Resistance Soldering.

Last month was my birthday. My wife asked me what I wanted. I really didn't NEED anything, but knowing that I am terrible with a soldering iron, I asked her to get me an American Beauty, and circled what I wanted in the Micro Mark catalogue.

All I can say is "WOW" !!!!!!!

No globs, no mess, almost invisible solder joints, instantaneous heating to melting temperature, foot pedal to activate, variable draw of current and on and on. I haven't melted a plastic tie yet.

Cost was astounding. Results might just be worth it if you lack as much ept as I do.

 

I Too am an Ept Lacker

May I ask what is did cost?
Have you ever soldered before?

 

I have had one for a year or so , haven't used it yet , but I will when its the best tool for the job .

 

You who are 364 days older than I:

Man, that's what I should have asked for instead of a Heavy Mountain!

Ahh, I can solder pretty good. I just can't dunk a basketball any more.

 

Did you get the 100 watt version or the 250 watt version?

 

Mine is the 100W American Beauty , but I don't think that question was directed at me .

 

I got the 100W version. I don't see myself needing the extra juice.

I have soldered before and have never been 100% happy with the results. I have tried 15, 20, 30, and larger wattage soldering pencils, irons and guns.

Lobster Boy- It costs an obscene amount of money, about $500 with the extra tips.

Nolan- Lower the basket. It worked for me.

 

I've never been able to dunk and I am 6'3". Remember the film title "White Men Can't Jump"? That's my situation.

I would love to try one of those soldering guns, but I don't think I should be shelling out $500 right now. Maybe in a few years. I am pretty limber with a 40 watt iron, so maybe I will just do that a few more years.

 

Hmm, guess there is the good old fasion way for me: Friction Fit and Twisted.

 

I made my own using a car battery charger, some heavy gauge wire, and the carbon core from a "AA" battery, a light dimmer, then made a foot switch with a 30 amp switch, it works a treat I found the instructions on the net one day and decided to make one.

Cheers

Edward

 

My older brother taught me how to solder. For 30 years he was the soldering guru at DEC, digital equipment corporation, which, like all the minicomputer manufacturers, gradually disappeared. That doesn't mean I'm really good at it, but I know the principles, the first of which is cleanliness. So I'd rather have two Bachmann Heavy Mountains than an American Beauty.

Nine of the twelve members of my high school basketball team could dunk in 1965-66. All white guys. Of course dunking was outlawed by the Lew Alcindor rule back then.

 

Resistance Soldering

I was trained and certified in Mil.Spec. electronic assembly some 32 years ago, so I understand the process.

You see, traditional soldering depends on the transfer of thermal energy from the iron to the pieces being joined. Besides cleanliness of the joint, and a clean, well-tinned tip, you need a deft touch of solder to the tip and piece as contact is made to "wet" the point of contact and improve considerably the contact patch. Otherwise the time it takes to impart sufficient thermal energy into the piece exceeds the amount of time it takes for that thermal energy to travel through the rails and you get melted ties.

With resistance soldering, you don't transfer thermal energy into the piece, you create in within the piece with electrical energy. The best analogy I can think of is the difference between a conventional oven and a microwave oven. One imparts thermal energy from without and the other creates thermal energy within via a different form of energy.

If I was going to solder my rail joints on a large layout, I'd strongly consider a resistance soldering rig myself despite my own soldering skills because I can achieve greater consistency and spend less time per joint with one.

That's a nice setup you have.

 

Mr. Clumsy here needed all the help he could get and was quite happy when my wife ordered it.

Russell

I thought that mine was slightly misaligned. I feel better that I am not alone, but you are right, it would be better still if they were lined up exactly opposite each other.

To the gent who made his own- I envy you.

 

I hope no one minds my $.02.

American Beauty supply come in two basic models that we would use, 100W and 250W. The main difference is the combination of the supply and the tips. Quick version is:

10501 .. 100W Regular Tweezers

10502 .. 250W Regular Tweezers $446 List

10504 .. 250W Medium Tweezers $533 List

10599 .. 100W Micro Tweezers $393 List

The 10599 is great for everything except doing O-Scale boilers so don't worry that the 100W will not be enough. The prices found at Mico-Mark are very high. Save yourself some big bucks and buy it here:
MRO2Go.com

Here is the direct link for the 10599
Purchase 10599

If you MUST have a 250W, purchase the 10502 ($341) and also purchase the Micro Tweezers (#105133) for $89

Here is the link to American Beauty's Product List
American Beauty

 

Try fixing a brass loco without it and you will know why I bought one . Wicking of heat makes iron soldering messy at best , and cold solder joints are common . Attaching cast brass parts to a brass shell is no problem with resistance soldering , or so I have read .

 

I may get one if I get more heavily into brass. I'm just not there yet. I typically use CA glues today, but they can get messier than soldering. As Richie pointed out, soldering small parts with a iron takes a lot of skill, and sometimes is just infeasible.

 

You guys have me seriously thinking about one of these. If I understand right, the heat only happens where current flows between the tweezers. It seems to me this would protect decoders, motor housings, and... plastic tenders.