Hey guys, How are all ??
Since Build aTool Contest is open, I thought it would be a great time to share a great Ible on how to make a Soldering Iron. There is a lot of fake soldering Iron online, But I wanted to make something that can be called as a tool, not a science experiment.
My soldering Iron costed me around 100INR, you can call it that is was made for $2.So it was really cheap, As the cheapest soldering Iron cost 150 INR in India.

Step 1: What Is Soldering Iron

Soldering iron is quite a popular hand tool commonly used to solder components with each other. It works on a very basic principle. When we pass current through a high- resistant material, heat is generated. We use this heat to melt down a conductor metal also called soldering wire and putting it between two components in order to connect them electrically.

A general soldering iron consists of a heating region and an insulated handle. On supplying electrical current to the soldering iron, the heating tip gets heated and with the help of a soldering wire, it joins two components.

Step 2: The Heating Region

The Heating tip consists of two parts

The Heater
The soldering TIp

Now there is a lot of soldering heating element ranging from 15 W to 100 W each having a different application use.
In this Instructables, we are gonna make a 25 W soldering Iron.

As the heating element, I bought a locally made Heating element which was cheap for me, But for the Tip, I bout a Soldron Branded Heating Element. Both are rated for 25 W. Connecting them is easy, all you need to adjust the O ring Of the soldering Tip and push the heating Element into it.

Step 3: Connecting the Heating Element

The heating element has three terminals

LIve
Neutral
Earth

The power cord is salvaged from something I forgot :P

You just need to connect a power cord to the heating element

IF you don't have any electrical skills take help from someone who can help you with the connection.
Electrical shocks might be hazardous so take proper care before doing something stupid

Step 4: The Insulated Region A.k.a Handle

The insulated region also knows as the handle can be made out of anything that is insulating in nature. Common material can be PVC pipes, Plastic Syringes etc. But since this is a design-build we will be designing a handle which fits in any soldering Iron tip in it.

I made the handle design in Autodesk fusion 360. You can learn the basic of designing from the Instructables class.

https://www.instructables.com/class/3D-Design-Clas...

It helped me a lot to learn to design in fusion 360.

Here is the design for download

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3457565

Step 5: Joining Everything Together

Now all is left to join the two pieces, the 3d printed Handle snug fits into the soldering heating and doesn't come out easily now you have a 25w Working soldering Iron that you use in your daily soldering use.
I know this might not be a crazy build but this is a great way to teach your child how to make a real soldering Iron

Rather than some fake pencil iron.
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