Clutter with soldering irons - how to avoid - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / beginners

author: tkamiya
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 15, 2020, 05:54:11 am
content: I have 3 Hakko soldering irons and 2 Hakko de-soldering irons on my desk. This is quite a bit of clutter, and cables get tangled up quite often. If there more efficient way to do this? Quite annoying when I pickup one iron, tangled wire pulls out another.

author: Jwillis
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 15, 2020, 07:37:53 am
content: Really. I wonder if their are retracting cord assemblies like those USB cords that lock when you pull them out and roll up again with a little pull. But I was thinking maybe you could tie an elastic band to the middle of the cord and hang the loose part up .

author: wizard69
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 15, 2020, 07:40:08 am
content: There are no really good solutions but consider a few approaches:Get yourself some "Cord Cuffs" or similar cord control solutions. An example:https://www.homedepot.com/p/Large-Cable-Cuff-PRO-CFLP030808/204806549.Using these requires that you roll up the cord after each use and cuff it.Mount your soldering stations above the bench, on a shelf. The idea here is that the cords hang down forming a loop.Run the iron cords under the bench. This would require a hole in the bench top or really long iron cords.An alternative to the above is to mount the iron controller under under your bench along with the iron stands. This can be a very good approach if your bench is wide enough to mount the shelf and leave yourself plenty of room. This might be the -best- solution as the cords are completely out of the way.In any event these are off the top of my head.

author: Siwastaja
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 15, 2020, 08:02:14 am
content: Remove excess soldering irons from your desk, leaving one desoldering and two soldering irons. Store on a shelf.In the utmost rare case you actually need all of them simultaneously, get them from the shelf where you store them. Put back after use.

author: Shock
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 15, 2020, 11:50:15 am
content: My solution is about the tidiest I can come up with. Use a small table/set of drawers of similar height to the side of the workbench and move all soldering gear onto it. There needs to be a gap left between as it's where your handpiece cables are now stowed.Position the stands so they face towards the gap and your main bench. The "tangle free" part is weighted pockets/bags or dividers in the gap. It can be totally concealed from the front and you can even have a rounded lip on your bench so the cables slide out easy and screws don't roll awayArtists impression.

author: Shock
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 15, 2020, 11:55:42 am
content: Here is another method.

author: Brumby
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: November 16, 2020, 09:10:11 pm
content: Quote from: wizard69 on November 15, 2020, 07:40:08 am..... Hmmmm. I do have a space that could serve.QuoteI like that for storage - but perhaps not when in use.Then again.............(Yet another variable in my bench redesign)

author: tkamiya
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 16, 2020, 09:42:44 pm
content: So.... the solution is work for Pace or Hakko....I actually use almost all of my irons frequently. So putting some away isn't going to work well for me. Hakko uses really short and rubbery cord. Maybe I'll make an extension.On related topic, I also have a hot air gun. Problem with this is, it stays cold but when I pick it up, it ramps up for use, then by placing it on a cradle, it ramps down with air blowing. That means it will be blowing scorching hot air for some time - which limits placement. Does anyone have safe and practical arrangement? I thought of using cooking splatter shield or something in front and around it. But it is bulky. If you have a great ideas, please share.

author: aeberbach
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: November 16, 2020, 10:34:39 pm
content: Did you ever see one of those spring arms designed to hold the cord of an iron (for clothes) out of the way by lifting it up in the air? It attached to the side of an ironing board and had a spring keeping it upright, would move with the iron.Maybe something like that could work? You would not want it pulling on the cord in use of course. I could imagine a flat base for the station to sit on with an arm at one side holding the cord up. When pulled down it stays down for you to work, when finished soldering and the iron is back in the stand you can lift the arm and have the cord out of the way of everything.

author: tkamiya
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 16, 2020, 11:00:57 pm
content: There are also a type where cable on retractable reels will pull the tools up when not in use. It's just not practical in my environment. Thanks for your idea though.

author: tszaboo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 16, 2020, 11:27:48 pm
content: Quote from: tkamiya on November 15, 2020, 05:54:11 amWell, the question is, so you have 5 hands?

author: tkamiya
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 16, 2020, 11:39:14 pm
content: Yes.I actually have 8 hands. Patrick calls me Mr. Squid.

author: Brumby
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: November 17, 2020, 04:10:20 am
content: Quote from: tkamiya on November 16, 2020, 09:42:44 pmI had the same issue - compounded by the fact the station was sitting in a narrow set of timber shelves I made. The ramping down hot air would blow into the enclosed space - all together far too close to the back wall. I repurposed the metal case from a defunct computer power supply and fashioned a metal partial enclosure with top, back and sides and placed inside the shelving unit so that the hot air blows into the top rear corner, which is about 120mm from the nozzle. Haven't charred anything inside the shelving. (We'll not speak about any things on the bench...)

author: nukie
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: November 20, 2020, 06:45:38 am
content: Three table, PC desktop, test equipment table and soldering + screwdrivers area.