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Electric Soldering Iron: Miner, 1890
Earlier electric soldering irons heated a hollow copper head from inside, through finely divided carbon pressed against the tip, so the whole outside of the head lost heat to the air. Willard M. Miner of Plainfield, New Jersey, patented the alternative in 1890, US 421,185: keep the copper head solid, which holds its heat longer, and wind the heating resistance round the outside of it, under a shell that concentrates the heat on the copper and stops it escaping. The coil is German silver wire, wound round a reduced part of the head without touching it, with one end connected to the head and the other to the supply.
Intermediate
Workshop process
Instructions
1
1
Turn the head
Turn the head
Turn a solid copper head with its point. A little back from the point, cut the head down to a smaller diameter for some distance, leaving a shoulder, and thread a shank at its rear end.
Materials for this step:
Copper Round Bar1 pieceTools needed:
Metal Lathe2
2
Wind the coil
Wind the coil
Coil German silver wire round the reduced part of the head, the coil slightly larger than the head so the two do not touch. Connect one end of the coil to the head at the shoulder; the other end goes to the supply.
Materials for this step:
German Silver Resistance Wire1 as requiredTools needed:
Combination Pliers3
3
Shell
Shell
Slip on the shell, of brass lined with non-conducting material. Close its inner end with an insulating disc held by a washer and nut on the threaded shank.
Materials for this step:
Lined Brass Shell1 piece
Insulating End Disc1 pieceTools needed:
Adjustable Wrench4
4
Handle
Handle
Screw the shank into the metal socket in the handle, which takes the second connection.
Materials for this step:
Hardwood Handle Stock1 pieceMaterials
5- 1 piecePlaceholder
- 1 as requiredPlaceholder
- 1 piecePlaceholder
- 1 piecePlaceholder
- 1 piecePlaceholder
Tools Required
3- Placeholder
- Placeholder
- Placeholder
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