RESISTANCE SOLDERING UNIT
New Products That Are Worth a Closer Look
Following my visit, I did some investigating. It looks as though these are popular with model railroad and Scale modelers. Although this system would not be an option for all soldering applications, it’s fantastic for photoetch and etching brass kits and copper-based metals. It’s easy to use, and the heat that is generated is only at the point to solder, reducing the chance of impacting nearby recently soldered parts.
To operate it, after you have prepared your pieces to be soldered, you attach a clip (the ground) to the metal part that you are going to solder another part to. You then take the handpiece and place its carbon electrode tip in contact with the part to be soldered. Up to this point, there is no electrical current, so nothing is being soldered and you can adjust as needed.
Again, with my skill level, this was important. It is at this point that the “magic” happens as you press a foot pedal to solder. The unit’s transformer passes a low-voltage electrical current through the part at the electrode tip, instantly producing heat and melting the solder. Release the pedal and the part quickly cools, creating a strong solder joint.
MICHAEL SMITH, AMA National Model Aviation Museum director, shared his review of the Micro-Mark Resistance Soldering Unit. Following is what he had to say:
In our aeromodeling hobby, depending, of course, on the aircraft that you are working on, soldering can be a helpful skill. Despite watching YouTube videos and having friends skilled in the art, I am the first to admit that my soldering skills are a bit lacking.
I try to muddle through, telling myself that when the people I’m watching started, they too had big puddles of solder that needed filed off, or parts that they had just soldered fall apart when soldering the next joint. Similar to many of the skills we learn in the hobby, they don’t happen overnight, and we need to try to not be discouraged. Yes, I know, easier said than done.
With this in mind, I was intrigued when I recently visited a friend. He was fabricating a scale feature of his airplane but, instead of a soldering iron, he was using a resistance soldering unit from Micro-Mark.
As with everything, there are wonderful YouTube videos demonstrating how to use a resistance soldering unit and even how to build one. I highly recommend this tool, and it will now be an integral part of my workbench.
Included is a 63-watt transformer with dual-power outputs for heavy and lightweight parts (it plugs into a standard 110- or 120-volt household outlet), a handpiece, six carbon electrodes, a ground lead, an on-off foot switch, and instructions for $179.95.
New Products from the Modeler’s Mall
Practice Planes @ $17.95 + S&H from Old School Model Works
Tel.: (513) 755-7494; website: www.oldschoolmodels.com
Old School Model Works Practice Planes are just the ticket for flight time, no matter where you are! Whether you’re memorizing the latest contest sequence, simply day-dreaming, or training a new pilot on how to land or bank, they get you “in the air” in no time.
Sold in pairs, each has a 9-inch wingspan and is designed and cut from the same three-layer birch light plywood used in Old School’s kits. The rear dowel is easy to grip, and assembly takes just a few minutes using your favorite glue. With laser-etched details, the Practice Planes faithfully represent the Old School kit that they are modeled from. Leave them as is or paint them to match the models in your air force.
They don’t actually fly, but once they are assembled, grab the handle and easily take off, roll, loop, snap, and more!
HC-DW RQ-7 Shadow @ $499.95 + S&H from Hobby Club
Tel.: (949) 425-1362; website: www.hobbyclub.com
The HC-DW RQ-7 Shadow is a UAV used by the armed forces of Australia, Italy, Sweden, the US, and others as a target acquisition platform and to provide reconnaissance surveillance. More than 500 RQ-7 Shadows are in operation throughout the world.
For a Scale enthusiast, the Hobby Club HC-DW RQ-7 Shadow builds into an accurate representation of the full-scale UAV and can be flown as a capable FPV platform. With an 82.7-inch wingspan, a 74.8-inch length, and an all-up weight of 154.3 ounces (approximately 9.6 pounds), this fully laser-cut balsa/plywood kit features a proven, aerodynamically inverted V-tail, a twin-boom layout, a center-mounted pusher motor, a fixed tricycle undercarriage, and a huge central, fiberglass nacelle to give a clear view for cameras and sensors. The included power pack consists of a 410 Kv motor, 80-amp ESC, seven servos, and a 15-inch wooden propeller.
SH .07 Cu. In. Nitro Engine with Muffler @ $119.99 + S&H from Mike Goes Flying
Email: service@mikegoesflying.com; website: www.mikegoesflying.com
The SH .07 Cu. in. Nitro Engine offers big engine performance in a small displacement engine! A ball-bearing crank, dual-needle carburetor, ABC piston sleeve with a matching turned pipe, and an SH glow plug are all included. The practical rpm is 5,000 to 17,000 using 10% nitro fuel and a 7 x 3 propeller.
SH Engines is located in Taiwan and sold in the US through Mike Goes Flying. The brand is affordable, without compromises, and has been in business for decades making helicopter engines, as well as high-performance racing engines and reliable sport car engines for nearly every major automaker worldwide.
F-86F Catapult Glider @ $19.99 + S&H from Aspect Laser
Tel.: (248) 707-4430; website: www.aspectlaser.com
Designed and laser-cut by John Hoover of Aspect Laser, the 15-inch wingspan F-86F Catapult Glider is simple to build and a blast to fly, with lots of action to get a new modeler in the air quickly—all you need is a small bottle of medium CA glue!
John has many designs that are mostly based on early jets. The F-86F is the first in a series that will be released throughout 2024 and beyond.
Visit the Aspect Laser website for glue, covering, PermaGrit tools, and many other hobby goodies.
