[terryjaye]

Hello,

My first post here. I just received my Telkwa kit and am acquiring the tools needed to start assembly. I purchased the Jingda iron and am waiting for a roller to arrive. In the meantime, I tested the iron for temperature with a stand I made up from aluminum bar stock and other workshop scraps. I riveted 2 pieces together and drilled a hole between them for a snug fit for the thermometer. This doubles as a storage stand as well.

The flattened iron sits flush on the aluminum rest.

The increased mass delays the heating somewhat, and it never reached over 140C. This is a 250V iron plugged into a 120V source. I do have 240V available in the workshop, but of course split phase and not useful in this case. I purchased the iron not realizing that it’s a 250V L1 and a common. Oh well, Amazon is on the way with a step up transformer.

• This reply was modified 3 years, 5 months ago by terryjaye.

[terryjaye]

I wanted to remove any variability in my thermo stand and actual temperatures. So, I painted the iron’s surface flat black and used my infrared toy. Spot checks revealed a variety of temperatures with the hottest about 1 cm away from where the wires enter the body.

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With this technique, maximum temperatures reached were 157C. Yeah, waiting for the Amazon guy to show with the step up box, to try this again.

[terryjaye]

A 120V-250V step up transformer was delivered late yesterday. 26 hours after ordering. There is some advantages to living within an hour of Toronto. Appears to be a quality build and it turned on and produced 236V from my 120V residential line . $87.99CAD delivered. Wow!

https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B06VVXN2SR/ref=cm_sw_r_em_apa_glt_i_SHKHCR8EE2R1CB17K2Z7?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

I left the iron on the same full throttle setting and in 5 minutes, it was registering 220C. Five more minutes and the paint was smoking and measuring 336C as I unplugged it. The workshop stinks. I left for work without airing it out and my wife is displeased:(

I’m thinking that with the additional horsepower going into this iron that it might maintain tighter temperatures during use.

 

[terryjaye]

Yes, I did try welding some scraps with the iron. It was a frustrating experience requiring a long exposure to make it work. I wasn’t happy with the final weld. Possibly my technique, or the cold iron or a combination of both. If I didn’t have another use for the step up transformer, I would’ve purchased a 120V aircraft iron from Aircraft Spruce.

In any event, the leather iron seems to be working well and now actually cycles on and off.

[Author]

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