060

Has anyone used them?

This guy on Ebay is selling a tool for dipping your circuits into solder pots:

http://cgi.ebay.com/SOLDER-POT-CIRCUIT-HOLDING-TOOL-SOLDERING-TOOL_W0QQitemZ7588490497QQcategoryZ71394QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD1VQQcmdZViewItem

So I assume that you wire up your board and put all your components in and dip your board into the solder pot and voila you have a soldered board. Has anyone used this kind of setup before?

[JisforJustin]

OK one use for solder pots would be pre-tinning a whole bunch of wire all at the same time:

Copper wires are usually tinned by dipping them into flux (view A of figure 2-25) and then into a solder bath (pot) (view B of the figure).

http://tpub.com/neets/book4/12i.htm

OR for dip soldering...

Here is a partially automated way to dip solder PCBs, everyone needs one:

http://www.apsgold.com/pdf_public/Bdipper.pdf

Here is a good overview of what solder pots are all about:

http://www.americanbeautytools.com/bulletins.php?cat=9

[R.G.]

Shoot, I bet you could get a small wave-solder machine pretty cheap. You're going to need one soon anyway, right?

[JisforJustin]

Thats a good idea RG!

I dont know how cheap they are, though:

http://cgi.ebay.com/LEAD-FREE-WAVESOLDER-BRAND-NEW-Wave-Solder-LeadFree_W0QQitemZ110047850160QQcategoryZ58293QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD1VQQcmdZViewItem

[jonathan perez]

why not just solder the good yet to fail old fashioned way?

[pjwhite]

Solder pots are also really useful for unsoldering parts from PCBs.  You can grab an IC on a board with a pair of pliers, float the board on the solder pot for a couple of seconds, and pull the IC right out of the board.

[JisforJustin]

Nice, that would be handy.

Anyone ever done any dip soldering?