Antex tips

[Geoffrey S. Mendelson]

I need to get a different tip for my Antex irons. I went to their web site
and it is closed for Christmas, so I can't even look them up. I have their
yellow irons, made about 10 years ago.

It uses the tips that slide onto the end of the iron and have a spring type
ring around the iron end to hold them in place.

I'm looking for a fine round tip for general soldering of small wires and
components. The tip I have is too wide.

Any information would be helpful, especially the name of a company that will
sell 2 tips without a miminum order, ship to Israel, and will ship via the
Post Office instead of courier service like Fedex or UPS.

Thanks in advance,

Geoff.

BTW, just because they don't want to sell me anything over Christmas
does not mean that I stop working, or stop needing information. I can understand
that closing for Christmas is a British tradition, but couldn't they have
kept the information part open? I'm reminded of a picture of Patrick McGoohan
with the caption "You want information. You won't get any!"

--
Geoffrey S. Mendelson, Jerusalem, Israel gsm@mendelson.com N3OWJ/4X1GM
New word I coined 12/13/09, "Sub-Wikipedia" adj, describing knowledge or
understanding, as in he has a sub-wikipedia understanding of the situation.
i.e possessing less facts or information than can be found in the Wikipedia.

 

[Baron]

Geoffrey S. Mendelson Inscribed thus:

I need to get a different tip for my Antex irons. I went to their web
site and it is closed for Christmas, so I can't even look them up. I
have their yellow irons, made about 10 years ago.

It uses the tips that slide onto the end of the iron and have a spring
type ring around the iron end to hold them in place.

I'm looking for a fine round tip for general soldering of small wires
and components. The tip I have is too wide.

Any information would be helpful, especially the name of a company
that will sell 2 tips without a miminum order, ship to Israel, and
will ship via the Post Office instead of courier service like Fedex or
UPS.

Thanks in advance,

Geoff.

BTW, just because they don't want to sell me anything over Christmas
does not mean that I stop working, or stop needing information. I can
understand that closing for Christmas is a British tradition, but
couldn't they have kept the information part open? I'm reminded of a
picture of Patrick McGoohan with the caption "You want information.
You won't get any!"

If you access to a lathe, grab an old worn out tip, turn the end flat,
drill it and then insert a short piece of copper wire. Works great !
I made 1mm and .5mm tips that way.


--
Best Regards:
Baron.

 

[Dave Plowman (News)]

In article <slrnhjjoho.qia.gsm@cable.mendelson.com>,
Geoffrey S. Mendelson <gsm@cable.mendelson.com> wrote:

Any information would be helpful, especially the name of a company that
will sell 2 tips without a miminum order, ship to Israel, and will ship
via the Post Office instead of courier service like Fedex or UPS.

Maplin might be your best bet for small orders. Antex do sell direct - but
their prices seem to be higher than from a retailer.

--
*How much deeper would the oceans be without sponges? *

Dave Plowman dave@davenoise.co.uk London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

 

[Arfa Daily]

"Geoffrey S. Mendelson" <gsm@cable.mendelson.com> wrote in message
news:slrnhjjoho.qia.gsm@cable.mendelson.com...

I need to get a different tip for my Antex irons. I went to their web site
and it is closed for Christmas, so I can't even look them up. I have their
yellow irons, made about 10 years ago.

It uses the tips that slide onto the end of the iron and have a spring
type
ring around the iron end to hold them in place.

I'm looking for a fine round tip for general soldering of small wires and
components. The tip I have is too wide.

Any information would be helpful, especially the name of a company that
will
sell 2 tips without a miminum order, ship to Israel, and will ship via the
Post Office instead of courier service like Fedex or UPS.

Thanks in advance,

Geoff.

BTW, just because they don't want to sell me anything over Christmas
does not mean that I stop working, or stop needing information. I can
understand
that closing for Christmas is a British tradition, but couldn't they have
kept the information part open? I'm reminded of a picture of Patrick
McGoohan
with the caption "You want information. You won't get any!"

--

I think it actually goes :

McGoohan - "Waddya want !?"
Number 2 - "We want ... information ..."
McGoohan - "Well you won't geddit !"

They're remaking The Prisoner, with an American guy in the lead, and with it
set somewhere in Africa. Another great classic bites the dust in the name of
'a remake'.

