Henley Solon 25W Soldering Iron Revival

[ajgriff]

Glad you've sorted a new bit Phil - looks good. Sorry I didn't respond to your ealier request but there wasn't really enough interest expressed to warrant buying in a longer length of copper bar.

I hope you're enjoying using the old Solon again too. As with many such things there's much pleasure to be derived from bringing long forgotten items back into service, to saying nothing of the nostalgic value.

Alan

[Techman]

I had both 15 and a 25 watt versions of this soldering iron, which I used at work in the 70s, although they date from the 60s. Something eventually went wrong with the 25 watt iron, although I can't remember exactly what (maybe that same problem with the bit) and it was in bits in a box at work for years, but I don't have it now, so it must have got chucked away when I cleared all my stuff out when I left. I do still have the 15 watt iron, which can be seen in the picture below and as can be seen, the bit is not in a good state. I actually still have a 25 watt 'special' version of this iron from that same time, which is virtually as new in its original box - any guesses as to what it was for? I bet someone will know! I do actually know what it was for and the label on the lid of the box does in fact say. Neither of them have been powered up for decades, but seeing what you've done with yours, Phil, I'm going to test out the 'special' one and then see about making a 'normal' bit for it.

[Station X]

I fear that the plain copper bit will suffer from erosion as it's not coated. Mind you, coated bits suffer from erosion too!

[Phil G4SPZ]

Techman, was your special iron designed for smoothing, applying heat-sensitive adhesive tape in dressmaking, or ironing-on veneers, rather than soldering?

Originally Posted by Station X

I fear that the plain copper bit will suffer from erosion...

Yes, you’re quite right, Graham, but like many of these veritable old irons, my Solons are rarely left switched on for any length of time. I made the bit slightly longer than the original to allow for occasional filing back!

[ajgriff]

Originally Posted by Station X

I fear that the plain copper bit will suffer from erosion as it's not coated. Mind you, coated bits suffer from erosion too!

Yes but they never were plated/coated and it often took years for filing to reduce the length to a point where the bit needed replacing, depending on frequency of use of course. See previous posts.

Originally Posted by Phil G4SPZ

After turning down to size and parting off, I fitted a 1mm drill in a collet in the lathe headstock, and clamped the bit to the tool rest.

For anyone reusing the original split pin the hole needs to be made with a larger 1.3mm (3/64") drill. See original post for details.

Alan

[Phil G4SPZ]

Thanks for that, Alan. Good point.

[Techman]

Yes Phil, you're on the right track, but I wonder if anyone knows the exact use. What you say has actually made me think that I should perhaps leave the 'special' bit in place and perhaps keep it for any of the possible uses you've mentioned, although as long as I don't let any replacement bit seize in place, I could soon reinstall the special one if need be. I've got a selection of various replacement bits, one of which could perhaps be modified to fit. I've also got other soldering irons, so don't really need to modify/convert this one.

I also need to give Alan credit for his repair, as he was the original thread starter and provider of the information regarding drilling etc.

[ajgriff]

Just for fun here is a copy of an early (1955) magazine advertisement for the 25W Solon Insrument Model.

Alan

[Mr Moose]

Hello,
I think it is a Photographic Tacking Iron for mounting photographic prints.
A different version is shewn below.
Yours, Richard

[ajgriff]

Interesting that Techman's tacking iron has an Ademco label on it (ie, the same company name as on the box in Richard's photo) and yet it looks like something made by Henley Solon. Have to say that a photographic tacking iron is a new one on me.

Alan

[Boulevardier]

Originally Posted by ajgriff

Interesting that Techman's tacking iron has an Ademco label on it (ie, the same company name as on the box in Richard's photo) and yet it looks like something made by Henley Solon. Have to say that a photographic tacking iron is a new one on me.

