You may think a soldering iron is a single purpose tool only used to solder electrical connections and circuit boards. However, a home soldering iron is actually a handy little device you can use for lots of little jobs around the house. For example, besides electronic work, you can use a soldering iron to create crafts or small sculptures from metal, use it to burn designs into wood, ‘weld’ pieces of plastic together, cut foam into decorations or even make jewelry with metals other than gold and silver. However, since all soldering irons aren’t the same, here’s some information about home soldering irons.

How does a soldering iron work?
Most modern soldering irons are electric and heat up by running current though a resistive material. The resistance causes the tip of the iron to heat to a very high temperature (can be more than 700° F), hot enough to melt metallic solder (a mixture of tin and another metal such as lead, silver or copper).

Because of the high temperatures, soldering irons can be dangerous since they’re ‘on’ and heat up as soon as they’re plugged in. Soldering guns are safer to use since they commonly have a trigger to turn them on and off.

What do they cost?
Soldering irons/guns can range in price from a $10 for a simple, straight pencil-shaped iron all the way up to industrial grade soldering stations that can cost hundreds of dollars. For most home users, a soldering iron or gun in the price range of $50 to $100 will do pretty much anything you might want.

Why would someone pay hundreds of dollars for a soldering station?
The ability to control temperature is important when soldering different types or thicknesses of metals as well as when working with different types of solders. Soldering stations, depending on their price, integrate technology ranging from a simple power control much like a light dimmer switch to a thermostat built into the tip of the soldering iron that allows for very definitive control of the iron’s temperature. While some soldering irons do provide a minimum of temperature adjustment, soldering stations provide much more control.

Soldering irons can have multiple tip shapes
Soldering irons generally have interchangeable bits or tips to accommodate different applications. For example, a fine point tip will make soldering jewelry easier while burning a design into a piece of wood conceivably would be faster and easier using a larger, flat tip.

Soldering iron safety
Since soldering irons get extremely hot and stay hot for a while even when they’re off, you should never touch the tip of a soldering iron within an hour of its use. Also, you should always work in a well-ventilated room when soldering to eliminate any fumes from the solder or the material you’re working with. As with any kind of power tool, it’s a good idea to keep a first aid kit close to your working area ‘just in case’.

To locate a soldering iron user’s manual for the model you own, visit the ManualsOnline Library.