Back to Antex tips. We discussed this on here a few months back when I
observed that they are no longer split-skirted, with a spring ring that
slides up and down. They are now solid, with a very thin piece of springy
metal inside the hole, which gives a nice stiff fit, but completely
overcomes the old problem of the split-skirt ones sticking to the element
shaft, if they weren't turned regularly. Also, they have now gone back to
what looks like chrome plating on the tips, as they used to be years back. I
don't know whether they have done this in an effort to resist the much more
corrosive fluxes that we are encountering in the dreaded lead-free electric
glue that they laughingly define now as 'solder' ...

On this score, I have to report that the first one of this new plating type
that I fitted several months back, has lasted much longer than Antex tips
have done in recent years, so I guess that's a good start. The new fixing
method seems to work as well, with my tips showing no signs of sticking at
all.

Farnell keep the whole range of replacement tips, and they can be purchased
singly. You can buy off them by credit card without a trade account now. If
you go to www.farnell.com you can select "Israel" from all the different
countries that they have a presence in, so I guess you should be able to
order from them ??

Arfa

 

[Geoffrey S. Mendelson]

Baron wrote:

If you access to a lathe, grab an old worn out tip, turn the end flat,
drill it and then insert a short piece of copper wire. Works great !
I made 1mm and .5mm tips that way.

Thanks, I don't have one, but I can ask a friend.

Geoff.


--
Geoffrey S. Mendelson, Jerusalem, Israel gsm@mendelson.com N3OWJ/4X1GM
New word I coined 12/13/09, "Sub-Wikipedia" adj, describing knowledge or
understanding, as in he has a sub-wikipedia understanding of the situation.
i.e possessing less facts or information than can be found in the Wikipedia.

 

[Geoffrey S. Mendelson]

Dave Plowman (News) wrote:

Maplin might be your best bet for small orders. Antex do sell direct - but
their prices seem to be higher than from a retailer.

Thanks. Maplin is out of stock for 28 days. :-(

Geoff.



--
Geoffrey S. Mendelson, Jerusalem, Israel gsm@mendelson.com N3OWJ/4X1GM
New word I coined 12/13/09, "Sub-Wikipedia" adj, describing knowledge or
understanding, as in he has a sub-wikipedia understanding of the situation.
i.e possessing less facts or information than can be found in the Wikipedia.

 

[Jim Yanik]

"Geoffrey S. Mendelson" <gsm@cable.mendelson.com> wrote in
news:slrnhjk3gp.h13.gsm@cable.mendelson.com:

Baron wrote:

If you access to a lathe, grab an old worn out tip, turn the end flat,
drill it and then insert a short piece of copper wire. Works great !
I made 1mm and .5mm tips that way.

yes,at least solid copper can be filed to whatever tip shape you want.
I used to do that with old Antex unplated tips,for SMD work.

Thanks, I don't have one, but I can ask a friend.

Geoff.


you might be able to chuck the old bit in a drill,flatten the end with a

file and drill a hole yourself,with a drill bit in another drill.be
careful.

for that matter,you could get someone to machine whole tips for you,(not
plated,though) Or an adapter to use some other easily obtainable bit.
maybe something that threads in.

--
Jim Yanik
jyanik
at
localnet
dot com

 

[Geoffrey S. Mendelson]

Arfa Daily wrote:

I think it actually goes :

McGoohan - "Waddya want !?"
Number 2 - "We want ... information ..."
McGoohan - "Well you won't geddit !"

They're remaking The Prisoner, with an American guy in the lead, and with it
set somewhere in Africa. Another great classic bites the dust in the name of
'a remake'.

It's been broadcast somewhere, or at least leaked to the Internet. The only
thing good about it was Ian McKellen as #2. Otherwise, I can't really say,
there were 5 or 6 parts and I only watched 2.

Farnell keep the whole range of replacement tips, and they can be purchased
singly. You can buy off them by credit card without a trade account now. If
you go to www.farnell.com you can select "Israel" from all the different
countries that they have a presence in, so I guess you should be able to
order from them ??

I'll try.

Thanks, Geoff.


--
Geoffrey S. Mendelson, Jerusalem, Israel gsm@mendelson.com N3OWJ/4X1GM
New word I coined 12/13/09, "Sub-Wikipedia" adj, describing knowledge or
understanding, as in he has a sub-wikipedia understanding of the situation.
i.e possessing less facts or information than can be found in the Wikipedia.

 

[Baron]

Geoffrey S. Mendelson Inscribed thus:

Baron wrote:

If you access to a lathe, grab an old worn out tip, turn the end
flat,
drill it and then insert a short piece of copper wire. Works great !
I made 1mm and .5mm tips that way.

