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Manufacturers of Resistance Soldering Irons


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I wish to purchase a Resistance Soldering Iron and have done all the normal searches to locate manufacturers of these units without success. I am wondering if current electrical appliance testing for mains powered equipment has killed of this type of product.

Up until a few years ago there were 3 or 4 specialist model companies producing these units for soldering up etched kits. If anyone knows of companies still making these units, I would be grateful if they could post a response identifying them and the relative merits of the particular manufacturers piece of kit.

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I think you are right and that legislation has killed these off.

 

I decided to buy one about three years ago, found the same and within six weeks had one off e-bay, almost unused with spare electrodes.

 

Probably your best bet.

 

Actually Swanage Models (Peter LeJourne (although I can't vouch for the spelling!)) supplies new RSU's based on the Ganderton design. I'll post his phone number when I've found it. However there was a thread on old RMW about it and I demo'ed it the last SWAG 'do' at Taunton..

 

Phil

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Hi as Phil has said above already Swanage Models still supply them at 139.50 GBP + postage when I last purchased one.

here is the contact details:

 

Peter Lejune

20 Anglebury Avenue

Swanage, Dorset

BH19 1QP

 

01929 424650

 

Darren.

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Hi as Phil has said above already Swanage Models still supply them at 139.50 GBP + postage when I last purchased one.

here is the contact details:

 

Peter Lejune

20 Anglebury Avenue

Swanage, Dorset

BH19 1QP

 

01929 424650

 

Darren.

 

Thanks Darren - I hope you are as pleased with yours as I am with mine - which will also feature at the 2010 SWAG 'do'.

 

I should add that the US also has suppliers of RSU's. I was seriously investigating them until the exchange rate went pear shaped.

 

Peter's e-mail address is trainman1933@msn.com.

 

Phil

 

PS The American machine can be found by searching for the 'American Beauty Resistance Soldering Units' and their UK rep can be 'mailed at sales@international-tooling.co.uk

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Hi Phil, yes I am very pleased with it and it is very well constructed.

But I really don't use it often enough as I'm inclined to still pick up a soldering iron and zap a joint quicker than I can get the resistance unit set up, but I do use it more for detailing and some fiddly work where I don't want clean up around the joint but I must get into the habit of using it more.

 

Darren.

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I wish to purchase a Resistance Soldering Iron and have done all the normal searches to locate manufacturers of these units without success. I am wondering if current electrical appliance testing for mains powered equipment has killed of this type of product.

Up until a few years ago there were 3 or 4 specialist model companies producing these units for soldering up etched kits. If anyone knows of companies still making these units, I would be grateful if they could post a response identifying them and the relative merits of the particular manufacturers piece of kit.

 

The London Road Models RSU is available, but has not - owing to limited production capacity - been promoted other than at LRM's stand at the half dozen shows they attend each year.

 

This unit was originally produced by LRM and later passed into the hands of FourTrack Models (mainly to supply the 7mm market when LRM moved to concentrating on 4mm). John Shelley of FourTrack discontinued supply shortly before he retired, partly from an erroneous belief that the unit didn't comply with the "new" EU regulations.

 

LRM have re-introduced the unit because, with the use of lead free solder for the internal connections, it does meet EU regs. Meeting the "End of life disposal" regulations is not an issue, as it can be returned to LRM for disposal or your local "tip" should accept ot as a domestic appliance. Much inaccurate information has been written about this topic recently including, I believe, a piece in Model Rail (although I haven't seen the article/letter, as I don't get that magazine).

 

The LRM unit is available, priced ??150 at shows/exhibitions or through mail order for an additional ??10.00 (it's very heavy to ship). The instructions have also just been comprehensively revised and extended.

 

The merits of the LRM are robust construction with high quality components, a well proven design from a qualified electical engineer (there are probably more LRM units in use in the UK than all the rest put together), reliability (only one has ever been returned under warranty - and that was simply a poor internal connection), availability of spare probes and spare lead/handles for offset soldering (see MRJ Issue 82- How to use an RSU to make track by Mike Grey).

