Cool article:


http://www.personal.psu.edu/jun3/blogs/pa_center_for_the_book_workshop/soldering-gun-final-draft/

 

I used to have that same soldering gun that's pictured!

Good read, I had no idea...

 

I used to have that same soldering gun that's pictured!

Good read, I had no idea...

I still have mine

 

Good find..

8th grade, 1959. All I wanted for Christmas was a Weller soldering gun and thankfully my folks came through. The original disappeared while I was in the Navy but have owned at least one Weller gun most of my life. Presently have 3 of the silly things, 1 8200 and 2 D550's. Not something you want to solder surface mount chips with but they are hard to beat for a quick job tinning wires or soldering stuff large enough to handle the heat.

Back when we only dealt with tubes and large components a Weller gun was all you needed. I do really miss the simpler times.

 

I still have mine

I think mine is the Radio shack version. It is still around here somewhere.

 

My Dad had this Weller. I've had a few of their pencil irons.

Weller is a classic company you can trust for quality products.

 

I bet it's been 4-5 years since I brought out the soldering gun.
After reading that, it makes me want to go fire it up, just for old times sake.

 

I still have my Weller gun. I had previously owned a Wen gun.

This product apparently had a very short life. Wen started making the guns in 1951. Weller won a patent infringement case against them in 1954. They also won an appeal of that judgment in 1956. I'm assuming that Wen stopped manufacturing their guns about that time. I think I must have acquired mine in about 1955. It was a nice little gun, and, being smaller, was easier to use in tight spots. Unfortunately, mine did not survive being dropped on the concrete garage floor many years ago.

 

I used to have a Wen, too. Can you repair it?

 

I used to have a Wen, too. Can you repair it?

My Wen broke like 50 or more years ago. I glued the case back together, and it still worked. Looked like hell, though. I can't remember why I finally got rid of it. I suspect it was because the tip burned out, and no replacements were available.

 

Bought in the '60s which means.. I'm. OLD. Still use it occasionally when a lot of heat is needed fast e.g. old terminal strips.

The other tip is for cutting plastics etc. The black stuff on the attached tip is when I didn't bother to change tips before cutting plastic, etc. The lightbulb is not standard. It came with a 222 with the focused lens. I liked this one better.