They don’t make them like they used to.

[David AmbroseParticipant @davidambrose86182]

After only 60 years, my Antex soldering iron has died.  I bought when I was fifteen years old, to use on R/C aircraft, and it must have had a plug with round pins for the first five years.  I shall miss its 15 watts, but my Hakko seems to be able to cope with most things.

[Harry WilkesParticipant @harrywilkes58467]

David funny you should shared the demise of your soldering iron I to lost an old friend the hacksaw I purchased early into my apprenticeship in the late 50’s suffered a broken handle only yesterday, I’ve put in in a drawer for now I suppose it could be repaired but maybe it’s time for it to retire.

H

[Speedy Builder5Participant @speedybuilder5]

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

[Nicholas FarrParticipant @nicholasfarr14254]

HI David Ambrose, you can get replacement elements for Antex soldering irons. I think I’ve had two replacements for mine over the years, but I did used to use it quite intensely many years ago.

Regards Nick.

[Chris CrewParticipant @chriscrew66644]

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’!

[CirclipParticipant @circlip]

Replaced element on my CN15 about twelve months ago, a trusty friend, bought in the heyday of R/C equipment construction.

 

Regards Ian

[John HaineParticipant @johnhaine32865]

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!

[BazyleParticipant @bazyle]

One of my older irons is proving reliable – as long as I have the gas hob.
Modern ‘complex electronics’ eg TVs that I worked on improved between 2000 and 2020 from 2.5% dead-on-arrival to <1% owing to improved quality control. However manufacturer’s now expect (and rely on) decreased in-service life to <7 years by which time anyway they will have added design features they want you to buy into (at higher cost).
Don’t expect your ELS to last as long as a QCBG.

[John Haine]

On 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

[Nicholas FarrParticipant @nicholasfarr14254]

Hi, I have a Weller, and to be honest, I don’t find it very good at all, and I rarely use it. I much prefer my precision gold A55KJ pro solder station, with a temperature range from 150 C – 450 C, with several different tips, which I bought from Maplin’s.

Regards Nick.

[John HaineParticipant @johnhaine32865]

Yes the old Wellers have been superceded but were good in their day.

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