A do-it-yourself soldering iron stand is a sign of a good work style. Multifunctional soldering stand DIY folding soldering iron holder

The main working tool of a radio amateur or equipment installer is an electric soldering iron, which cannot be used in the absence of a stand that is suitable in size and reliable in operation.

In amateur radio practice, a home-made stand for a soldering iron is most often used, the design of which is selected depending on the specific conditions of use.

As a rule, it consists of a base and two support posts, on which a tip and a handle-holder of a heated soldering tool are placed.

You can make a high-quality stand used for soldering various products and metal parts with your own hands from any improvised means that meet the following requirements:

• reliability and stability of the base;
• fire resistance of the material of the support posts;
• availability of space for containers with rosin and solder.

The simplicity of the device in question does not mean at all that low-quality parts can be used to assemble it and treat it as something not very important.

On the contrary, for the manufacture of a stand for a soldering iron, you will need strong and reliable materials suitable for working at high temperatures, as well as an accurate calculation of the dimensions of the base with holders and containers placed on it.

The jars of rosin and solder attached to the base should be arranged in the order corresponding to the sequence of operations performed during soldering and not interfere with the work with the soldering iron.

Some craftsmen place soldering irons on such stands along with a power regulator, which significantly complicates the design of the entire device as a whole.

Unlike small-sized factory samples, self-made stands must have dimensions sufficient to accommodate all of the above elements.

Sometimes such devices are equipped with a special holder for a soldering iron (the so-called "third" hand), which allows fixing workpieces or parts to be processed. One of the simplest product options is a crocodile holder.

Simple version

To assemble a simple handy stand with a minimum of parts, you may need the following consumables:

• a wooden flat blank made of beech or oak about 25 by 12 cm in size, necessary for making the base of the soldering iron stand;
• duralumin plates with a thickness of not more than 1.5 mm;
• miniature metal containers (brass cups from an old type of telephone call can be used for their manufacture).

After all this material is prepared, you can proceed to the assembly of the soldering iron stand itself, starting with the preparation of seats for containers with rosin and solder.

In the case of using brass cups from a call device (bell), they are simply screwed to a wooden platform in a predetermined place.

After that, triangular or oval support elements are made from a duralumin plate (the distance between them is selected along the length of the soldering iron).

The supports formed in this way are attached to the base of the stand using self-tapping screws or large screws.

If necessary, the height of the supports for placing the soldering iron can be increased by lengthening them due to short metal racks with threaded ends.

All prepared parts should be carefully processed with a file, and then clean their surfaces with sandpaper, which will smooth out sharp edges and remove dangerous burrs.

Third hand holder

For soldering individual parts or products, it is very convenient to fix them in a certain position, freeing the hand in which the soldering iron should be located. For these purposes, a special device is used, which is sometimes called a “third” hand soldering iron stand.

To assemble it, you will need the materials and tools shown in the above photo. Parts required include crocodile clips, decorative candle holders, and any spring that fits.

Such a design can be based on a Chinese-made product equipped with a magnifying glass and containing all the necessary elements.

When assembling such a stand, first, at some distance from the center of the base, a spiral holder for a soldering iron is attached, after which holders from under the candles are inserted into the pre-drilled niches.

Before installing them, it is necessary to pay attention to the wall thickness of the cups, which is chosen for reasons of optimal thermal conductivity. And only after that it will be possible to insert them into the already prepared niches, pre-lubricating the bottoms with glue, and then align the edges flush with the plane of the wooden base.

After installing the containers for rosin and solder, it will be possible to fix the "crocodiles" by crimping them around the spiral. The height of their location is chosen in such a way that working with the soldering iron and the part does not cause any difficulties.

For the convenience of soldering, the spiral design can be provided for adjusting the position of the clamps vertically.

If necessary, a magnifier (magnifying glass) can be added to the assembly stand for the soldering iron. However, the experimental operation of such devices has shown that the simultaneous installation of auxiliary clamps and a magnifying glass on a stand creates certain inconveniences in working with them.

The choice of options for making a stand with your own hands is quite diverse, and depends on the materials that are at the disposal of the master.

If you don’t want to do it yourself, you can always buy a ready-made stand at a soldering supplies store.

Main and auxiliary options of the soldering iron stand

For the manufacture of fixtures, you need to use materials that do not heat up much, practically do not conduct heat. A good alternative is to equip a homemade stand with special legs. The minimum design functionality is:

• convenient support for the device heated during operation;
• the presence of a flux container that provides the comfort of using a soldering iron.