 

It is important however, to recognise that an RSU is not a soldering iron. When I start to construct a model from an etched kit, the work is entirely done with my Antex 50 watt soldering station. AS I proceed, the RSU comes into play (using the soldering iron to tin the parts to be fitted). There are some jobs where the use of the RSU cannot be bettered, while with others the soldering iron is best. The two tools are complimentary.

 

Jol Wilkinson

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I have an LRM RSU which functions brilliantly. A few years ago l assembled a Mitchell 7mm Prairie tank, exclusively using the new toy just because I could! Over the top of course but the results were A1.

 

Does anybody know of a supplier of suitable flexible cable, holder and electrode?.

 

Thanks.

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I have an LRM RSU which functions brilliantly. A few years ago l assembled a Mitchell 7mm Prairie tank, exclusively using the new toy just because I could! Over the top of course but the results were A1.

 

Does anybody know of a supplier of suitable flexible cable, holder and electrode?.

 

Thanks.

Try Eileen's Emporium.

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I have an LRM RSU which functions brilliantly. A few years ago l assembled a Mitchell 7mm Prairie tank, exclusively using the new toy just because I could! Over the top of course but the results were A1.

 

Does anybody know of a supplier of suitable flexible cable, holder and electrode?.

 

Thanks.

 

Try London Road Models, they still offer the RSU in small volumes. Mine is now around 20 years old and although it hasn't seen a great deal of use, it still works perfectly.

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Mine came from American Beauty (not to be confused with a movie of that name!). I purchased the Super Chief as that's specifically aimed at modellers. The unit comes as standard with tweezers, but I added the soldering-iron style tool as well.

 

http://www.americanbeautytools.com/soldering/resistance-soldering-unit.html

 

It was recommended by a (then) fellow club member who also owns one of these. We're both very happy with the purchase and I still use it for non-electronics work (i.e. brass, etc)

Which model is this in the current range, super chief not listed?
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It's still there, but admittedly they didn't make it easy to find:

 

https://americanbeautytools.com/Hobby-Soldering

 

Not the cheapest, but it is a quality product! (testament to my abuse of the unit, it still works! :P )

Thanks DM,

 

It certainly looks the part. Rubbish product search on their website, I put a space in the product name!

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We have two RSU's one from Malard models and one from London Road models. I use the Malard one more as it's easy to control the temp. But as you can't get the Malard one one anymore I would go withe London models unit

 

Marc

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We have two RSU's one from Malard models and one from London Road models. I use the Malard one more as it's easy to control the temp. But as you can't get the Malard one one anymore I would go withe London models unit

 

Marc

Another vote for the LRM version.

Does anyone do the tweezers in the UK?

 

Mike.

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The LRM RSU continues in production. When the current legislation was introduced it wasn't fully understood and several manufacturers panicked and ceased production. AFAIK the Graskop unit is still produced (possibly under another name) but isn't so easy to get hold of). At the time production and sales of the LRM unit had passed to FourTrack Models whose proprietor misunderstood what was required to comply with the legislation. After a gap of several years LRM took back manufacture and supply when the rules were better understood.

 

I spoke to the proprietor of LRM at ExpoEM South yesterday. The last batch has sold out and nine of the ten from the next batch are already accounted for. They are also sold through Hobby Holidays (mainly because he is more strongly involved with the 7mm market) but you are better off contacting LRM direct through his website;

 

https://traders.scalefour.org/LondonRoadModels/contact-us/

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I got my RSU a few years ago from Peter LeJeune of the Swanage Model Company and I particularly liked it because it seemed a little neater and smaller than the LRM unit.  Anyway, it's given me faultless service over the years although it would be wrong to say that it is in everyday use.  I don't know whether it is still available - there's no Swanage Model Co website (or at least I can't find one) and the only online reference I can find to it is at http://roywoodmodels.co.uk/swanage-models (which suggests that the price has gone up a lot since I got mine!)

 

DT

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I got my RSU a few years ago from Peter LeJeune of the Swanage Model Company and I particularly liked it because it seemed a little neater and smaller than the LRM unit.  Anyway, it's given me faultless service over the years although it would be wrong to say that it is in everyday use.  I don't know whether it is still available - there's no Swanage Model Co website (or at least I can't find one) and the only online reference I can find to it is at http://roywoodmodels.co.uk/swanage-models (which suggests that the price has gone up a lot since I got mine!)

