Scored a Weller/Portasol Butane Soldering Thingamajig.

Found a Weller/Portasol Butane Soldering thing. In a garbage bin.

Had it for a couple of years. Finally took a look at it. Wasn't working. Bent a little wire (like gaping a sparkplug) so now it creates a spark and ignites.

Are these good units? I was expecting a flame to shoot out like a blow-torch, but it produces good heat. It has a tip on it that's about 1/4"... I'm thinking a different tip would be needed to solder with? Would they be a worthwhile investment? Is this better then an electric unit? Sorry to sound naive, but this is one tool that I know nothing about. I thought it might be a curling iron or a vibrator when I first saw it. LOL.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by moon111

Are these good units?

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I have one of these:
http://www.joerns-gmbh.de/reparatur/...echnik_jpg.htm
And it's fine for odd jobs but I wouldn't use it as a bench iron. I use mine out in the field at work for those odd jobs when I need one.

Just be careful not to get your other hand too close to the exhaust port...

Yours must be different if it has a wire on the igniter, mine has a flint.