Martin McCormick writes:

> 	Is there any type of good soldering gun that is very tiny,
> heats up fast, and doesn't use nicads or uses user-replaceable cells?
> 
> 	The Wahl Isotips are the best I have seen except for the nicad
> problem so that is why I am using that as the benchmark.  When the
> cells are good and charged, the tip gets the work hot enough fast
> enough to get the job done right.

Have you considered opening up the Wahl unit, removing the factory
NiCads, and re-wiring the unit for an external power source?  The
external power source could be a pack of NiMHs, or simply your
current-limited bench power supply.

I recently found my 20-year old Wahl Isotip unit, which I put into a
box for deep storage some 18 years ago when the batteries went bad.
I've been meaning to do exactly this ever since I re-discovered it.

The unit sure was very convenient for those times when you are
breadboarding and need to solder some leads on a single component
(such as a pot)

However, I think this will just be a stop-gap solution until I can
splurge on a Metcal unit (which is just looking more and more
attractive with each new tidbit I learn about them)

-p.
_______________________________________________
http://www.piclist.com
View/change your membership options at
http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist