----- Original Message -----
From: "Paul Christensen" <w...@arrl.net>
To: <Drakelist@zerobeat.net>
Sent: Tuesday, October 25, 2011 11:36 AM
Subject: Re: [Drakelist] T4XB Question
I replaced the three-section electrolytic in my R-4 with
no major
problems (that Drake chassis is a huge heat sink - make
sure you're
using a big iron/gun).
After trying to tackle the filter cap removal from my
Drake 1A, I began looking for 200-watt soldering irons. I
was (and still am) in shock over the price of new,
high-wattage irons. I finally found a used, 40+ year old
200-watt Hexacon iron, and it was still nearly $100. Best
as I can figure, the price of new Hexacon and American
Beauty irons is held up by demand from commercial sheet
metal workers.
Paul, W9AC
You might try local swap meets or junk shops. I've
bought several large old soldering irons at such places for
a few dollars. You may have to replace the tips but usually
you can just file them down a little and re-tin them. I have
not looked on ebay for them but its another possibility. Two
of my large irons are American Beauty brand and I think the
other is Esico both once top brands. The mass of the tip may
be more important than the wattage. Modern irons have very
little mass so are cooled quickly, for working on old
equipment one needs a high mass iron.
--
Richard Knoppow
Los Angeles
WB6KBL
dickb...@ix.netcom.com
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