Vintage Soldering Iron

[mathsquid]

Some of you might appreciate this. It was a gift from my wife for our 7th anniversary. The traditional gift for 7th anniversary is copper.

I love it, but it won't replace my Weller.

[tautech]

Some of you might appreciate this. It was a gift from my wife for our 7th anniversary. The traditional gift for 7th anniversary is copper.

I love it, but it won't replace my Weller.

In days gone by they were highly sought after by sheep farmers to be forged to a chisel/wedge shape to be used as a tail docking/searing iron. 
I well remember taking one to high school and in metalwork class doing just that for dad.
Still got it stashed away somewhere......maybe to be reforged back into an iron for SMD work. 

[rbm]

Try it out on your next QFP64 soldering job. 

[bsudbrink]

Lotsa thermal mass.  Great for soldering to ground planes. 

[Bud]

The problem is you need to light up your barbecue every time to heat this thing up 

[james_s]

Who needs a SMD rework station when you've got one of those babies!

[james_s]

The problem is you need to light up your barbecue every time to heat this thing up 

Make a stand for it that incorporates an induction heater, modern tech meets ancient.

[gbaddeley]

Traditional method to heat up this type of soldering iron is to use a blow torch. Burns kerosene vapour under pressure. My father had one.

[james_s]

I have one of those that belonged to my grandfather, it is designed to burn gasoline, as most of the American ones were. One of these days I should clean it up and try it out, they can be quite dangerous though.

[edpalmer42]

Geez guys, enough with the antique crap!  It's time to move up to something more modern!



 

[Old Printer]

Who gets to hold on to the other end of the sheep?

[tautech]

Who gets to hold on to the other end of the sheep?

Usually that job's assigned to older children once they're strong enough, the the elder family members or women depending of course on who's available and willing.
These days in NZ, the holdings are much larger so the #'s to do are such there's been cradles made that lambs are slotted into while their 'bits' are dealt with.
When I was a kid I helped dad do 1000's over the years until he moved into cattle as they were much less work.