Guide to field Soldering

Step 3 Rounding Out The Kit

You will some additional things to complete the kit:

1 nail clippers (great foldable small gauge wire cutter)
1 lighter
various lengths and diameters of heatshrink tubing

The nail clippers are the cheapest and most compact flush wire cutters that you can buy. After 9/11 I was in a surveillance engeniering class and they took all my tools for the course at the gate at the airport. A nice aiport cop held them for me but, I was still without tools for the course. A quick trip to wally world yielded a cheap multi tool and nail clippers for $6. I've been a fan ever since.

Comments

[Matrix-technician]

A better lighter choice would be an El Cheapo butane cigar lighter. It has a much higher btu output and therefore heats faster and because it's butane it has a focused flame. I put this kit together and the lighter I chose has a metal casing and fits perfect inside the tin.

[Friscky]

My first thought on seeing this was McGyver.

[Kanellos]

I thought that as soon as I saw the picture.

[RelientOwl]

lol Thats what my grandparents call walmart!

 

[andy70707]

Thanks, this is a great idea! I actually welded a metal pen lid on the end of the lighter so it gives a thinner jet flame which is easier to solder with, and used a modded mehanical pencil to hold the solder. Nail clippers are a good idea too.

[absolute zero]

if you still have it could you take a picture?
if not, did you weld it onto the metal cover or the metal gas tube?
also, how big was the opening of the pen?

[andy70707]

I welded it to the metal cover part (after taking it off first incase the lighter explodes) and I thoughht pens were quite universal, but the opening was about 2-3mm wide and the other end (screw bit)was about 8mm) although it took a while to weld it (I was using a gas powered soldering iron thing, which can weld and blow heat aswell) and it snapped off after a while. Also, make sure it is a fully metal one and not just plated plastic or metalic paint, or it will obviously melt.

[yief]

I've just used a nail clipper to cut a wire of the electronic of my bass guitar... nice! I'm not the only one... congrats for the kit