In addition, you can add a number of additional functions yourself, which include:

1. Equipping the stand with a platform for tinning.
2. Device power adjustment. It can be performed either smoothly using a thermostat, or in steps.
3. Installation of a simple device for removing solder residues from the tip.
4. Additional container for solder.

How to make a do-it-yourself soldering iron stand? Below we give some of the easiest ways from which you can choose the most suitable for you.

Stand with third hand device

This design allows you to work with the soldering iron as comfortably as possible, without wasting effort on holding the soldering iron and the two parts to be connected at the same time. It is quite rightly called the "third hand". For its manufacture, the following improvised materials and accessories will be required:

• two cups from decorative candles;
• a leg from an old table lamp or a small lamp;
• two crocodile clips;
• magnifier, which will help much more convenient to work with small details;
• spring retainer, which can be made with your own hands from ordinary steel wire;
• wooden base.

The first step is to prepare the basis for the future stand. To do this, we mill three niches in it. The first two will
used to install cups from candles, and the third - for a cleaning cloth that removes solder from the soldering iron. After that, all work is performed in the following sequence:

1. We mount the cups in the prepared niches.
2. We mount crocodile clips on a flexible rod from the lamp. The distance between them is better to make adjustable.
3. We install the spiral holder of the soldering iron in one of the corners of the base.
4. We drill holes and screw the rod with clamps to the wooden stand.
5. If desired, a magnifying glass can be attached to the top of the "third hand". Also, very often it is made removable, or installed on a separate bar.

Such a stand does not require significant financial investments, but makes it easier to work with a soldering iron.

Stand with power regulator

In Chinese online stores, you can order ready-made kits for home soldering stations, which are quickly assembled into a tool power adjustment and monitoring system. You can also make a regulator with your own hands, using components such as:

• a fixed resistor, the value of which is 4.7 ohms (in the diagram - R2);
• variable resistor, through which the power will be adjusted (up to 500 ohms, R1);
• 0.1 microfarad capacitor (C1);
• dinistor DB3 (VD3);
• triac BTA06-600 (VD4);
• diode 1N4148 (VD1);
• LED that will light up when the power is turned on (VD2).

How to make a soldering iron power regulator out of all this? The answer to this question can be found in the diagram below.

You can make your own payment. Holes for parts are drilled in it and conductive paths are made.

If you have minimal experience in working with printed circuit boards, making a regulator will not be difficult. You can install it directly on the stand for the soldering iron. If you plan to use the device at a power above 100 W, you will need to use an aluminum radiator, which will remove excess heat from the triac.

A soldering iron with a power regulator will allow you to work with small parts and LEDs, and provide the ability to customize the device to your needs. In addition, it will help reduce the load on the device and extend its life.

The stand itself in this case can be made of a rectangular trim board or chipboard. A steel plate is screwed onto it with the help of self-tapping screws, curved in the form of an inverted letter “P” with cutouts for installing a soldering iron. Additionally, you can install containers for rosin and solder (all the same cups from decorative candles).

The stand for the soldering iron is an indispensable attribute of the soldering station. It can be purchased at any hardware store or market. However, its cost is quite high. To save their own money, a stand is made for In addition to the financial issue, its functionality is considered. That is, it can be used for various needs in the household or in the production workshop. There are a lot of manufacturing options. All of them differ in the complexity of the design and the amount of time spent.

General information

As mentioned earlier, a do-it-yourself soldering iron stand is a convenient fixture that performs many functions. First of all, it is a protective surface, which prevents damage to property.

Before working with the soldering unit, it must be warmed up. In this case, the metal body is heated to high temperatures.

Soldering iron stand - what is it for?

A quality part is necessary for those people who perform a lot of soldering work. For the manufacture of such a device as a stand for a soldering iron, special skills and abilities are not required. The process uses simple and affordable materials and tools. The finished device is easy to handle. A homemade stand for a soldering iron should consist of separate elements. First of all, special containers are provided for rosin, flux and a department for mixing them. Some models are equipped with a box where small parts are stored. The soldering iron stand is suitable for any device, regardless of its power and degree of heating. In the manufacture of the structure, the location of these containers should be taken into account. Everything should be located so that it is convenient for the master to solder.

How to make a stand for a soldering iron?

It is unprofitable to buy ready-made stands, as they have a high cost and small overall dimensions that are not suitable for all types of devices. Therefore, many users ask this question: "How to make a stand for a soldering iron with your own hands?".

