[sdiy] Bad Weller soldering iron

[KA4HJH]

>>>    So the solution was to buy a whole lot of replacement cords and
>>> replace them as needed.  I have once seen the actual heater element go
>>> bad, but that's pretty rare.
>
>You lucky !@#$  I've had at least 1/2 dozen heaters go bad, and one switch.
>Only had the cord fail once. Last time the heater went bad it was only after
>12 months, so I sent an abusive email to Cooper Tools. After that a customer
>service rep called me, asked a few questions, determined it was indeed just
>a lousy heater, not a failure caused by something else, and I was promptly
>shipped a free replacement.

Where I used to work (20 years ago, all WTCP's) we had every spare
part--heaters, cords, even the transformer (not to mention lots of tips and
sponges). Not that we had to fix one very often. But I've heard that the
newer ones just aren't the same.
-- 

Terry Bowman, KA4HJH
"The Mac Doctor"