Phase linear 4000 problem

[laatsch55]

600....but don't dwaddle...wet the tip of the iron before contact...

 

[62vauxhall]

600....but don't dwaddle...wet the tip of the iron before contact...

That gave me a flash image of licking the tip like some do a pencil before writing with it.

 

[pennysdad]

That gave me a flash image of licking the tip like some do a pencil before writing with it.

That's what I do....

 

[pennysdad]

600....but don't dwaddle...wet the tip of the iron before contact...

600??? Is yours nuclear powered?
My old Weller wouldn't do anything near that I don't think. Time to get something better then. Maybe an arc welder!

 

[George S.]

Farenheit, not Celsius, I run my irons and desoldering guns at 700 deg farenheit calibrated on a Hakko thermocouple made for this purpose. 700 F is 371 C.

 

[pennysdad]

We use C in Oz. Didn't think of F 'til after my panic attack...

 

[mlucitt]

Temperature does not indicate the power of the iron to heat a large mass of metal. My 15 Watt soldering pencil heats to 750 Deg F, but wimps out on anything larger than 16 Gage wire.
Check the power rating, should be 40W or 60W for what we do. I have an old school large iron for the buss bar, it is 200W. Whether you use 120V or 240V, Celsius or Fahrenheit, the wattage has to be adequate for the job.

Once you have sufficient power, you can adjust the temperature to work with the solder you have selected. Always use the lowest temperature that will flow the solder, typically between 600 and 700 degrees F will work.

 

[George S.]

We use C in Oz. Didn't think of F 'til after my panic attack...[/QUOTE

Temperature does not indicate the power of the iron to heat a large mass of metal. My 15 Watt soldering pencil heats to 750 Deg F, but wimps out on anything larger than 16 Gage wire.
Check the power rating, should be 40W or 60W for what we do. I have an old school large iron for the buss bar, it is 200W. Whether you use 120V or 240V, Celsius or Fahrenheit, the wattage has to be adequate for the job.

Once you have sufficient power, you can adjust the temperature to work with the solder you have selected. Always use the lowest temperature that will flow the solder, typically between 600 and 700 degrees F will work.

Yeah man, on the left is the "Old School" Weller Expert 100/140 watt, on the right are two 200 watt irons, the red handle was made by Hexacon of Roselle Park NJ, the black by American Electrical Heater of Detroit. The Weller handles the bus bars nicely.
The 200 watters are ex Air Force from the 60s, used for aircraft wiring such as soldering big lugs onto big cables where using a torch is prohibited.
Size/wattage matters.

 

[mlucitt]

the black by American Electrical Heater of Detroit.

The 200 Watt iron I have is a Craftsman with a cloth covered cord. It looks exactly like the black handled iron you have and was probably made by American Electrical Heater of Detroit, back in the day when Detroit put out some good iron.
That iron takes forever to heat up (and cool down) but I bet I could start a Saturn V rocket engine with it!

 

[George S.]

The 200 Watt iron I have is a Craftsman with a cloth covered cord. It looks exactly like the black handled iron you have and was probably made by American Electrical Heater of Detroit, back in the day when Detroit put out some good iron.
That iron takes forever to heat up (and cool down) but I bet I could start a Saturn V rocket engine with it!

Yes, indeed! Plug it in, walk away and do something else while it heats up! I've used them for making battery cables for cars, but it's easier and faster just fire up a butane or propane torch. They were used by my father doing Fairchild C-119 (The Flying Boxcar) electrical work.
https://images.app.goo.gl/szwmSQ4B1dcKNURi7

 

[pennysdad]

I remember these from High School Metal Shop back in the 60's.

 

[George S.]

I remember these from High School Metal Shop back in the 60's.
View attachment 49956

Oh yes, I have one of those also. Inherited it with a bunch a ancient wood working tools and carpenters box from a great, great grandfather who worked for the railroad as a carpenter back when railcars where made with wood sides.
Always wondered how they heated those up, coal fire in a cast iron stove or acetylene torch I suppose. How did you do it in school and what were you soldering?

 

[pennysdad]

We used a mini gas fired oven/furnace type thingie. I just can't remember what it was called.
It was brick or clay lined with short legs to keep it up off the bench.
Similar to this:

 

[pennysdad]

Oh yes, I have one of those also. Inherited it with a bunch a ancient wood working tools and carpenters box from a great, great grandfather who worked for the railroad as a carpenter back when railcars where made with wood sides.
Always wondered how they heated those up, coal fire in a cast iron stove or acetylene torch I suppose. How did you do it in school and what were you soldering?

Have you seen the prices some collectors a paying for old wood working 'planes'? Thousands!
I saw a segment on a collectors show recently and this bloke had hundreds and hundreds of 'em.
I'm [was] a 3rd generation Railways man. My Grandad, Dad and me.

 

[George S.]

We used a mini gas fired oven/furnace type thingie. I just can't remember what it was called.
It was brick or clay lined with short legs to keep it up off the bench.
Similar to this:
View attachment 49957

I now remember seeing those little furnaces back when I was a kid, I just forgot about them. So that's what they were for! I remember old tinwork that was soldered together and how lead poisoning was a new "thing" to be aware of.

 

[George S.]

Have you seen the prices some collectors a paying for old wood working 'planes'? Thousands!
I saw a segment on a collectors show recently and this bloke had hundreds and hundreds of 'em.
I'm [was] a 3rd generation Railways man. My Grandad, Dad and me.

Yup, thousands of $. This next weekend when I'm home I'll post some photos of the box and tools, it's huge. Most everything one would need to build a post and beam or log cabin. Several planes in it, but they are very primitive. Not like the British made ones that are ornate.

 

[pennysdad]

I now remember seeing those little furnaces back when I was a kid, I just forgot about them. So that's what they were for! I remember old tinwork that was soldered together and how lead poisoning was a new "thing" to be aware of.

Lead was everywhere when I was a kid. It hadn't got it's bad rap yet.
We were all playing with it. Melting it. Making our own coins. It was fun making stuff.
... and now, we're all dead!

 

[pennysdad]

Yup, thousands of $. This next weekend when I'm home I'll post some photos of the box and tools, it's huge. Most everything one would need to build a post and beam or log cabin. Several planes in it, but they are very primitive. Not like the British made ones that are ornate.

It's the little wooden ones that craftsmen revere the most. They are so touchy to set up but offer the best feel in the hand.
The later model Stanley are the ones I remember from school.

 

[MarkWComer]

Have you seen the prices some collectors a paying for old wood working 'planes'? Thousands!

Seriously? Kilobucks for these? These were my dad’s, I remember watching him take doors off the hinges and planing them to make them close properly.

 

[pennysdad]

If you had some of these, you'd be a very happy chappy...
https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/2-ANTIQ...791411?hash=item2b02c0ebb3:g:VsUAAOSwqshgWg96