With this instructable, I am going to show you how to make your very own soldering iron! This entire iron can be built for less than fifteen dollars. There is no catch, and this is just as good at soldering as almost any other inexpensive iron on the market. This iron has a maximum temperature of 1050° Fahrenheit and is equivalent to a 15 watt iron. It works the same way as many other battery powered irons (like this one), but doesn't cost nearly as much.
This is also battery powered so it is portable and you can use it when there is no outlet available. I'm eventually going to put a relay in mine so it automatically turns off the battery pack, when I plug in the adapter. But for now, I'm just going to show you how to build a functional soldering iron that just works. This is not to difficult of a project so i'm sure you can get it done.
If you are going to build this you will already need to have a soldering iron so you can solder the battery holder, switches, etc. If you do not have one you could probably twist the wires together and put electrical tape around them, but I don't know how well that will work.
Disclaimer: Soldering irons can be dangerous if not used properly, do not let the hot tip touch yourself anything flammable. You can easily burn yourself or start a fire if used improperly. I am not responsible for any damage or injuries that occur.
Now that we got that out of the way, let's head on over to the next step to show you what part's you'll need.
This is also battery powered so it is portable and you can use it when there is no outlet available. I'm eventually going to put a relay in mine so it automatically turns off the battery pack, when I plug in the adapter. But for now, I'm just going to show you how to build a functional soldering iron that just works. This is not to difficult of a project so i'm sure you can get it done.
If you are going to build this you will already need to have a soldering iron so you can solder the battery holder, switches, etc. If you do not have one you could probably twist the wires together and put electrical tape around them, but I don't know how well that will work.
Disclaimer: Soldering irons can be dangerous if not used properly, do not let the hot tip touch yourself anything flammable. You can easily burn yourself or start a fire if used improperly. I am not responsible for any damage or injuries that occur.
Now that we got that out of the way, let's head on over to the next step to show you what part's you'll need.
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Signing UpStep 1: Materials
All of the part's needed can be found at RadioShack and shouldn't cost any more than 15 dollars.
1. This soldering iron tip (This is what actually heats up to melt the solder. No other tips can be used besides this one, unless you are certain that it has a built in heating element.)
2. A 6 volt battery holder. This one has a built in switch so you don't need to buy one of those, but it is also big. Remember this is what you will be holding on to when you solder. I prefer to use a battery pack like this one, which is more comfortable to hold on to, but you will need to buy a separate switch. If you are buying the second one I told you about then you will also need to buy a battery clip to attach to the battery.
3. A switch (Only if your battery pack does not include one). This is a good one if you want your iron to stay on until you turn off the switch. If you don't want the iron to be on unless you are holding down a button then go with something like this.
4. Anything to mount it in. You can use a project box if you are crafty, or just a block of wood as long as the tip doesn't touch it. I used an Altoids tin.
5. An E-10 lamp base. You can use any kind as long as it has a way to be mounted and electrically wired.
6. A soldering iron to assemble the project. If you don't have one, then you can try tying the wires together or borrow someone else's.
7. Solder for assembling and use of the iron you are building.
1. This soldering iron tip (This is what actually heats up to melt the solder. No other tips can be used besides this one, unless you are certain that it has a built in heating element.)
2. A 6 volt battery holder. This one has a built in switch so you don't need to buy one of those, but it is also big. Remember this is what you will be holding on to when you solder. I prefer to use a battery pack like this one, which is more comfortable to hold on to, but you will need to buy a separate switch. If you are buying the second one I told you about then you will also need to buy a battery clip to attach to the battery.
3. A switch (Only if your battery pack does not include one). This is a good one if you want your iron to stay on until you turn off the switch. If you don't want the iron to be on unless you are holding down a button then go with something like this.
4. Anything to mount it in. You can use a project box if you are crafty, or just a block of wood as long as the tip doesn't touch it. I used an Altoids tin.
5. An E-10 lamp base. You can use any kind as long as it has a way to be mounted and electrically wired.
6. A soldering iron to assemble the project. If you don't have one, then you can try tying the wires together or borrow someone else's.
7. Solder for assembling and use of the iron you are building.
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I built one this weekend and had it working great on a couple sets of 3 AA batteries all weekend. (so much easier and better than my finicky butane torch iron! And more precise)
I tried using a 16 VDC wall wart, the smallest one I had laying around, and it wont heat up. In fact using more than three AAs seemed to give me problems too.
Any ideas? I wonder if the heater is somehow voltage regulated above around 6 volts. I also tried using a single 9 Volt thinking it would keep the size down, but that only lasted a few minutes before it stopped working. Perhaps some internal battery resistance challenges?
Anyway, great write up, thanks!
But only with 3 x 1.5V works fine though!
(English) "You unfortunately cannot use any tip. You should use the one from Radioshack that I show in my instructable. I don't know of any other one that will work. Sorry. The reason for this is because the heater is built into the tip."
Any though on this?
I need it to be about 160 - 200 degrees CELSIUS.
Feel free to email me oliverschoening(at)hotmail.com
Would this work with 1, 2 or 3 batteries and put out less heat?
Witch part here is the heater? Can you say something about the circuit?
Tnx!