I have found that this brand of temperature controlled soldering         Iron  Dick Smith T2200, that the on/off switch on the front does         NOT turn off the mains          power but only in the secondary side of things



how did I find this out?  Turn it off and the unit still hums in         the mains transformer.
The power light only comes on when the switch is in the On         position.

Fair warning.  And perhaps unfair warming.  Thanks Sol

I have a similar one Sol and always unplug at the mains.  I too realised that the switch only controlled the iron and not the unit as a whole.

Is there a risk of the windings overheating if it's left on do you think ?

Don't think so Peter, to me just an unsafe practice of not switching off the mains.

[user=606]Sol[/user] wrote:

Don't think so Peter, to me just an unsafe practice of not switching off the mains.

and a waste of electricity

Well, here's a product that should be returned through the boardroom windows. It's bad enough when it's a TV set or whatever, where it's just stupid and wasteful. A soldering iron doing it? Horribly, unacceptably, unsafe.

Hi Ron. I have no complaints with my 25watt Antex iron, nor the 15watt , but when I returned to model Railways I was unaware of some of the poor quality goods sold online. I haven’t got a “ Temperature Controlled “ iron, and now this has put me right off of purchasing one. But I would like a quality stand that doesn’t fall apart every time I pick up the iron. Preferably not from eBay nor Amazon. I know that you Ron, are too far away to advise me, but, if any other members can I would be happy?  Best wishes Kevin 

Type below into google lots of places sell them

antex soldering iron stand


brian

Brian. Thank you very much. When I said about my one “ falling apart “ I meant that the coiled chromium plated wire pops out . I have just had a look, most are either online or have to be posted, I will wait until my next Railway show. Best wishes Kevin 

Kevin
When you ask a question on this forum where to get something from most of the time the answers you will receive will be for online retailers or mail order.
Unless there is someone on the forum who also lives in the Peckham area none of us would know for example (Peckham electronics in the high street).
If you do not want to buy online or mail order you should be asking what sort of shop should i be looking for locally that may well sell this.

Brian

Brian. Very true, but, I was looking for recommendations on the products available. After Maplin closedown there are no other shops locally where I can judge the product for myself to avoid having to return it.  And after my online payments to the famous “ we have it all “ retailer, as secure as they claim to be??? It didn’t work for me and I would prefer to give them a wide berth.    Best wishes Kevin 

Kevin,

Your choice to avoid online purchasing seriously restricts your ability in buying things. This particularly applies to more specialist items, such as soldering accessories, at least good quality ones.

However, respecting your choice, you need to search for things on line where you can buy them in person. Places like Argos, B&Q, Tool Station, Screwfix Direct, Halfords, etc to name just a few where you order or reserve online and pay and collect from the shop.

However, the likelihood of finding a specialist item locally, where you can call personally and pay cash for are becoming more restricted all the time. PayPal however is our friend. Safe, secure and gives all the guarantees of using your credit card, although you do need a credit card to register with Paypal, who do not disclose credit card details to on-line retailers when you buy something. Perhaps you don't have a credit card, I hadn't considered that.

You might like to take a look at Farnell to see what types of stand might suit you. They offer a good range of soldering accessories and free deliveries on orders over £20:

https://uk.farnell.com/search?st=soldering%20iron%20stand

For a robust and safe soldering stand, you should be looking to pay for the quality you need. Something heavy would suit and since you use Antex, why not this one for example:

http://www.farnell.com/datasheets/1813928.pdf

This is my very last attempt to try and let you know that on-line shopping can be safer than you think. Let's face it, all on-line activity carries risks, just as everything we do in life carries risks. However, if we cannot completely eliminate the risk, we can all take steps to reduce them.

This is not a promotion to use on-line shopping or PayPal, but just a reminder that the way we shop has changed and will always continue to do so. If we cannot find a safe and convenient way to acquire what we need, then we have to accept limited choices that may not give us the pleasure we deserve from our hobbies and passions.

Bill

All my electrical tools (soldering irons, Dremel, styrene foam cutter, mini-lathe, mini-mill/drill, air brush compressor, magnifying light) are routed through an extension bar with a switch and indicator light (and overload trip) which is connected to a wall switch. Turn the light off and all is dead. Plus all tools are disconnected when not being used.
I think I would put an external on/off switch if a transformer was live in the primary by default.

Nigel

A good place here in Plymouth is Brewsters on New George Street near W.H. Smiths. They do online sales as well.

Hi Bill  . Thank you. There is a local branch of Farnell and I called in for something or other. I came away empty handed, because they wanted me to open an account, I said that I was a Pensioner and it was unlikely that I would be buying much from them. As secure as PayPal is??? It all changes when you return goods because they don’t match the description of what you ordered, and that’s is when a “ Third Party “ gets your details, and if the I am not pleased, then back they go. And that is the weak link in the chain. The stand that I have for my iron is very light, so I sorted out a lump of iron and screwed the stand to it.  But, the wire coil to hold it pops out, that also needs a good screwing.  Best wishes Kevin 

Another thought Kevin. Get a piece of steel plate and it and the coil thing to your local garage and get them to weld the two together.

Kevin, if it doesn't cost you to open the account, go for it, You are not obliged to purchase items on a regular basis.

Paypal is probably more secure than a cheque book and if you have to return the item, the money goes back into your Paypal account and from there back into your bank account - the "Third Party" doesn't know your bank details.
As Bill said, the way we shop & handle our finances is changing.

This is the stand I made for my Antex ( which has since died) about 10 years ago,
1/2" thick chipboard, & the stand stapled & glued.
I forget where I got the stand from.


and being careful, the iron it never burnt it.

Hi Ron.  My 15watt antex  iron is about fifty years old with a hook to hang on something,when I purchased the new one 25 watt Antex it came with a piece of sheet metal cut and bent to suit, to stand/ balance precariously on.The cheap stand, from eBay, has a misfftting screw? That doesn’t stay tight in the thread? I think it has a wood screw thread, anyhow it ain’t any good. All the fuss I had changing my broadband before, and I still haven’t got over it.  Best wishes Kevin 

[user=1801]Passed Driver[/user] wrote:

Hi Ron.  My 15watt antex  iron is about fifty years old with a hook to hang on something,when I purchased the new one 25 watt Antex it came with a piece of sheet metal cut and bent to suit, to stand/ balance precariously on.The cheap stand, from eBay, has a misfftting screw? That doesn’t stay tight in the thread? I think it has a wood screw thread, anyhow it ain’t any good. All the fuss I had changing my broadband before, and I still haven’t got over it.  Best wishes Kevin

We get it Kevin, you need a new stand, so stop faffing about and cut along to your local Farnells with your soldering iron, see which one fits, doesn't fall over and holds your iron safely, then buy it. Job done!

Then give yourself a pat on the back in having achieved your goal!

Bill