Turn a pencil into a soldering iron

[eyeamon]

@communique15 or if you were interested in how things work!

[LongBean420]

im gunna build something like that and install it into an old nintendo gun so it wont burn my hand and easy to hold

[LongBean420]

how do you take out the graphite without breaking it?

[whocaresanyname1]

lol top job mate!! MacGyver would be proud! :)

[bob245171]

would a batterie work

[JonOMec]

can you make another video thats just full video and show the steps step by stem and show a rilly good vyew of the progress after every step

[TheMuslimKiller]

DUDE NO WAY, I CAN'T BELIEVE SOMEONE ELSE HAD THE SAME EXACT IDEA I DID. I built one of these several years ago for a fun project. Also I built a cold soldering iron with it. Basically have to pieces of graphite right next to each other, and when both are touching your component it will complete the circuit and heat up super fast. Good thing about this is that your graphite won't get damaged after awhile, only heats up for a second or two. The other way needs constant heat buildup. Cheers

[yyhaoyue]

how many volts dose it need to power it ?

[raz0racanine]

where did u learn this??

[ToliveAnimations]

Pretty clever, and usefull

[communique15]

This is great if you only want to prove to yourself that a soldering iron can be made out of graphite, or if you're in a McGyver situation in the jungle, but if you really want to do it right, and save your life at the same time, spend $5.99 at an electronics store and get a real one. If you're trying to use that thing and you drop it, or it falls apart or the graphite shatters you're in a world of trouble. And for God sakes don't be encouraging other people to do something this stupid!

[DirtbagEconomics]

Just convert Vsource to DC and set up a ground plate to complete the circuit instead of using AC and pumping it through the graphite between the 2 leads. Make one lead the ground plate and just make sure whatever you are soldering is securely grounded to that plate or it won't work at all. It's much safer the way i'm talking about. I think I will build one and put up the vid after watching this. I never considered stripping pencils. Resistance iron graphite isn't easy to google though either.

[ifp2o1]

Use a paperclip and bend it to the shape of a gun. Heat one end of it using a small flame such as a lighter or candle. It's not the easiest to use and not the best but it works

[whocaresanyname1]

@ifp2o1 lol i used to solder the TSOP points on the old xbox 1 using small screwdriver that i heated up on the gas stove.it was a pain but it worked! but believe me mate! get a cheap soldering iron and some flux! is soo much easier :)

[studleylee]

MacGyver would be proud!!! This will be in my emergency bag of tricks :-)

[legoclockfreak710]

please help... i tried making this with 2 9v batterys and it doesnt work! what voltage should i use and how can i get the voltage?

[soundspark]

I made something a bit more fancy. See watch?v=LWzZKi0_uac

Uses two short pieces of graphite held in metal rods.

[BbXh0BbIes]

how did i get from dubstep to here ?

[mastre10213]

I dont get it, i did everything how you said and doesnt work for me. I thin kthis is an awesome idea, but i cant get it. Im using 6 AA batteries and some random wire i found and ive tried a couple different types but its just not heating up? does anyone have any advice?(im also just starting with a 1 inch piece of graphite, but even that wont heat up... =) help me

[oWrxckedo]

isnt that short circuiting it

[peterarul1]

What is the minimum requirement for voltage and current? AC or DC?

[thedonutholes69]

is it safe doenst look safe. maybe a disclaimer will help if someone gets badly burned or shocked O____Oyou should find a way to make it safer just incase you never know whats gonna happen

[mtdeezy]

@MisterVanFlaggerAss It would heat up faster, but that's because it will be trying to reach a higher temperature. For it to solder, you want it to be a just the right temperature. Any higher and the graphite will shatter. That's why you need to match your graphite to the voltage source. My source was sufficient to power the piece I used. If I had used a smaller one it would get too hot. If I had used a weaker source I could have used a smaller piece, but it would take just as long to heat up

[k0b0yash1]

@mtdeezy that's right you tell him :D

[k0b0yash1]

@MisterVanFlaggerAss What's your problem dude? OK we get that your right but you didn't have to put the "like this asshole" part, next time be a MATURE "PRO" and don't be leaving disgusting comments!! D:<

[snake069Eyes]

@mtdeezy the power of this soldering is a 220 wats?



[pawnoel]

@snake069Eyes less 30v

[snake069Eyes]

ask?.. its a 220v? or else?

