Replacement Powercraft soldering iron bits.

[Andrew TinsleyParticipant @andrewtinsley63637]

I have had a 135 watt Powercraft gas soldering iron for a few years. It has done sterling work and has been far better than a couple of other expensive butane powered soldering irons that I have.

I could now do with some replacement bits, The helpline and spares link no longer work and Wolf tools are no help. The bits are 7mm thread, there are plenty of 7mm bits on Ebay, but they are for electric irons.

Anyone know where I could source new bits? I would even buy a complete new soldering iron kit if I could find one!

Andrew.

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

A pity you missed this one 🙁

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/116870382144

MichaelG.

[DC31kParticipant @dc31k]

A photo of the tip you require might assist. The only data we have is 7mm thread (male or female?)

Put yourself in the position of someone trying to help you. It is difficult to find a photo of the tool to which you refer with any confidence. I found one expired eBay listing described as Powercraft, but it is identical to a current product called Soldercraft.

Put ‘gas soldering iron’ into a google and you see that Rothenberger, Antex and Weller, all respected names, make one should you go the new route.

I thought model engineers are inventive. An tip for an alternative style of gas iron might be adapted to fit your own.

[Robert Atkinson 2Participant @robertatkinson2]

While this appears to be a catalytic iron it seems that unlike the smaller ones the catalyist is separate from the bit. I see no reason why a bit for an electric iron won’t work with it as long as the thread is the same. Buy one ant try it.

Robert.

[Andrew TinsleyParticipant @andrewtinsley63637]

I already have  Antex and Weller butane irons and they are not a patch on the Powercraft one. I have indeed purchased the 7mm (male) threaded bits from Ebay. As I have already said these are intended  for electric irons . They do not have the central hole and then side exhaust needed for the Powercraft tool.

The Ebay bits are weird, they have around a 1″ very thin shank between the threaded section and the large bit tip at the other end. Being an inventive model engineer, I have bored the central hole and the side exhaust hole required for the Powercraft soldering iron. The result is fine for jobs requiring low power, but the very thin shanks do not transmit enough heat when the iron is turned up to the full 135 watts.

I have removed the large end bits and used the resulting small shaft as the working bit for small jobs. The uncoated copper then erodes quite rapidly as one would expect.

I am toying with the idea of making copies of the existing Powercraft tips. I shall have to research the required metal coatings which are used to prevent the copper erosion. I do have the facility for electroplating. I hope nickel plating can be used  as I am currently set up to produce hard nickel plating to recover worn bearing surfaces.

As for photographs I have 35 mm SLR kit only, no digital camera or smartphone. So sending photos to the forum is not a possibility.

Andrew.

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

The current Wolf offering appears to have tips as described by Andrew, but not plated ….

https://www.wolfgb.com/wolf-cordless-6-in-1-butane-gas-soldering-iron-torch-kit/

I may, however, be barking up the wrong tree !

MichaelG.

[peak4Participant @peak4]

I think what’s happened here, looking at Michael’s link, is that the design has changed slightly, or that the largest tips with the side vent are no longer supplied as standard. The small bits and the cutting one etc, rely on just the hot air from the catalyst against their blunt ends, whereas the larger soldering tip(s) have a side vent.

Have a look at this video, but I’m not sure about his description of “Catalyst”

OK it’s a Draper one, but I suspect is similar; small buts use the side vent in the carrier, but the larger bits have an extra vent in the side.

These look about right, but at a rather high price, and I can’t see what thread
DREMEL 201 Soldering Tips (Pack of 2) 26150201JA 8710364039708

See Farnell
https://uk.farnell.com/dremel/201/soldering-tip-iron-butane-torch/dp/3516967

This might be an option, but I can’t see the hole in the far side, and again, no thread spec.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/161804839434

Look closely at the tip end in the third photo, against the blue background

See also from about 17 seconds in
https://www.dremel.com/gb/en/p/dremel-versatip-f0132000ja

Bill

[peak4Participant @peak4]

I’ve just been out to the workshop to check my Aldi one.
Unlike those on sale more recently, and branded as “Workzone”, or “Ferex”, mine is labelled Top Craft TGSG-3114, with plain black and white paper instructions, not a fancy Aldi booklet.

It’s of similar style to the ones I mentioned above, with a side hole in each bit, which screws onto a catalytic heater block; in my case that block seems fixed to the perforated heat shield tube, and all the bits have a vent hole, along with a nominal 7mm thread (Mine are about 6.8mm).

The ones I can see advertised under the Aldi banner now, seem to be slightly different design.

I did find some on RS, but now unavailable; better photo though
https://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/soldering-iron-tips/0178437

See also;
https://www.screwfix.com/c/tools/soldering-irons/cat11580002?brand=dremel&page_size=20

 

Bill

[Andrew TinsleyParticipant @andrewtinsley63637]

Thanks everyone,

Looks certain that the Dremel tips are indeed the same as the old Aldi Powercraft tips. A little pricey but considering the work to make one and then plate it, I would rather buy!

I will order the Ebay offering as it is cheaper than the other sources. I will post a confirmation of the fit when it arrives.

Thanks again,

Andrew.

 

 

 

 

[Andrew TinsleyParticipant @andrewtinsley63637]

Just been on Ebay and found two tips for £11.35, so definitely cheaper than making them.

Andrew.

[Andrew TinsleyParticipant @andrewtinsley63637]

The Dremel 201 soldering iron tips arrived this morning. I can confirm that they are identical to those on my old Powercraft 125 watt butane soldering iron. So thanks to everyone that knew what i was talking about and contributed very useful information to finally resourcing replacement bits. Just goes to show that while photos are helpful in identification, they are not absolutely necessary, especially when I have no way of posting such images!

Thanks again,

Andrew.

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