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Main => Main Forum => Topic started by: SNAAKE on September 13, 2005, 02:19:14 pm

Title: REALLY thin solering pen ??
Post by: SNAAKE on September 13, 2005, 02:19:14 pm: Anybody know where I can get one...order online maybe ?? I seen this guy modding ps2 at this local VG place and he uses this really thin iron..its like a pen and I need one just like that.
I asked him where I can get one but since the guy is such a cake hole he said "I dont know" >:(

Thanks in advance !
Title: Re: REALLY thin solering pen ??
Post by: Effayy on September 13, 2005, 02:46:06 pm: I saw one at Canadian Tire a few weeks ago.
Title: Re: REALLY thin solering pen ??
Post by: PedroSilva on September 13, 2005, 03:00:15 pm: The tip seems to be very thick ...
Title: Re: REALLY thin solering pen ??
Post by: patrickl on September 13, 2005, 03:43:09 pm: I bought an SMD soldering set with a 12V soldering iron. This is especially for soldering these surface mounted chips. I used it on my PS2 (and some SMD projects) and it worked like a charm. Was really cheap too (6 euro) I ordered it from a dutch shop, but it shouldn't be hard to find something similar in the US. Wouldn't radio shack sell something like this?

(http://www1.nl2.conrad.com/xl/8000_8999/8300/8300/8302/830283_LB_00_FB.EPS.jpg)
Title: Re: REALLY thin solering pen ??
Post by: SoundDoc on September 13, 2005, 03:48:38 pm: I wouldn't even attempt to use one of those for anything more than tinning small wire.
Its a resistance based soldering tool, and from what I hear, your lucky you get 2 or 3 soldering "sessions" about 20 secs a piece on a set of batteries.

Plus, I wouldn't take it anywhere near a circuit board, or IC, or even a led for that matter. If you were to touch two pins of a IC with it, there flows the current, right throught the IC, more likely to smoke it than solder to it.

The one workstation I have that I prefer for most all small soldering is a weller temperature controlled 50W station. (EC 1002 I think). You can find them relatively cheap online, arround $100.00 and you can get quite a few small tips for them. The one I use for smt work is .015" at the tip, and about 1" long.

If your looking at modding ps2's or any other device that requires soldering to individal pins on a smt chip (ps2's especially where you may have 4 or 5 pins in a row that require wires) you need the finest tip you can find, and good temperature control (a illuminated magnifier doesn't hurt either)...

Hope this helps!

SoundDoc
Title: Re: REALLY thin solering pen ??
Post by: webgeek on September 13, 2005, 03:50:10 pm: I'm with SoundDoc, a good soldering station will serve you well for years to come. I use a Weller with interchangable tips as well.
Title: Re: REALLY thin solering pen ??
Post by: RayB on September 13, 2005, 04:40:07 pm: SoundDoc are you responding to Effay or Patrick?
Title: Re: REALLY thin solering pen ??
Post by: versapak on September 13, 2005, 06:37:00 pm: Quote from: RayB on September 13, 2005, 04:40:07 pm
SoundDoc are you responding to Effay or Patrick?

He was responding to Effay.
Title: Re: REALLY thin solering pen ??
Post by: spiffyshoes on September 13, 2005, 07:46:10 pm: ANTEX (http://www.hmcelectronics.com/cgi-bin/scripts/product/6520-0002) are supposed to be pretty good.
Title: Re: REALLY thin solering pen ??
Post by: MaximRecoil on September 13, 2005, 10:02:10 pm: Quote from: spiffyshoes on September 13, 2005, 07:46:10 pm
ANTEX (http://www.hmcelectronics.com/cgi-bin/scripts/product/6520-0002) are supposed to be pretty good.
Title: Re: REALLY thin solering pen ??
Post by: JB on September 13, 2005, 10:16:18 pm: Quote from: Effayy on September 13, 2005, 02:46:06 pm
I saw one at Canadian Tire a few weeks ago. It was an "As Seen on TV" item... Let me drudge up the details and get back to you in this thread...

EDIT: Here it is! I want one of these myself....

[Cold-Heat Soldering Pen] (http://www.tvproducts4less.com/cold-heat.html)

- FA
Problem is the ColdHeat arcs electricity to heat the solder.
Essentially a static discharge into any pin you're soldering on.

Makes it all but useless for electrical components.
Title: Re: REALLY thin solering pen ??
Post by: SNAAKE on September 14, 2005, 01:40:40 pm: Bump,thanks everyone.
Any others ??

As for that cold heat,I hear too many neg stuff about it it wont work for ps2 modding.
Title: Re: REALLY thin solering pen ??
Post by: patrickl on September 14, 2005, 01:54:22 pm: What difference are you looking for? I'd say both the Antex and mine would work fine. Those fine tips work great for PS/2 modding (did so myself)