Wood Burner as a Soldering Iron?

Gyrofist · February 16, 2011, 03:52:13 PM

Hey everyone,
So my parts are on the way for my first pedal project and I just wondering...I don't have a soldering iron, but I do have a 25W wood burning iron with interchangeable tips (I bought a soldering iron tip and it fits it perfectly). I was just wondering if anyone's done it, or whether it would work, to use a wood burning iron in place of a soldering iron? I'm wondering because there are quite a few irons that are advertised as being both, and they do look almost the exact same, so for a beginner, just want to clarify. I have an old broken NES Advantage control that I've taken the circuit board out of to practice soldering on a bit before working on my actual pedal. Should I just try it out on that board to see if it works? How will I know whether it's too hot or not?

Now I know that you can get proper soldering irons for pretty cheap, so it wouldn't be a big setback if I had to get one, but I figure why go spend the money on one if I have something that'll work already. Anyways, any ideas feel free to speak your mind.
Corey

petemoore · February 16, 2011, 04:22:42 PM

If it works:
A bic lighter, woodburner, or heated knife 'work'.
The shape of the tip and it's temperature being the first immediate 'possible concerns'.
And the woodburner tip will be exposed to heated corrosives that will tend to destroy it.
Otherwise...why not ?
I believe the elements could be swapped and otherwise they are very nearly if not the same thing except the tip metal content/treatments and the way it fits in.

pazuzu · February 16, 2011, 04:56:27 PM

a cheap soldering iron is maybe 10$...

blooze_man · February 16, 2011, 06:08:19 PM

I used a woodburner once. It worked fine besides the tip getting destroyed but if you had a soldering tip I don't see why it wouldn't work. Either way, do yourself a favor and do NOT buy a $10 iron.

waltk · February 16, 2011, 06:32:14 PM

It might work... but if it doesn't work (or doesn't work well) you'll be left wondering it if the woodburner's fault, or your own lack of skill. The first time I put together a PCB, I used a soldering iron with a tip that was too big. That, combined with my inexperience, made an awful mess. When I tried again with a decent soldering iron, is was A LOT easier. A good iron is joy to use.

reddo · February 16, 2011, 06:59:19 PM

If you have the right tip it will work. They are both a heating element, some sort of tip and a handle with an AC plug. Radio Shack's cheapo soldering iron is
30 or 35 watts, so you are in the right range. You will want a small pencil tip for PCB work. Trying it out on a test piece is a good idea you, can decide if the tip is too big, plus some practice
soldering before your first pedal is a good idea.

pazuzu · February 16, 2011, 07:07:27 PM

Quote from: blooze_man on February 16, 2011, 06:08:19 PM
I used a woodburner once. It worked fine besides the tip getting destroyed but if you had a soldering tip I don't see why it wouldn't work. Either way, do yourself a favor and do NOT buy a $10 iron.

i have been using a 10$ iron for years.

ItZaLLgOOd · February 17, 2011, 09:29:06 AM

In my neck of the woods "wood burner" is what some use to heat their house.

I'm glad your not trying to use a wood burning stove to solder.

Paul Marossy · February 17, 2011, 09:48:57 AM

Quote from: blooze_man on February 16, 2011, 06:08:19 PM
Either way, do yourself a favor and do NOT buy a $10 iron.

I agree. I've had a couple of RadioShack irons, and they really are pretty lame compared to real ones. The tips don't last very long at all, either.

pazuzu · February 17, 2011, 12:54:48 PM

i just pull the tip out, chuck it up in my drill, and spin it over a mill file. i really do things half-assed, but it works for me. i am just to cheap to buy a weller.

Gyrofist · February 17, 2011, 02:34:46 PM

Quote from: ItZaLLgOOd on February 17, 2011, 09:29:06 AM
In my neck of the woods "wood burner" is what some use to heat their house.

I'm glad your not trying to use a wood burning stove to solder.

Haha, would be hilarious to see someone give that a try. Thanks everyone for the help. I have a few actual soldering iron tips, which fit the woodburning iron perfectly, so I'll give it a try on some spare parts and let you all know how it turns out.

Joecool85 · February 17, 2011, 03:39:09 PM

Quote from: pazuzu on February 17, 2011, 12:54:48 PM
i just pull the tip out, chuck it up in my drill, and spin it over a mill file. i really do things half-assed, but it works for me. i am just to cheap to buy a weller.

I take the dremel to it periodically if it needs cleaning up. Just make sure to tin it up after or it'll go to hell real quick.

petemoore · February 17, 2011, 04:59:54 PM

Do as you see fit with the tips.
They're just tips.
But the 'fancier' ones actually have a plating which conducts and protects the inner metal and they're more expensive/less expensive [ie to buy to start off with/to use on regular basis].
Either way is worth it IME. 10buxx is pretty bad and very good also.
100 buxx is extremely good and terrible too...
Hit or miss, weight the features vs. cost vs/anything else ?
Better iron than junk is indeed a little nicer than junk.

pazuzu · February 17, 2011, 09:26:55 PM

Quote from: Joecool85 on February 17, 2011, 03:39:09 PM
Quote from: pazuzu on February 17, 2011, 12:54:48 PM
i just pull the tip out, chuck it up in my drill, and spin it over a mill file. i really do things half-assed, but it works for me. i am just to cheap to buy a weller.