Before starting production, it is necessary to prepare materials. To do this, you need to purchase the following components:

• duralumin sheets, the thickness of which is 1.5-2 mm;
• a small wooden block (various types of wood can be used);
• varnish containers;
• two metal boxes.

When all these parts are purchased, you can start making the stand.

So, in the plate you need to make several holes. Containers for rosin and alcohol will be fixed on them. Cans are easy to install. Containers should be easily inserted into the structure, and also fit snugly against each other. After these procedures, it is necessary to make a support. It is made by bending the base.

If necessary, each person can make special racks that raise the structure a certain distance. This is done for convenience in the process. The preparatory work ends with the processing of the duralumin sheet with a file or sandpaper. Corners should not have sharp ends.

Construction assembly

So, let's start assembling the stand for the soldering iron. The prepared support must be fixed to a wooden beam.

This can be done with screws. Next, the prepared small containers are attached. They are attached to the base with special glue or epoxy. Many craftsmen also install a small container between the racks. It can store small parts that will be needed in the process.

From wire

A wire soldering iron stand has gained great popularity among many craftsmen and hobbyists. It can be made from an ordinary tin can. In the process of assembling the installation, simple details are used:

• tin;
• large diameter pencil;
• washers and bolts;
• wire.

First you need to make a spring. The first thing to do is to purchase wire from the store. Some people remove it from other room fixtures. It must have a sufficiently large thickness so that a soldering iron heated to high temperatures does not destroy it. In addition, only high-strength material will be used. The finished product should spring.

We cut off the required length of wire and carefully align. To create a spring, a large diameter pencil is used. Holding the wire, carefully wind it around the pencil. The result should be a tight spiral. At its end, a special mount is made in the form of an eyelet. For these purposes, pliers are used.

The next step is to prepare the can. A small hole is drilled in its bottom.

This can be done with a nail or a drill. Next comes the stand for the soldering iron. The prepared spring is inserted into the jar and the structure is fixed with a bolt and nut. Washers are used to ensure a stronger mount. This method is quite simple. Anyone can make a soldering iron stand. It does not take much time to make it, as well as special tools.

Soldering iron stand with power regulator

More and more people prefer to use this type of stand. Its essence lies in the fact that it is equipped with a special device that independently adjusts the degree of heating of the soldering iron. Therefore, the device does not overheat and does not fail. The stand differs from other types in that it requires an electrical connection to function. For the manufacture of a variant with a power regulator, it is necessary to take the following elements:

• copper wire;
• a small piece of plywood;
• transformer;
• LEDs;
• details for fastening;
• resistor;
• wires;
• socket to connect to the network.

After all the necessary parts have been purchased, proceed directly to the assembly of the stand.

To begin with, the size of the installation is selected. Based on this information, a base is cut out of a plywood sheet. Next, a transformer and other parts will be attached to it.

Fuse holder

The manufacture of this option does not take much time, effort, and also does not require large financial investments. A wooden beam serves as a base, on which the fuse sponges are attached. They can be of various sizes. It all depends on the personal preferences of the masters.

Stand Benefits

First of all, the main advantage is mobility. Homemade coasters are used by people who often do soldering, working within several workshops. Such a design is not always at hand. However, it is easy to make. In addition, there is no need to carry rosin and tin separately in different containers, since now they are stored in special jars on a stand. Therefore, home-made installations are successful not only among amateurs, but also among professionals.

How to make a simple model?

It happens that it is urgently necessary to use a soldering iron, but there is no stand for it.

In this case, there is no time to look for the necessary parts and run around the shops. Therefore, it is better to make a simple, but also reliable design. There are many options, but there is the fastest one. The stand can be made in a few minutes. An ordinary wooden block will serve as a base, and screws or nails will serve as supports. They are driven into the beam crosswise. This forms a stand on which the soldering iron fits well and holds firmly.

Conclusion

When soldering elements, a stand for the device must be present. This accessory is expensive, so it is better to make it yourself. Such a process will not take much time, effort, and also save money.

Greetings, DIYers!

To do this, we need the following tools and materials:
1. Laminate scraps left after repair
2. A small piece of 16mm chipboard
3. Clamp for polypropylene pipes
4. Electric jigsaw
5. Glue for wood
6. Spray paint. The author used black, but then, in some way, regretted that he had chosen such a gloomy dark color. Therefore, it is advised to choose a more cheerful color.
7. Putty
8. Sandpaper
9. Usb lamp from fix-price store
10. 2 crocodile clips
11. A pair of small bolts and nuts to them
12. Copper wire

The author begins work on homemade. First you need to decide what you are going to store in your homemade product. To determine the dimensions of the future product, he compactly folds what will be stored in a makeshift organizer in the near future.