 

DT

 

Yes, Peter's still around - attends local shows with his wares and is in the process of opening a shop in Swanage.

 

Phil

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AFAIK the Graskop unit is still produced (possibly under another name) but isn't so easy to get hold of).

 

 

I got my RSU a few years ago from Peter LeJeune of the Swanage Model Company and I particularly liked it because it seemed a little neater and smaller than the LRM unit.  Anyway, it's given me faultless service over the years although it would be wrong to say that it is in everyday use.  I don't know whether it is still available - there's no Swanage Model Co website (or at least I can't find one) and the only online reference I can find to it is at http://roywoodmodels.co.uk/swanage-models (which suggests that the price has gone up a lot since I got mine!)

 

DT

 

 

Yes, Peter's still around - attends local shows with his wares and is in the process of opening a shop in Swanage.

 

Phil

 

The Swanage Models RSU appears identical to the Graskop RSU, so I imagine it is one and the same.

HTH

Brian

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I have a LRM one and took the plunge as I suspected there would come a time when regulations would block the manufacture of such things.

 

Hobby Holidays usually have spare electrode carbons on their stand.  The electrode clamps are avaliable from LRM.  As for cable, the key point is to carry a high ampeage.  I have used Halfords battery cables to make up additional connectors with Maplins banana plugs.  Such things as tags to allow screwing to chassis.  I would have thought a set of reverse action tweezers would be a starting point for making your own or Eileen's clamps  https://eileensemporium.com/index.php?option=com_hikashop&ctrl=product&task=show&cid=960&name=aluminium-mini-clips-pack-5&Itemid=189&category_pathway=1122.  (I see EE are also doing carbons but would expect them to be randomly smashed in the post however hard they try.)

 

Don't use crocodile clips as the sharp points will get hot and make a mess of brass.

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I have an LRM RSU which functions brilliantly. A few years ago l assembled a Mitchell 7mm Prairie tank, exclusively using the new toy just because I could! Over the top of course but the results were A1.

 

Does anybody know of a supplier of suitable flexible cable, holder and electrode?.

 

Thanks.

I got some heavy duty cable from Malins, when I made up some additional earth cable. There was a post recently about using rod from a welding suppliers out at Plympton, the picture of it on there website is exactly the same as the carbon rod supplied, but a lot cheaper. I am not on my pc to check the details of the supplier and won't get a chance until the weekend.

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I got some heavy duty cable from Malins, when I made up some additional earth cable. There was a post recently about using rod from a welding suppliers out at Plympton, the picture of it on there website is exactly the same as the carbon rod supplied, but a lot cheaper. I am not on my pc to check the details of the supplier and won't get a chance until the weekend.

 

I think you need to use cable with a rating of at least 40 amps for a 100 VA RSU like the LRM unit. Ordinary low voltage cable such as supplied for automotive use may be too stiff so a flexible multistrand cable with a "soft" flexible covering is better. The carbon probe needs to be held firmly in the holder to ensure minimal resistance, something you need throughout the RSU circuit.

 

The probe holder and lead set supplied with their RSU  by London Road Models is available separately but if you are looking do it as cheaply as possible you'll need to make some sort of holder and heat resistant handle to hold the carbon rod.

 

When Exactoscale introduced their RSU many years ago they used a modified coax cable plug in a paxolin rod handle as the probe holder (the three pronged bit clamped the probe). A success it was not, the paxolin handle was good but the clamp bit was poor (I've still got one but don't use it). The Mignon Models unit had an rectangular block aluminium clamp attached to a handle. It held the probe well but was too bulky for getting the probe into many locations. 

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I have managed a quick 5 minutes on the PC and here is the link to Wellington Welding who provide carbon rods. Not out at Plympton, but down at Cattedown, for readers in other areas they have several depots in other parts of Devon and the rest of the country.

 

https://www.wellyweld.com/categories/Arc-Air-Carbons-319.aspx

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