Small cheap solder pot

[Flyback]

Hi,
Done a wide search for a solder pot, but the smallest i can find is...

https://www.switchelectronics.co.uk/150w-solder-pot-0-3kg-lt-360b

This is 36mm diameter, and it doesnt say how deep.
Most of the ones on ebay give no dimensions.

Do you know of any really small cheap ones? Just want to dunk one lead at a time, can be very small.

 

[For The Popcorn]

I saw a video where a guy machined a metal "donut" to fill the excess space of a solder pot. It doesn't need to fit precisely, just take up some space to reduce the amount of solder required.

You could do the same thing with a stack of washers, a bushing or a big nut.

 

[Flyback]

Thanks, thats actually a cracking idea!
If i cant find smaller than 36mm will do that.
I guess i could even drop in small metal screws that i have lying around until the solder comes to the top.

 

[augustinetez]

Be careful on what you drop in the pot - some things will contaminate the solder, especially old screws that could have who knows what in the threads.

Edit - pot is 80mm on those ebay ZTX ones.

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

Hi,
Done a wide search for a solder pot, but the smallest i can find is...

https://www.switchelectronics.co.uk/150w-solder-pot-0-3kg-lt-360b

This is 36mm diameter, and it doesnt say how deep.
Most of the ones on ebay give no dimensions.

Do you know of any really small cheap ones? Just want to dunk one lead at a time, can be very small.

As you haven't got a soldering worth having, why do you think you need a solder pot?.

 

[crutschow]

There are some YouTube videos about using a soldering iron to make a small solder pot, which may be of interest to you.

 

[rjenkinsgb]

Do you know of any really small cheap ones? Just want to dunk one lead at a time, can be very small.

Just remember that it needs to be a lot bigger than the leads you are tinning (if eg. power cables) so the heat lost to each cable does not cool the pot down too much.

A larger on with bulk metal filling would be OK, as the filling metal still stores heat.

 

[Lightium]

Heating of a mass:
V I t n = c m (delta t)
V=volts
I=current
t=time
n=efficiency
c=specific heat
m=mass
delta t=differance in temp