At this stage, he also notes the approximate dimensions of the future product.
Now, but more precisely, he makes a drawing of the workpiece. When making a drawing, it is also necessary to take into account the thickness of the materials used.

Now the author proceeds directly to the manufacture of the organizer. To begin with, he cuts laminate and chipboard to size. Super accuracy is not needed here, but still try to make the cut as close to 90 degrees as possible. This is how the box should look like.

Next, you need to mark out what size the stands for the soldering iron holder should be. The recesses should be naturally higher than the walls of the box, and the coasters themselves should be of such length that, lying down, they can easily fit in the box, and in one layer. Now you need to cut a recess for both metal parts. The author does it like this:

After some time, he realizes that this could have been done much easier with a crown on a tree, and only then cut in half. Well, as they say, a good thought comes to someone else or to ourselves, but belatedly.
Here's what happened in the end. It remains to tighten a couple of screws and you're done.

Now proceeds to assemble the box itself. Starts from the bottom. Makes small indentations for the self-tapping screws in advance. Then, at the gluing points, using sandpaper, removes the entire glossy layer of the laminate. Next is gluing. The author takes a special glue for wood products and glues wide side walls made of chipboard. When gluing, it is advisable to use clamps. After the glue has dried, it is necessary to fix the entire structure from below to the screws. Next, check the perpendicularity of the walls. You need to measure the angle between the walls. It should be straight - 90 °.

It's all right, let's move on. Now this design has rigidity, so you can glue and screw onto self-tapping screws at the same time. Here's what happened.

The author made the lid of the box on a tenon-groove connection. It's long and tedious. The author adjusted everything manually so that it was tightly assembled into one whole. Next, glue all the details. This will be quite enough, since practically no loads are expected on this part of the organizer.

Then you need sandpaper. It is necessary with its help to sand all possible irregularities and apply putty on wood. Putty is mainly needed to close the chips at the ends of the chipboard, and to hide all sorts of jambs that were formed during manufacture. After the putty has hardened, it must be cleaned. The same sandpaper will come to the rescue.

The next step is painting.

It is necessary to paint the box to give it a presentation.
Well, the paint is completely dry and here the author would like to add one point. It was necessary to choose a more cheerful color so that relatives would not have a desire to take away the box and bury, for example, a hamster in it. Anyway.

Now you can carefully separate the tape from the rack where the hot part of the soldering iron will be. We don't need the smell of burnt paint. If there are sticky traces of adhesive tape, you can try to remove them. Or leave it as it is. After turning on the soldering iron, the adhesive remaining on the rack from the adhesive tape should burn out.

And on the part where the handle will be, we put on the native rubber band from the fasteners for the polypropylene water pipe so that the soldering iron does not slide along the rack.

Mounting the stand for the soldering iron itself will be very simple. Nuts are glued in the racks and all this is pulled together with bolts with hats to the wall of the box. Here's what happened in the end:

Everything is very simple and practical. If you wish, you can drill a few more of the same holes, and if you have more than one soldering iron, then this design feature will be very useful. It will be possible to rearrange the rack for different sizes of the soldering iron. Now, in the side wall of the box, the author decided to make a couple of clips. They will be used as a third hand for soldering. To make such a design, you will need such a miracle of Chinese engineering from the fix-price store.

In the store, it is positioned as a usb lamp for illuminating the laptop keyboard. It can also be used in conjunction with a power bank, or as a night light. Here, as the latter, it fits better, because, to be honest, it shines so-so, but its flexible leg will come in handy for us. You will also need a couple of small screws with mortise nuts.

A do-it-yourself soldering iron stand is necessary when working with a tool. Factory devices are mostly not practical and do not have additional features that greatly facilitate the work.

Using something as a coaster usually results in a burnt table surface, clothes spoiled by tin and rosin, and hand burns.

Working on the “knee” is not quite convenient and takes a lot of time. The time and material investments in the manufacture of the stand are insignificant, the convenience and speed of work compensate for all efforts in the manufacture of the device.

The main requirements for stands, determined by operating experience:

• the base must be made of a material that conducts heat poorly;
• racks should not be massive;
• the optimal height of the bath for solder is not more than 10 mm;
• the soldering iron should lie on a stand with a slight slope, the tip is raised, the handle is lowered.