Thanks, I don't have one, but I can ask a friend.

Geoff.

The good bit is that it is easy to make a new one when the old one wears
out.

--
Best Regards:
Baron.

 

[Baron]

Jim Yanik Inscribed thus:

"Geoffrey S. Mendelson" <gsm@cable.mendelson.com> wrote in
news:slrnhjk3gp.h13.gsm@cable.mendelson.com:

Baron wrote:

If you access to a lathe, grab an old worn out tip, turn the end
flat,
drill it and then insert a short piece of copper wire. Works great
! I made 1mm and .5mm tips that way.

yes,at least solid copper can be filed to whatever tip shape you want.
I used to do that with old Antex unplated tips,for SMD work.

Thanks, I don't have one, but I can ask a friend.

Geoff.


you might be able to chuck the old bit in a drill,flatten the end with
a file and drill a hole yourself,with a drill bit in another drill.be
careful.

I agree be be very careful ! Its very easy to break a 1mm drill.

for that matter,you could get someone to machine whole tips for
you,(not plated,though) Or an adapter to use some other easily
obtainable bit. maybe something that threads in.

Bad idea Jim. I tried that using some 8mm solid copper rod. I drilled
it 5mm If I remember, slotted it and produced a good fitting bit with a
smooth taper to 0.5mm. It worked great... Until I tried to remove it
from the shaft. Its still on that iron to this day.
I guess I didn't make the slot long enough.

--
Best Regards:
Baron.

 

[Baron]

Geoffrey S. Mendelson Inscribed thus:

Arfa Daily wrote:
Farnell keep the whole range of replacement tips, and they can be
purchased singly. You can buy off them by credit card without a trade
account now. If you go to www.farnell.com you can select "Israel"
from all the different countries that they have a presence in, so I
guess you should be able to order from them ??

I went to their website. They have a "presence" in Israel, so I
figured I could order from them. For some reason they quote prices in
US dollars, but I have converter on my desktop, so I'm ok with that.

I figure out how to navigate the web site, open a userid, etc. I find
the tips I want and they are less than $5, I order two, and while I am
at it, I add some stands for the irons ($8), and 15 bulbs I need for
my Drake SPR-4 and are not avalable here. ($12 total).

I also throw in some plugs I need, they had them from 47 cents to $12
each, I put in my basket 10 of them. I'm now up to $58, not a big
order, but not a cheap one for me.

I go to the checkout, and here's the killer. I can only order it to be
shipped UPS for $35. Now UPS has a deal with customs where they will
charge me VAT and import duty on the order. They also can charge me a
$35 customs clearing fee.

Ouch ! :-(

If it came in via the Post Office, an order of $58 would have been
delivered tax free. :-(

Now to see what Antex has after they reopen next year.

Geoff.

--
Best Regards:
Baron.

 

[Geoffrey S. Mendelson]

Arfa Daily wrote:

Farnell keep the whole range of replacement tips, and they can be purchased
singly. You can buy off them by credit card without a trade account now. If
you go to www.farnell.com you can select "Israel" from all the different
countries that they have a presence in, so I guess you should be able to
order from them ??

I went to their website. They have a "presence" in Israel, so I figured
I could order from them. For some reason they quote prices in US dollars,
but I have converter on my desktop, so I'm ok with that.

I figure out how to navigate the web site, open a userid, etc. I find the tips
I want and they are less than $5, I order two, and while I am at it, I add
some stands for the irons ($8), and 15 bulbs I need for my Drake SPR-4
and are not avalable here. ($12 total).

I also throw in some plugs I need, they had them from 47 cents to $12 each,
I put in my basket 10 of them. I'm now up to $58, not a big order, but not
a cheap one for me.

I go to the checkout, and here's the killer. I can only order it to be shipped
UPS for $35. Now UPS has a deal with customs where they will charge me VAT and
import duty on the order. They also can charge me a $35 customs clearing fee.

If it came in via the Post Office, an order of $58 would have been delivered
tax free. :-(

Now to see what Antex has after they reopen next year.

Geoff.

--
Geoffrey S. Mendelson, Jerusalem, Israel gsm@mendelson.com N3OWJ/4X1GM
New word I coined 12/13/09, "Sub-Wikipedia" adj, describing knowledge or
understanding, as in he has a sub-wikipedia understanding of the situation.
i.e possessing less facts or information than can be found in the Wikipedia.