[redroosterfreddy]

1:09 1:14 The 'way' you made it to be able to be held...where you hold the duct tape, did you find a way to make it so that you can squeeze there and it turns on?

Or is that there just for holding?

If it isn't, how do I make that part of the soldering iron?

Thanks ^^.

[mtdeezy]

@redroosterfreddy Yes. I just used a small button.

[coolglen201]

"this thing"= side cutters or wire cutters

[gilbet]

I broke 5 pencils before giving up. Tried whittling the wood away, splitting it, etc. I don't see how you can remove something as flimsy as pencil graphite from a hardwood pencil.

Also tried wrapping a piece of wire around just the ends and burning the wood off. But each time I try to wrap the wire, no matter how gently, the graphite breaks off.

[DarkAvatar1313]

@gilbet

go get a drafting/shop pencil, rather than a school pencil

[thewulfone]

The way the graphite glowed made it look dangerous.

[TheBlacksabbathfan9]

Oh and I used 9 volts well actually it was 6 AA batteries strung togather

[TheBlacksabbathfan9]

Does the length of the lead matter? Cause I used a small peice which got super hot but still wouldn't met solder

[TheBlacksabbathfan9]

@cris5101 that's true but this where is the fun?

[MrYopi32]

how many voltage you use???

please answer))

[amey2222]

Plz advice if a small battery can be used a as power source...

[cris5101]

i areal one is onl six bux save your time

[daif76]

i'll be more carefull newt time :p , but after all it worked and i managed to solder the board that i was working on

so ...thanks

[SalemSmiles]

Thanks this is the best vid iv seen and it worked the best too

[MaaveMaave]

Nice idea using graphite. Good material for a soldering iron.

Why is there so much heat being generated at that point? Wouldn't you want heat concentrated at the tip?

[mtdeezy]

@MaaveMaave If you mean the point that gets hot at 2:10, that's unintentional. The graphite chipped so the rod was slightly thinner there.

[MaaveMaave]

@mtdeezy Oh ok, thanks.

[absurdskinnyjackb1]

can u just use another piece of metal instead of the graphite???

[MaaveMaave]

@absurdskinnyjackb1 You can use anything but it should have slight resistivity so that it heats up.

[daif76]

i didn't red the comments.. so i tried the 220 v but i'm writing this after my experiment ..... so i wasn't killed :))))) just a big spark and the power went off in all the house

but thanks for the post it was so helpful

[mtdeezy]

@daif76 Omg don't mess around with electricity unless you know what you're doing. I weren't killed, but you easily could have been, especially if you had tried to use it.. I don't want that to be on me.

[Slic3R1]

@daif76 the best solution would be to use a transformer

[borismontoya136]

@daif76 Good thing you didn't die... My god why would you even try doing this on 220v...

[salasbizzle]

9 volts with a switch.

[wwepokerrooster671]

Will 9vts or 6vts work?

[ace2a66d20]

you may want to thin the pencil lead close to the tip of the iron, that way it heats up more close to the tip.

[vireak209]

Remember to be well Vented, or the fumes with effect you :)

[jjprincedjnc]

Nice but what did you use for power

[Augray37]

Thank you mtdeezy btw!

[Augray37]

i actually built this contraption with coat hanger wire (a bit hard to work with) and a 9V (measures as 13V on multimeter?) 1000mA AC adaptor and, sure enough, it worked :). unbelievable...but it does lol. saved me $30, i'll take that haha.

[legoclockfreak710]

will two 9v batteries work???

p.s.

THANK YOU FOR THIS VIDEO!!!!

[dealio82]

What kind of battery of power supply did you use?

[1234cheatmaster]

and also i have every thing but wire

[1234cheatmaster]

could u use a big battery

[mtdeezy]

@buernoob I used graphite because graphite isnt a perfect conductor. It has some resistance. When electricity goes through something, if the material has resistance that means its literally creating friction with the electrons trying to flow through it. As you probably know, where theres friction theres heat. Something like a nail (assuming its made out of metal) is almost a perfect conductor, and so theres no friction, thus no heat generated. thanks for the comment

[Pr0oST0RM]

lol what did you use for power source 9v battary or 220 or 129 vlot ac

[mtdeezy]

@Pr0oST0RM I used an old 22v laptop charger.

[mtdeezy]

@Pr0oST0RM by the way DO NOT try to use 220 or 120v ac. youll get yourself killed.