The dimensions of the product will depend on the power and size of the soldering iron.

Simple stand option

Figure 1. Scheme of a stand for a soldering iron for automatic temperature control.

The most common option, made within an hour. For the base, you can use a piece of wooden board with a thickness of at least 15 mm. Width and length are determined by the soldering iron model. The type of tree does not play a big role. It is desirable that the material be dry.

Surfaces should preferably be sanded or sanded.

Then, from a steel wire with a diameter of 3 - 4 mm, two racks must be bent. Usually, welding electrodes are used, freeing them from coating and treating them with emery cloth.

The shape of the rack is similar to the letter "M". The front of them should be higher, the middle bend is somewhat narrower, but the soldering iron should lie freely, without fixation. The C-pillar is slightly lower, the bend is wider. The lower ends of the racks must be sharpened with sandpaper or a file. Then hammer both racks into the board, according to the size of the soldering iron. The tip of the soldering iron must be in the air, the heating element must be located on the front rack. If a piece of hardwood is used for the base, it is advisable to drill two holes for the posts 4-6 mm deep and then hammer them.

A bath for flux and solder can be made from an old MBM capacitor of the required size. With a hacksaw for metal, he needs to cut the bottom at a height of 5-8 mm, and pull it off. The resulting bath must be washed with a solvent or alcohol, degreasing it. After drying, the bath must be fixed on the base, approximately in the middle between the racks. For fastening, you can use a couple of nails or small screws. In the absence of a condenser, you can use a suitable lid from a can or any other tin tray. The thickness of the tin should be small, otherwise it will be difficult to melt the solder when working with a low power soldering iron.

The stand is ready to use.

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Stand with energy saving circuit

The main disadvantage of soldering irons is their long initial heating. When working with circuits, soldering is needed periodically, and the soldering iron must be kept on between intervals, otherwise the work process will be significantly lengthened.

In addition, the soldering iron overheats, the solder and the tip oxidize. A simple circuit installed on a do-it-yourself soldering iron stand will help keep the tool at a lower temperature, warming up quickly when used.

For manufacturing you will need:

• diode, maximum forward current according to the power of the soldering iron;
• microswitch with the necessary current on the contacts;
• socket, cord with plug;

The base for the stand should be slightly larger than in the previous version. It is advisable to place the socket and microswitch on the side of the location of the soldering iron.

Figure 2. Scheme of the heating controller.

You need to install a diode in the socket housing by connecting it to one of the sockets of the socket, the polarity of the connection is not important. The power cord is connected with one wire to the second socket of the socket, the second to the free input of the diode. The microswitch is connected with normally closed contacts in parallel with the diode.

It is desirable to isolate all connections and the diode in any way possible. The microswitch must be fixed on the base and a movable bracket must be installed to switch it. The soldering iron lying on the stand should press the arm of the bracket with its weight. The bracket will switch the microswitch, its contacts will open. The soldering iron will be connected to a voltage of 110 V. The power consumed from the network will be halved, and the temperature will drop accordingly.

When lifting the soldering iron, the bracket will rise, the contacts will close, and within a few seconds the soldering iron will warm up to the required temperature.

To control the presence of voltage in the socket or on the base, you need to install a voltage indicator (any available).

Usually, when using such a stand, they often forget to turn off the soldering iron at the end of work.

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Connecting a soldering iron through a bridge

This scheme allows you to somewhat stabilize the operation of the soldering iron during drops and power surges in the network. Unlike the option described above, instead of one diode, you need to install a diode bridge with a smoothing electrolytic capacitor at the output. For manufacturing you need:

• four diodes with the required forward current rating;
• 40.0 microfarad electrolytic capacitor, voltage 350 V or higher;
• two microswitches or a group of normally closed contacts from a relay;
• socket, power cord with plug;
• mains voltage indicator.

For control, you need two pairs of normally closed contacts. You can use two microswitches or contacts from an open type relay. Contacts must be covered with a cover made of dielectric material.

One pair of contacts (Fig. 1) disconnects and connects one of the diodes of the bridge, the second - the capacitor. In the working position, the power to the soldering iron is supplied through the bridge and smoothed by the capacitor, in the non-working position - through one of the diodes of the bridge.

The design and dimensions of such a stand will depend on the available elements. The main elements are similar to previous versions. You can make a movable bracket for switching contacts from the used relay by removing the core and winding.