More work: Assembly: Test fit: Next some sanding to finish the rough edges, and make the mounting hinge.
Excellent work so far, metal work is top notch as is the overall style, one thing I would add to the stand is a place for sponge and maybe another one for spare tips. The only let down is a choice of soldering pencil - there is really no point in going for non-cartridge based ones nowadays, especially if you building whole soldering station from scratch. Projects such as these make me really long for a lathe/mill.
Also lovely. (That's all I can say because a guy on a 2+ year hiatus of his own project can't prod you back to Ada without looking like a total goober.)
Regrettably the circuit was designed for an Antex TC50, which is a cheap but good quality reliable iron with a wide range of easily obtainable tips. It is almost like a cartridge unit; the heating element needs five contacts desoldering to swap out (why they didn't simply create a plug for it I'll never know. But yes, normally I'd go for a Hakko... The stand will have a sponge set in it. Another one for spare tips... good idea. May make one. Lathes and mills are awesome. Don't know how I coped without them. Well, I'll be getting back to her soon. Work has been demanding (I'm typing this in my "lunch break") and I hit a bit of a wall around the nixie tube circuit... but I've got it more or less worked out now.
Cartridge does not mean swapable heating element, it means tip and heating element is a single swapable unit (Hakko T12, Chinese TS100 (a must have for pretty much everyone), JBC T245/T470). The pros are pretty much instant heating up, better heat transfer and a lot more precise temperature reading. Wouldn't call Antex tip range "wide" (at least from looking at their page), not then compared to weller/JBC/Hakko. As for electronics - there are tons of OS projects nowadays raging from arduino based ones, to this monstrosity.Though I can understand if you just wanted a working kit.
The beauty of having a lathe is that I can make my own tips. In copper. But yes, although I'm comfortable with making my own PCBs and stuff, I was looking for something that is straightforward, has a toroid transformer, elegant controls and display (no fiddly up/down buttons --that was a deal breaker) and takes locally sourced components. It will do for now. Monstrosity looks nice. I like the way it recognises whatever is plugged into it. But I would have gone for a bigger display and a rotating temperature knob.
Understandable. I hit a similar wall with a USB3 double stack connector. I can't even SEE the pins, much less mill a board for them.
Today I have finally managed to finish the stand. Marking out: The cut out parts drilled and countersunk: Assembly drilling: And the pillar top shaped and drilled: Marking out some brass rod for the thumbwheels: And the thumb wheels turned and knurled: And the whole set complete (except for the feet): Not a bad result, if I say so myself. Learned a lot.
It's very pretty. Have you treated the metals to prevent tarnishing or is a tarnished look part of the endgame?
I'm undecided. But I do have some lacquer which is a reproduction of the stuff they used to coat brass scientific instruments with back in Victorian times. A German paint company still makes it.
Looks lovely. Smart bit of metalworking there. Just need to make a cover to replace the plastic on the iron now
It is my wife's enamelling kiln. I have to make a thermostat control for it. Will probably steampunk that too.