I take the dremel to it periodically if it needs cleaning up. Just make sure to tin it up after or it'll go to hell real quick.

heheh, yea this tip went to hell a long time ago. it's basically just copper at this point. you guys don't even want to know the bass ackwards soldering technique i use to make it work.

Joecool85 · February 18, 2011, 08:19:27 AM

Quote from: petemoore on February 17, 2011, 04:59:54 PM
Do as you see fit with the tips.
They're just tips.
But the 'fancier' ones actually have a plating which conducts and protects the inner metal and they're more expensive/less expensive [ie to buy to start off with/to use on regular basis].
Either way is worth it IME. 10buxx is pretty bad and very good also.
100 buxx is extremely good and terrible too...
Hit or miss, weight the features vs. cost vs/anything else ?
Better iron than junk is indeed a little nicer than junk.

I agree. Now that I take better care of my tips (cleaning them off when done etc) they last a heck of a lot longer and I don't need to dremel them, I just replace it periodically. I get the cheapie Radio Shack ones because for now it's the best I can afford. They work quite well as long as you keep them clean.

Taylor · February 18, 2011, 09:58:32 PM

Quote from: Paul Marossy on February 17, 2011, 09:48:57 AM
Quote from: blooze_man on February 16, 2011, 06:08:19 PM
Either way, do yourself a favor and do NOT buy a $10 iron.

I agree. I've had a couple of RadioShack irons, and they really are pretty lame compared to real ones. The tips don't last very long at all, either.

But come on guys, indeed a good iron is better than a bad one, but a bad soldering iron is better at being an soldering iron than something that's not a soldering iron.

A Hyundai sucks, but it's better at being a car than a Big Wheel is.

"Should I put rubber tires on my Big Wheel, or buy a Hyundai?"
"Put the tires on the Big Wheel. Hyundais are garbage."

Joecool85 · February 20, 2011, 07:43:21 AM

Quote from: Taylor on February 18, 2011, 09:58:32 PM
But come on guys, indeed a good iron is better than a bad one, but a bad soldering iron is better at being an soldering iron than something that's not a soldering iron.

A Hyundai sucks, but it's better at being a car than a Big Wheel is.

"Should I put rubber tires on my Big Wheel, or buy a Hyundai?"
"Put the tires on the Big Wheel. Hyundais are garbage."

Hahahaha! That made my morning.

Also, I need to invest in a better soldering iron at some point. What would you guys suggest? Right now I just have a 15/30w dual wattage RadioShack unit. It works, but it's nothing special.

Gyrofist · February 21, 2011, 01:59:14 PM

Okay, so I tried out using the woodburner as a soldering iron last night, and it didn't exactly go over well. It seems to heat up to far down the component and doesn't heat up enough locally, so it ended up melting the insulation on the wiring before getting the wire where I was trying too solder hot enough to melt the solder...so I think I'm just going to buy myself a decent soldering iron and make sure that that's not what it is...though I'm a newb, so that could be it too, but I'll eventually want a good iron, so may as well start of with one. There's this Weller at the Canadian Tire, would it be any good?:

http://www.canadiantire.ca/AST/browse/6/Tools/WeldingSoldering/Soldering/PRDOVR~0586309P/Weller%252B25W%252BSoldering%252BIron%252BKit.jsp?locale=en
Or should I invest some extra money and try to find a dual wattage one? I figure if the wattage is right to begin with, the dual wattage is unnecessary. Anyways, any help would be appreciated.
Corey

Joecool85 · February 21, 2011, 02:14:33 PM

Quote from: Gyrofist on February 21, 2011, 01:59:14 PM
Okay, so I tried out using the woodburner as a soldering iron last night, and it didn't exactly go over well. It seems to heat up to far down the component and doesn't heat up enough locally, so it ended up melting the insulation on the wiring before getting the wire where I was trying too solder hot enough to melt the solder...so I think I'm just going to buy myself a decent soldering iron and make sure that that's not what it is...though I'm a newb, so that could be it too, but I'll eventually want a good iron, so may as well start of with one. There's this Weller at the Canadian Tire, would it be any good?:

http://www.canadiantire.ca/AST/browse/6/Tools/WeldingSoldering/Soldering/PRDOVR~0586309P/Weller%252B25W%252BSoldering%252BIron%252BKit.jsp?locale=en
Or should I invest some extra money and try to find a dual wattage one? I figure if the wattage is right to begin with, the dual wattage is unnecessary. Anyways, any help would be appreciated.
Corey

That would be a fine starting iron. Heck, it's probably better than the RadioShack one I use now.

Taylor · February 21, 2011, 02:25:29 PM

For both of you guys, here's what I have:

http://sra-solder.com/product.php/6145/0

I can't recommend it enough. I was using Radio Shack irons and tips before this, and those tips corrode so fast that I was buying new tips pretty regularly. Instead of that, I should have just bought the Aoyue originally. The tips it uses have a special coating that keeps them from getting oxidized and corroded - each tip lasts me about 4-6 months of very heavy usage. Having real temperature control is amazing. The iron itself is much smaller and lighter, easier to hold and maneuver in tight spots, and doesn't burn you when you've had it on too long. It heats up in seconds, to full temperature, and being temp controlled, it maintains a steady temp whether you're soldering onto thick aluminum or it's just sitting.

I don't doubt that there are better irons out there at higher price points, but for 50 bones I couldn't be happier with this guy. I've had it about a year and a half, going strong, and I solder everyday with it.

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Wood Burner as a Soldering Iron?