COLDHEAT - good?

[Intrigued]

COLDHEAT (http://www.coldheat.com/)

Can you guys/gals give me the the good, the bad, and the ugly?

Have you tried this technology? What's your take on this technology?

[Adam]

yeah I'd like the low down on this one. Has anyone tried it?

I personally have doubts that it could heat and cool so quickly.. so far I am a skeptic

Adam

[Mark]

Hmm seems interesting enough.

Did a little searching and here is a review from PC Magazine about it:

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1759,1750090,00.asp

[gbrown]

I seem to remember being in on a discussion of this last year, and from what I remember (which is always a bit iffy these days :D ) it worked as it said it worked.

[Intrigued]

I see they have a Pro version coming out.

From the link Mark posted (thanks Mark!)... I believe I will buy when the Pro version is on the market.

:yes

[Lorne]

Be wary, guys, this thing has gotten many negative reviews as well. Read some of the reviews about it on amazon.com, for example.

First alarm bell should be that it's sold on a TV infomercial. :eek:

It basically operates like a mini welder, however it isn't designed to heat up the part, only the "arc" between the two halves of the tip gets hot when you press it against something conductive; from what I've read, it's difficult to use it to heat up the part and then melt the solder against the part -- which is the proper way to solder. The coldheat basically encourages the worst way to solder something, which is to melt solder onto two parts like glue: what is known in electronics as a "cold solder joint." Cold solder joints tend to be very fragile.

It's also overpriced: I picked up a 45W pen-style iron for $12 CDN at Princess Auto a few weeks ago.

[Intrigued]

I've welded for a living, for a stint... so I'll take this serious!

:yes

[Derek]

I had a look at the link that was posted for this and i must say, i'm not impressed with the info on their website.
I click "more info" expecting to find something about how this 'new technology' works, and all it does it gives me a list of things it can do .. sort of! So not much different to any other soldering iron - by all accounts. K! waste of a link there then ... moving on:
So what about the "demo" .. thats bound to give me an idea.
What? a 3D view is a demo is it? Jeez .. thats full of useful information to answer all questions!!!
Pathetic attempt!

And I agree about the first alarm bell, Lorne. :eek:

[Corey]

I have to go buy a basic soldering setup and get learning. What all would you guys reccomend to get started, i.e. a basic iron and accessories? :yes

[Derek]

I have to go buy a basic soldering setup and get learning. What all would you guys reccomend to get started, i.e. a basic iron and accessories? :yes

Well, I dont claim to be an expert but i'd prob go with something like this dual watt iron (http://www.radioshack.com/product.asp?catalog%5Fname=CTLG&category%5Fname=CTLG%5F011%5F009%5F007%5F003&product%5Fid=64%2D2055) which gives both 15 and 30 watt allowing you to cover most general soldering.

A holder (http://www.radioshack.com/product.asp?catalog%5Fname=CTLG&category%5Fname=CTLG%5F011%5F009%5F007%5F001&product%5Fid=64%2D2078) is not absolutely necessary, but definately useful and provides somewhere to 'store' the hot iron. I've had my share of burned carpets thank-you very much :rolleyes

There's also this iron and holder (http://www.radioshack.com/product.asp?catalog%5Fname=CTLG&category%5Fname=CTLG%5F011%5F009%5F007%5F003&product%5Fid=64%2D2184) 'pack' with a slightly heavier duty wattage - 20/40w
The disadvantage of having only one wattage is called frustration. You have only a 15-20w iron and need a 40w and you'll be soldering 4 times longer than you need to be. Thats if you can get the darn stuff to solder - chances are the iron just isnt up to it and cant supply enough heat. The flip-side of course is having too much: a 40w iron will nuke anything that only requires a 15w iron coz the parts are too delicate and suddenly your throwing a few choice words into the air as you watch your work go thru a meltdown phase.

A desoldering vacuum (http://www.radioshack.com/product.asp?catalog%5Fname=CTLG&category%5Fname=CTLG%5F011%5F009%5F007%5F004&product%5Fid=64%2D2098) is always real handy too. Good for removing excess solder and shoddy workmanship :)

When it comes to the solder, something like the Rosin Core (http://www.radioshack.com/product.asp?catalog%5Fname=CTLG&category%5Fname=CTLG%5F011%5F009%5F007%5F001&product%5Fid=64%2D007) is good for most people. Of course you get varying weights/thickness in this depending how 'delicate' the work is.

[Corey]

Perfect, I'll go grab that stuff from Radio Shack tomorrow. Should I buy flux (http://www.radioshack.com/product.asp?MSCSProfile=745D84CBF04D14A48AA6FF9C89 D722C0BA68C1B04FE384678A5285FCD6E056B17AF21627FDAB E316B90B3C038D68EBD6B7F9F3BD1712EAA9951ACB2590A05C 6517EFE46941FEFDD1985D4EFD6321F5E70B4DE9B6C1D45512 DCD9FB3DBCACB947793E981624987670DC27E7E6BF9FEAB62A AA7ECF0FADD6C0D36CFACDDDBAA7378B7261AADF0D2060&cookie%5Ftest=1&catalog%5Fname=CTLG&product%5Fid=64-022) or that braided stuff (http://www.radioshack.com/product.asp?MSCSProfile=745D84CBF04D14A48AA6FF9C89 D722C0BA68C1B04FE384678A5285FCD6E056B17AF21627FDAB E316B90B3C038D68EBD6B7F9F3BD1712EAA9951ACB2590A05C 6517EFE46941FEFDD1985D4EFD6321F5E70B4DE9B6C1D45512 DCD9FB3DBCACB947793E981624987670D98E1C9465D6DBACAD FC05E6E25D9771A9D76D161F13A8D26E04C8D207A173FD&cookie%5Ftest=1&catalog%5Fname=CTLG&product%5Fid=64-2090) also?