Alan

I had one of those Ademco soldering irons as an xmas present as a 13-year-old.
Had one major design flaw - the shaft/element assembly was held into the plastic handle by three screws. The "threads" in the handle for those screws were formed from small spring-type things which were friction fitted into the handle, into which the screws went. The thread things were useless since any sideways force on the bit just pulled the screws out of the handle complete with springs, and you were left with a very hot dangling shaft.
The whole thing was just a waste of time, and I had to revert to using my father's old 60W (half-inch bit!) Solon, until, years later, I had pulled together enough residual pocket money to buy a 25W Solon. A joy to use compared to that 60W!
They were hard times - but we were happy!

Mike

[Phil G4SPZ]

I had a similar triangular-bodied iron, blue, made by Remploy. As I recall, it was quite good, and you could leave it on the carpet when not being used! My mother never found out...

[Boulevardier]

Originally Posted by Phil G4SPZ

I had a similar triangular-bodied iron, blue, made by Remploy. As I recall, it was quite good, and you could leave it on the carpet when not being used! My mother never found out...

Yes, thinking more carefully about it, I think mine was Remploy too (mine also had a light blue body). It would have been a nice iron - if it hadn't been for those threads.

[Techman]

Originally Posted by Mr Moose

I think it is a Photographic Tacking Iron for mounting photographic prints.

Yes, that is correct.

The Ademco name was just badge engineering and I would guess that the quality of the iron would be down to which maker of irons they used at any one time. I was wondering if someone would notice the Ademco label on the one I pictured, which has been stuck over the Henley Solon embossed emblem on the handle of the iron. They perhaps bought them in bulk un-packaged from the manufacturer and then had their own boxes made and label printed for their own specialist photographic market.

[ajgriff]

The 'Made in England by Ademco Limited' statement on the box is pushing truth to the limit when the company probably only actually made the tip, box and label on the handle.

Alan

[Techman]

Regarding the rebadged Solon, it does have 'made in England' embossed on the handle beneath the label, the same as all other Solon irons.

I've found some bits that look likely to fit both the 15 and the 25 watt irons. If I do fit one of the bits that I've found to the 25 watt iron, then I'll have to drill the hole in it. Regarding the 15 watt iron, this has a split ring fitting, so a groove will presumably have to be made in the replacement bit, but getting what's left of the old bit out is likely to be the main issue with this one.

[Techman]

Originally Posted by Techman

Regarding the 15 watt iron, this has a split ring fitting, so a groove will presumably have to be made in the replacement bit, but getting what's left of the old bit out is likely to be the main issue with this one.

I've found out that it's not a split ring as I originally thought, but an alloy wire pushed through and bent round in a groove (see photo below). It won't pull out and will definitely break off when pulled hard, so will have to be drilled. This idea of using dissimilar metals of copper and alloy reacting together was a really bad idea by Solon!

[ajgriff]

I have a suspicion that the pin is stainless steel. If so there's a big risk of damaging the aluminium tip holder when trying to drill the pin. I'd try soaking in penetrating fluid (I use Freeway) overnight and then drifting the pin when hot after heating and cooling the iron a few times. Just a thought.

In fairness to Henley Solon many irons suffer from this sort of problem because of the need to conduct heat quickly to an end point which will accept solder. Difficult to avoid the use of dissimilar metals. The only real solution is to dismantle and clean the parts occasionally. I still do this with my Weller TCP.

The other problem with differential corrosion is potential lack of earth continuity as discussed in the first few posts of this thread.

Best of luck with removing the pin.

Alan

[Techman]

Ah well, Alan, I've given the pin a gentle pull after admittedly a short soak in penetrating fluid and it broke straight off. I think it definitely is alloy wire as it's almost as soft as solder. If it was stainless steel wire it would have been harder and I would have had a chance of removing it.

You never hear of a Solon iron with a failed element, unlike Antex, which have a different construction with no alloy parts, but often have failed elements.

[ajgriff]

.... but the old style Antex XS tips still locked solid to the element tubes. I don't know whether or not the later tip design is any better in this respect. Solon elements certainly seem to last well.

Let us know how you get on with the pin - fingers crossed.

Alan