 

[Dave Plowman (News)]

In article <slrnhjk3f9.h13.gsm@cable.mendelson.com>,
Geoffrey S. Mendelson <gsm@cable.mendelson.com> wrote:

Maplin might be your best bet for small orders. Antex do sell direct -
but their prices seem to be higher than from a retailer.

Thanks. Maplin is out of stock for 28 days. :-(

Send me an email (observe spam trap) saying what size you need. If it's
one of the common ones I'll have spares as I use Antex here. But I use the
50 watt temperature controlled type. The 15 watt ones use a bit with less
temperature storage - although IIRC most will physically fit. The latest
ones I've bought are solid skirt with an internal spring to give a good
contact.

--
*You never really learn to swear until you learn to drive *

Dave Plowman dave@davenoise.co.uk London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

 

[Arfa Daily]

"Geoffrey S. Mendelson" <gsm@cable.mendelson.com> wrote in message
news:slrnhjl1rf.c55.gsm@cable.mendelson.com...

Arfa Daily wrote:
Farnell keep the whole range of replacement tips, and they can be
purchased
singly. You can buy off them by credit card without a trade account now.
If
you go to www.farnell.com you can select "Israel" from all the different
countries that they have a presence in, so I guess you should be able to
order from them ??

I went to their website. They have a "presence" in Israel, so I figured
I could order from them. For some reason they quote prices in US dollars,
but I have converter on my desktop, so I'm ok with that.

I figure out how to navigate the web site, open a userid, etc. I find the
tips
I want and they are less than $5, I order two, and while I am at it, I add
some stands for the irons ($8), and 15 bulbs I need for my Drake SPR-4
and are not avalable here. ($12 total).

I also throw in some plugs I need, they had them from 47 cents to $12
each,
I put in my basket 10 of them. I'm now up to $58, not a big order, but not
a cheap one for me.

I go to the checkout, and here's the killer. I can only order it to be
shipped
UPS for $35. Now UPS has a deal with customs where they will charge me VAT
and
import duty on the order. They also can charge me a $35 customs clearing
fee.

If it came in via the Post Office, an order of $58 would have been
delivered
tax free. :-(

Now to see what Antex has after they reopen next year.

Geoff.

Ah. That's a bit of a bummer then. Pity as they have all the stuff you
needed ...

Arfa

 

[Arfa Daily]

"Arfa Daily" <arfa.daily@ntlworld.com> wrote in message
news:dTy_m.2$%f3.0@newsfe03.ams2...

"Geoffrey S. Mendelson" <gsm@cable.mendelson.com> wrote in message
news:slrnhjl1rf.c55.gsm@cable.mendelson.com...
Arfa Daily wrote:
Farnell keep the whole range of replacement tips, and they can be
purchased
singly. You can buy off them by credit card without a trade account now.
If
you go to www.farnell.com you can select "Israel" from all the different
countries that they have a presence in, so I guess you should be able to
order from them ??

I went to their website. They have a "presence" in Israel, so I figured
I could order from them. For some reason they quote prices in US dollars,
but I have converter on my desktop, so I'm ok with that.

I figure out how to navigate the web site, open a userid, etc. I find the
tips
I want and they are less than $5, I order two, and while I am at it, I
add
some stands for the irons ($8), and 15 bulbs I need for my Drake SPR-4
and are not avalable here. ($12 total).

I also throw in some plugs I need, they had them from 47 cents to $12
each,
I put in my basket 10 of them. I'm now up to $58, not a big order, but
not
a cheap one for me.

I go to the checkout, and here's the killer. I can only order it to be
shipped
UPS for $35. Now UPS has a deal with customs where they will charge me
VAT and
import duty on the order. They also can charge me a $35 customs clearing
fee.

If it came in via the Post Office, an order of $58 would have been
delivered
tax free. :-(

Now to see what Antex has after they reopen next year.

Geoff.

Ah. That's a bit of a bummer then. Pity as they have all the stuff you
needed ...

Arfa

So the post office can just circumvent all of the import duty and such then
? Seems a bit odd that your government would let that one by it ... Also,
thinking about it, if your VAT regulations follow the norm throughout
europe, then your order would not be subject to that tax, as it only applies
to complete goods being imported, not component parts. I know this because I
used to buy large quantities (over $300 at a time) of a particular component
from the USA, and these came UPS through the correct import channels. Import
duty was charged, but VAT was not.

Arfa

 

[Jim Yanik]

"Arfa Daily" <arfa.daily@ntlworld.com> wrote in
news:ryG_m.5603$ig1.5599@newsfe07.ams2:

"Arfa Daily" <arfa.daily@ntlworld.com> wrote in message
news:dTy_m.2$%f3.0@newsfe03.ams2...

