What is it?

[red94chev]

My brother drug home a crate of these things. Anybody know what they are?

 

[MR.X]

copper soldering iron

 

[cvairwerks]

Soldering copper...

 

[red94chev]

Wow, this is way before my time. Thanks guys.

 

[rlitman]

It looks like some one cut the cord off of it.
Do you have the cord?

Isn't that the green snakey thing in the background.

 

[rlitman]

If it's 50amp 220v you're probably right.

Look at the size of that beast. It probably is 50A. But it's also quite old, so I guess it uses Edison's DC power.

 

[rlitman]

I never remember which one killed the elephant, ac or DC.

AC, because Edison wanted to show that AC was dangerous.

 

[d42jeep]

Two with wires and one without from a 1945 military listing.
-Don

 

[readhead]

That type of soldering copper is heated with a specific heater for either NG or propane. The propane ones bolt right on top of a propane tank. Much more usable when out on a job soldering gutter or flashing.

 

[Sevenhills1952]

AC, because Edison wanted to show that AC was dangerous.

Yes. Elephants name was Topsy, supposedly killed a trainer. The 1903 video is on YouTube.
Watch "Strange Heartland History: Did Thomas Edison Really Fry an Elephant with Electricity?" on YouTube

Sent from my SM-S320VL using Tapatalk

 

[d42jeep]

When I was in Junior High School we had several of the soldering irons in our general shop class. They were heated in the forge and used to solder sheet metal projects. Here are a couple of mine from a WW2 toolset I put together. There are pictures of the irons on the cover of this soldering paste tin.
-Don

 

[The Cobbler]

they were used in the sheet metal industry too. for soldering heating ducts etc

 

[Stuart in MN]

They are still used in some cases.

 

[MR.X]

Clem knows.

 

[wrenchguy]

That type of soldering copper is heated with a specific heater for either NG or propane. The propane ones bolt right on top of a propane tank. Much more usable when out on a job soldering gutter or flashing.

Some guys like working the comedy.

 

[readhead]

Comedy? I started using coppers in 1972 and spent twenty years as a union sheet metal journeyman. I think I know a little bit about that tool.

 

[dubdoc]

This would be your heat source.

 

[readhead]

Could be but only in a pinch. Most soldering furnaces had a top to contain and control the heat. It is very easy to overheat a copper, or iron, and when that happens it doesn’t work.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

In some applications. Today. Here was the original heat source. Going back to Don's irons.

 

[dutchgray]

They would also commonly be used in pairs, one heating while you used the other.

 

[MR.X]

Seemed like every other one of my friends garages in my neighborhood had some variation of one of these little furnaces when I was a kid.

 

[dubdoc]

Could be but only in a pinch. Most soldering furnaces had a top to contain and control the heat. It is very easy to overheat a copper, or iron, and when that happens it doesn’t work.

You're thinking like a young kid, not a seasoned person who can remember these.

 

[dubdoc]

Seemed like every other one of my friends garages in my neighborhood had some variation of one of these little furnaces when I was a kid.

I used these in shop in grade 9. Cool !

 

[MR.X]

I used these in shop in grade 9. Cool !

 

[leg17]

Google

Soldering Furnace or
Plumber's Furnace or
Tinsmith's Furnace

Small, melting platform and iron heater.

ebay #
303554803648

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Antique-Co...803648?hash=item46ad46b7c0:g:9jgAAOSwpeFeqifV