New! Introduction to Gas Soldering Irons

Introduction to Gas Soldering Irons on Amazon (Kindle)Apart from traditional electric ‘pencil’ soldering irons, a wide choice of portable, butane-powered irons is now sold on popular websites at some very appealing prices. Gas soldering irons can be pretty handy tools for tackling quick electronic repairs on the spot or handling  odd-jobs in the field.

My new book entitled ‘Introduction to Gas Soldering Irons’ has now been published.  It outlines the operation of both simpler, torch-type irons and also catalytic soldering irons, explaining the merits of each type and also highlighting some oft-misunderstood facts about the butane gas (or is it a liquid?) that powers them. Some important usage and handling considerations are included too, helped by a plentiful supply of color photographs.

The book is intended to fill in the missing gaps in typical instructions and help beginners in choosing and using their own gas soldering iron. In Part Two of the book, a small selection of commercial gas soldering irons is reviewed which will help would-be users to check out the essential features of a gas soldering iron before they decide to rush out and buy one.

These handy-dandy gadgets could be just the thing to enhance a typical tech’s toolkit, so why not check out this useful guide to learn everything you need to know about gas-powered soldering irons. It’s available for download on your local Amazon site under ASIN: B00J4Y3NSY.

• See book in your local Kindle Store :
  US IN UK DE FR ES IT JP BR CA MX AU

Readers' prototypes

Following the intermittent appearance of my ‘potted history’, regular reader and friend of EPE Thomas Stratford got in touch to say that he’d built a couple of my legacy projects!

Click to read more ...

Interview Part 5: Give us a break

It’s the mid 1980s and after my Digital Thermometer and Controller debacle (see part 4) I decided to keep things simple and try to re-establish a flow of smaller projects. You can download more free project reprints and see my notes about the actual prototypes used in the magazine.

Click to read more ...

Interview Part 4: All The Muscle You Need!

Part 4 of my potted history kicks off with some more abmitious projects,starting with the Bench Power Supply of March 1981. You can download reprints of all my project articles and read my background notes, as well as seeing photos of the original prototypes that still exist today.

Click to read more ...

All-new Basic Soldering Guide for Kindle launched

Basic Soldering Guide Kindle editionAugust 2013 At long last my new Basic Soldering Guide ebook for Kindle is launched. Sponsored by Antex (Electronics), the UK manufacturer of soldering irons and equipment, my new guide contains more than 80 colour photos and a total rework of the original text, taking in 17 years worth of readers’ comments and questions and updating the text for current trends in soldering.

The Basic Soldering Guide contains all the information the beginner needs to solder electronics successfully, and includes guidance on choosing the right soldering iron or soldering station, details of various solders and fluxes (including how to use Colophony rosin flux), how to solder pcbs and wiring, and how to desolder. A Troubleshooting Guide is also given.

I’m hoping it will appeal to novices, trainees and those from other disciplines, such as audio or PC engineers who are faced with having to solder a wire for the first time.

Remember you don’t need a Kindle to view it as free readers are available for Windows, Mac and many smartphones. The new Basic Soldering Guide kindle Edition is available on Amazon now for $9.95.

 As highlighted on EE Times website in August 2013

Interview Part 3: Great Graticules!

I continue with the story of more constructional projects and series, including the popular Uniboards that some readers still remember to this day. I’ve made downloadable PDF reprints of the articles with a separate PDF about my actual prototypes, which I’ve rediscovered and photographed again for the first time in 30-odd years.

Click to read more ...

Interview Part 2: A voyage on Veroboard

Updated on Monday, April 27, 2020 at 9:13PM by Alan W

After reading "Everyday Electronics" as a 1970s teenager, I started writing my own constructional articles. I've uploaded the original EE articles (PDF) with separate colour photos of the actual 1970's prototypes, recently unearthed in my workshop.

Click to read more ...

Interview Part 1: the control freak

I’m sometimes asked how I got involved with electronics and writing for magazines. I had to dig back more than forty years in order to unearth the inspirations for my interest in technology and electronics!

Click to read more ...