"Geoffrey S. Mendelson" <gsm@cable.mendelson.com> wrote in message
news:slrnhjl1rf.c55.gsm@cable.mendelson.com...
Arfa Daily wrote:
Farnell keep the whole range of replacement tips, and they can be
purchased
singly. You can buy off them by credit card without a trade account
now. If
you go to www.farnell.com you can select "Israel" from all the
different countries that they have a presence in, so I guess you
should be able to order from them ??

I went to their website. They have a "presence" in Israel, so I
figured I could order from them. For some reason they quote prices
in US dollars, but I have converter on my desktop, so I'm ok with
that.

I figure out how to navigate the web site, open a userid, etc. I
find the tips
I want and they are less than $5, I order two, and while I am at it,
I add
some stands for the irons ($8), and 15 bulbs I need for my Drake
SPR-4 and are not avalable here. ($12 total).

I also throw in some plugs I need, they had them from 47 cents to
$12 each,
I put in my basket 10 of them. I'm now up to $58, not a big order,
but not
a cheap one for me.

I go to the checkout, and here's the killer. I can only order it to
be shipped
UPS for $35. Now UPS has a deal with customs where they will charge
me VAT and
import duty on the order. They also can charge me a $35 customs
clearing fee.

If it came in via the Post Office, an order of $58 would have been
delivered
tax free. :-(

Now to see what Antex has after they reopen next year.

Geoff.

Ah. That's a bit of a bummer then. Pity as they have all the stuff
you needed ...

Arfa


So the post office can just circumvent all of the import duty and such
then ? Seems a bit odd that your government would let that one by it
... Also, thinking about it, if your VAT regulations follow the norm
throughout europe, then your order would not be subject to that tax,
as it only applies to complete goods being imported, not component
parts. I know this because I used to buy large quantities (over $300
at a time) of a particular component from the USA, and these came UPS
through the correct import channels. Import duty was charged, but VAT
was not.

Arfa

why should VAT be charged merely for shipping?
I thought VAT was added after each reSALE of the product.
After all,"import duty" is a tax,adding VAT would be double taxation.

--
Jim Yanik
jyanik
at
localnet
dot com

 

[Geoffrey S. Mendelson]

Jim Yanik wrote:

why should VAT be charged merely for shipping?
I thought VAT was added after each reSALE of the product.
After all,"import duty" is a tax,adding VAT would be double taxation.

Here VAT is charged on (almost) everything. Due to there being all sorts
of tax treaties, many items have luxury taxes on them too. Most tax treaties
prohibit the charging of import duty, for example the ones with the US and
the EU, but VAT and luxury taxes are ok.

There is an excemtption for packages sent via the post office (left over
from the days it was part of the government) of $35 for books, $200 for
everything else, but often the $200 limit is enforced as $50 or 50 UKP.

If something is taxable, the taxes due are charged on the total, the value
of the items, the shipping, customs clearing and handling fees etc.

A business just passes on the taxes, etc to their customers, but they can
get back VAT and other taxes if they file a VAT return. The whole system is
slanted to make it difficult for a private individual to import anything.

Geoff.


--
Geoffrey S. Mendelson, Jerusalem, Israel gsm@mendelson.com N3OWJ/4X1GM
New word I coined 12/13/09, "Sub-Wikipedia" adj, describing knowledge or
understanding, as in he has a sub-wikipedia understanding of the situation.
i.e possessing less facts or information than can be found in the Wikipedia.

 

[Dave Plowman (News)]

In article <ryG_m.5603$ig1.5599@newsfe07.ams2>,
Arfa Daily <arfa.daily@ntlworld.com> wrote:

So the post office can just circumvent all of the import duty and such
then ? Seems a bit odd that your government would let that one by it
... Also, thinking about it, if your VAT regulations follow the norm
throughout europe, then your order would not be subject to that tax, as
it only applies to complete goods being imported, not component parts.
I know this because I used to buy large quantities (over $300 at a
time) of a particular component from the USA, and these came UPS
through the correct import channels. Import duty was charged, but VAT
was not.

It seems quite random. I've bought a few bits and pieces from the US and
sometimes get charged import duty, sometimes not. Nor does there appear to
be a definitive cut off cost below which they don't bother.

--
*There's no place like www.home.com *

Dave Plowman dave@davenoise.co.uk London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.