My Eclipse hac saw “given” to me in 1963 failed when the die cast handle collapsed on me last December!  I don’t think the replacement will last as long – but then it may see me out.

Bob

I recall my late grandfather in the 1960’s bemoaning that ‘nothing lasts five minutes these days ‘. As a teenager then I had not the experience of age to dispute that statement. But as the years passed, along with my grandfather, I began to notice that things did indeed last more than ‘five minutes’. In fact you hardly notice how long things last until you muse how long you have actually had and used something. We have disposed of years old appliances simply because they looked dated or newer things have more facilities, or so SWMBO tells me, but were still functioning as intended. I have also begun to notice how long so called ‘Chinese rubbish ‘ is lasting and still working perfectly, my forty-five year old pillar drill, for example, that I was told I had wasted my money on because it wouldn’t last ‘five minutes’!

After a few Antex, Adcola and Henley-Solon irons that all variously failed, sometimes dangerously, in my youth, it was a revelation when I started doing electronics professionally to be using a Weller temperature controlled iron.  I wouldn’t go back to an Antex for anything given how cheap and good modern irons are.

“They don’t make them like they used to” – no, and thank goodness for that!

On 4 June 2025 at 08:54 John Haine Said:

After a few Antex, Adcola and Henley-Solon irons that all variously failed, sometimes dangerously, in my youth, it was a revelation when I started doing electronics professionally to be using a Weller temperature controlled iron.  I wouldn’t go back to an Antex for anything given how cheap and good modern irons are.

“They don’t make them like they used to” – no, and thank goodness for that!

John, +1 for me.
I still use the original Weller that I was ‘given’ when I departed my first job some 40 years ago. Still functions, has consumed a number of bits over the years and now benefits from higher temperature bits for the modern solders – when I am not using some of my immense stock of hoarded multicore Pb solder!

Simon

Yes the old Wellers have been superceded but were good in their day.