[Derek]

No need for either. The Rosin Core solder has a flux core. The paste is used for times when you need extra flux or for use with pure tin/lead solder sticks that have no flux in them. The braid is just another method of desoldering. You could opt for that instead of the vacuum tool, but with the vacuum you dont run out of it :)

[Corey]

Hokay I'll grab that stuff. I'll have to see if they have some basic electronic kits to get started learning on. I worked for a summer testing and desoldering mobile phone transmitters on a Nortel production line once, and I did a bit of soldering too, but I can barely remember any of it. I think it was such a monotonous summer that my brain just blocked it out. :)

[Intrigued]

I'm going to get the COLDHEAT Pro unit when it comes out myself, keep the Heat Gun near when it comes in and go to town.

Thanks all for the input.

:yes

[Corey]

Yeah, heh, that reminds me of that oldddd joke, "Why did the coldheat gun cross the road?". Err wait, never mind, that was a chicken not a coldheat gun. :rolleyes

[Lorne]

Corey, before you go to Radio Shack...check out Princess Auto. (They have a Calgary location (http://www.princessauto.com/PAcountry.cfm?CTRY=CAN&INF=MAP&LOC=cal&SPC=1).)

Radio Shack is the last place I go for this kind of stuff; they generally tend to carry lower-quality goods that are priced way too high.

A 20w/40w iron is perfect; I personally have two irons, a 15w/35w which is getting a bit old and doesn't work so well :) and a 40w. The cheap 40w that I bought at Princess Auto is constructed much better than the 15w/35w iron I bought at Radio Shack (before I knew better) many years ago.

If you're doing fine work, look into getting a few extra tips as well...a "pointier" tip than the default will come in handy for electronics.

Copper desoldering braid can also come in handy, or if you prefer you can use a desoldering vacuum pump.

Note that with a 40w iron you have to be very quick to not damage parts...I recently had to repair the power switch on my computer case and the first attempt failed because I melted the plastic and caused a short (those pins and wires were waaaay too small). The counterpoint is that with a lower wattage, you have to hold the iron onto the part longer, and if you can't get the part hot enough to melt solder quickly, you end up pumping more heat into the part and can do just as much damage (if not more).

[Corey]

That's not too far from here, I'll check it out. Thanks! :yes

[Adam]

Princess Auto is the greatest "man" store on earth. I've spent a few Saturday afternoons just poking around that place..

Adam.

[gbrown]

Princess Auto is the greatest "man" store on earth. I've spent a few Saturday afternoons just poking around that place..
So, you trying to make us folks South of the Border jeleous? :D

[Adam]

If you don't have Princess Auto in the US then I would consider moving. This store is a warehouse type setup with everything to do with wires, chains, ropes, clamps, tools, generators, ect ect ect

For example a friend and I pieced together a tow rope for his truck. From the rope to the clamps we had a blast. You can just start piecing things together.. My next Potato gun will be made from their supplies

Adam.

[Lorne]

www.princessauto.com

Have a look through their catalogue if you want an idea of the stuff they carry. On top of that, though, they always have a ton of "surplus" stuff for very cheap...everything from good quality audio cables, to computer fans, electrical switches and doodads, farm tools, welding stuff, you name it. Lots of army surplus, things like that.

I remember going there when I was just a little kid (Princess Auto was my dad's favorite store), and back then it was just a surplus warehouse, packed to the ceiling with old rickety shelves stuffed with all manner of wonderful junk. I have this really strong memory of my Dad finding a pair of linear actuators from an old DC3 and getting all excited about what he was going to build with them. "Can you believe this? Do you know how much these things cost new!" I remember just being impressed that they came from an airplane.

Now Princess Auto is a brightly-lit, well-organized store, but back then it was a dark warehouse with almost no room to walk between the shelves, and everything smelled of old grease and oil and steel.

Incidentally, they have excellent customer service...their policy is "no purchase is final until you're satisfied," and they mean it. I've returned items over a year after buying them with no hassles at all, I've returned items that didn't work as well as I expected with no hassles at all...basically everything with Princess Auto is no hassles.

[kpsmith]

Princess Auto is the greatest "man" store on earth.

Anyone else find it funny that the greatest "man" store on earth is named "Princess" auto.

Maybe I just need to be from Canada to appreciate the royalty thing....

[Lorne]

It's funny, I always just assumed the first store was located on a "Princess" street or something...I never made the royalty connection. (I was never really into the whole royalty thing, though, so it's little wonder.)

Bit of history here: http://www.princessauto.com/PAcountry.cfm?CTRY=CAN&INF=pal

[Adam]

Anyone else find it funny that the greatest "man" store on earth is named "Princess" auto.

LOL I never thought of that either. We have a street named "Princess" here so I guess it just kindof made sense.

Adam.

[Corey]

Frank Zappa's "Duke of Prunes" is the only conversational mention of royalty I've heard up here in the past couple decades. There's ostensibly zero talk of royalty amongst average Canadians nowadays. When it does come up, it's typically about 30-70 pro to con, and is usually a "news item" more than anything. The big beef is that each time the Queen visits, it costs us tens of millions of dollars for luxury accomodations, gifts, transportation, and security for just a couple of days. Meanwhile we have fine people like Unicef coming down on use for habitually ignoring infinitely more important promises:

http://www.cbc.ca/storyview/MSN/world/national/2005/03/01/un-childpoverty050301.html

"19th out of 26". :wow

P.S. Adam drinks with his pinky up. Coincidence or latent royalty?