Former Member Posted May 14, 2020 Share Posted May 14, 2020 [This posting has been removed] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff S Posted May 14, 2020 Share Posted May 14, 2020 I've had one since I was about 18/20 (60 years ago!) and it does all that easily. I even resoldered the petrol tank on my 1932 TT Replica Scott motor cycle using it and that needed a lot of heat ( it was a soldered up tank that had a bit of a leak on one of the seams). They are an excellent heavy duty soldering iron. I've also got a 25 watt Solon as standby small iron I've had about the same length of time but I use a 60 watt temerature controlled iron for smaller jobs. Geoff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Former Member Posted May 14, 2020 Author Share Posted May 14, 2020 [This posting has been removed] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray Wood 4 Posted May 14, 2020 Share Posted May 14, 2020 Hi Doc, A good investment you can never have too much heat 😎, My collection. 25 - 240 watts Regards Ray Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Former Member Posted May 14, 2020 Author Share Posted May 14, 2020 [This posting has been removed] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Former Member Posted May 14, 2020 Author Share Posted May 14, 2020 [This posting has been removed] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray Wood 4 Posted May 14, 2020 Share Posted May 14, 2020 Hi Doc, I never had to replace a tip in 45 years I think you'll be ok ! Just a run over the tip with a file & re-tin works for me 😄 Regards Ray Edited By Ray Wood 4 on 14/05/2020 19:05:46 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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Ray Wood 4 Posted May 14, 2020 Share Posted May 14, 2020 Not that I'm aware of and I have used Bakers fluid in the past on model engineering projects. Regards Ray Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Former Member Posted May 14, 2020 Author Share Posted May 14, 2020 [This posting has been removed] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff S Posted May 14, 2020 Share Posted May 14, 2020 The tips are are a huge lump of copper which does eat away slowly. You just file it clean. At one time Multicore marketed some cored solder called Savbit which had some copper included and was supposed to stop the copper of the irons we used then being eaten away but modern iron plated bits on temperature controlled irons don't have the same problem. The Henley Solon is old school but not quite as old school as the soldering that was done on telephone exchange racks at GEC when I worked there in the early 60s. They used irons that were heated in a gas flame and the joints had to be perfect because finding a dry joint in a Strauger exchange with 100s of uniselectors is a nightmare. Geoff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kc Posted May 14, 2020 Share Posted May 14, 2020 Two things about old soldering irons 1 they don't work well with leadfree solder - although leaded is still available. 2 Wonder whether they use asbestos or anything now considered nasty in the iron? My Henly Solon 25 watt bought about 1960 still works OK after 60 years of occasional use. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin McIntosh Posted May 14, 2020 Share Posted May 14, 2020 I bought a Solon when I was about 13 years old to build the RCM&E UK Rx. Worked great but the plain copper tips wear quickly and soon will not part company from the iron. I cannot understand why people still buy basic irons like these when for little money you can get a soldering station which will maintain the temperature of a three or four mm tip to do even the largest of jobs like 8g wire. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlyinBrian Posted May 14, 2020 Share Posted May 14, 2020 I was an apprentice at GEC Henly and saw the production line of the soldering irons - Built like brick outhouses. My Dad used to have an iron which was a lump of 3/4" square copper on a steel rod with a wooden handle, he heated it in the living room fire. It was just the job for soldering brake cables to nipples on bikes and motorbikes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Miller Posted May 14, 2020 Share Posted May 14, 2020 I have a 75 Watt Henley Solon Iron bought back in 1955 Yes. 65 years ago. It still works and has the bit as good as new. I admit that it takes a comparatively long time to heat up because there is a big lump of copper to heat but so what, We are not on a time clock. On the other hand I had to replace a 40 Watt Weller after a few years!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray Wood 4 Posted May 14, 2020 Share Posted May 14, 2020 Hi Peter, Sounds like your describing me being a 1955 model !! Regards Ray Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Former Member Posted June 9, 2020 Author Share Posted June 9, 2020 [This posting has been removed] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Tee Posted June 9, 2020 Share Posted June 9, 2020 I have inherited a massive soldering iron from my Father in Law. It has got me out of trouble soldering a few times. After reading this thread I checked it and it is a Solon. Takes quite a while to heat up but once there works very well John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff S Posted June 9, 2020 Share Posted June 9, 2020 You got a bargain there, Doc. You won't regret it. Mine's lasted most of my life and, although it doesn't get used often, it's there for those big jobs. I'm 99.9% certain that I've never needed to replace the mains lead so I doubt if yours will be a problem. Geoff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Torsten Spitzner Posted June 9, 2020 Share Posted June 9, 2020 Posted by FlyinBrian on 14/05/2020 20:38:59: I was an apprentice at GEC Henly and saw the production line of the soldering irons - Built like brick outhouses. My Dad used to have an iron which was a lump of 3/4" square copper on a steel rod with a wooden handle, he heated it in the living room fire. It was just the job for soldering brake cables to nipples on bikes and motorbikes. What your Dad had would probably have been a 'solder bullet', commonly used by plumbers in 'roof plumbing'. Ie. Flashings etc. It is heated in a gas flame and then used normally, soldering lead or gms flashings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Wagg Posted June 10, 2020 Share Posted June 10, 2020 Posted by Torsten Spitzner on 09/06/2020 14:42:49: Posted by FlyinBrian on 14/05/2020 20:38:59: I was an apprentice at GEC Henly and saw the production line of the soldering irons - Built like brick outhouses. My Dad used to have an iron which was a lump of 3/4" square copper on a steel rod with a wooden handle, he heated it in the living room fire. It was just the job for soldering brake cables to nipples on bikes and motorbikes. What your Dad had would probably have been a 'solder bullet', commonly used by plumbers in 'roof plumbing'. Ie. Flashings etc. It is heated in a gas flame and then used normally, soldering lead or gms flashings. Think I still have a "soldering bullet" but never knew it was called that. I did use one once with a piece of stick solder in a "learning" situation. I have a few irons and a small blow torch but for work, such as thick piano wire, I use a Weller soldering gun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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David Ovenden Posted July 15, 2020 Share Posted July 15, 2020 Still using my Dad's old 125w Solon iron (that I "borrowed" from him 40 yrs ago) for "heavy" work! Does the job every time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Clark 2 Posted July 15, 2020 Share Posted July 15, 2020 My Solon has served two generations, my father and me, so it's at least 70 years old. It's the 240 Watt one and was made before they painted the handle - it's bare wood with not the tiniest trace of paint and the cord is cotton covered. But it burnt out some years ago and for heavy work such as undercarriages I have been using a couple of old unpowered ones heated on the gas cooker . I recently got fed up with this, as did my wife, and I have recently purchased a 100 Watt Antex 'Lite'. Bit erosion. Temperature control helps but the main reason is the modern lead free solder which is about all you can find in most DIY stores. Not even iron plated/coated bits stand that for long but wiping it thoroughly clean while still hot with wet genuine sponge is good. (Imitation sponge is prone to melt even when wet and lacks the microscopic sharp calcium 'whiskers' of the real stuff.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Miller Posted July 15, 2020 Share Posted July 15, 2020 Squires still sell 500gram rolls of ordinary multicore solder. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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