Solder iron safety

[jimon]

I've understand that main safety rule is not to do stupid things with solder iron
But from time to time I'm still getting burned by it, especially if I want to solder tricky hard-to-get-to points. (Mostly I'm getting burned because my other hand touches soldering iron while I'm trying to solder)

So I have two questions :
1) Do solder irons really need this long metal tube ? We only use tip of the iron for soldering, other surface is useless (except for a grip). Is there are any solder irons with hot parts covered or less exposed ?
2) Do safety regulations tell us anything useful about this ? People have been soldering for >70 years. Is there are any improvements in soldering safety ?

PS. One hand rule and helping hands kinda solving most of safety troubles, but this method is slow if you need to solder wires on protoboard.

[Yago]

1) Do solder irons really need this long metal tube ? We only use tip of the iron for soldering, other surface is useless (except for a grip). Is there are any solder irons with hot parts covered or less exposed ?

Not all irons are like that now.
Take a look at Ersa Pico, entry level to high quality and much better handling as you want.
TopLoser here is selling one for VERY cheap in this thread:
https://www.eevblog.com/forum/buysellwanted/fs-%28uk%29-ersa-soldering-equipment/

[Psi]

yeah, that iron in your pic is probably a bit large unless you're only doing large through hole components.

Large irons, and especially long irons, are hard to use for delicate work and that makes burning yourself more likely.

[jimon]

Yep probably I put wrong picture, I'm currently using this one http://www.kjell.com/sortiment/hus-halsa-fritid/verktyg/lodning/lodkolvar/dibotech-analog-lodstation-48-w-p40065

[david77]

Let's hope the health and safety loonies don't get soldering irons banned too soon 

I think it is quite normal that you burn yourself on your iron sometimes, especially as a beginner. When you play football it's also quite likely you will hurt yourself from time to time.
As time moves on you will find your skills improving and maybe the tips of your fingers get a bit less heat sensitive too .

I've only burnt myself badly once on the iron, when I caught it falling off the desk and got the hot end in my hand. Lesson learned.

[KJDS]

The only time I've burnt myself soldering was working on a disco unit in a hall.

I'd turned the iron off and unplugged it, spent the next hour doing something else then picked the iron up by the sharp end as I went to leave. My mate had plugged it back in.

[dannyf]

Do solder irons really need this long metal tube ?

Generally yes, so you can put the heater as far away from the handle as you can.

[Yago]

Do solder irons really need this long metal tube ?

Generally yes, so you can put the heater as far away from the handle as you can.

I have Ersa nano, from end of finger guard to tip of iron is 50mm

Have to agree that with experience you no longer burn yourself.

@KJDS Disco inferno is hardly punk !

[tautech]

Get yourself some tweezers, pre-tin pads, load the iron with solder, hold components in place with a screwdriver.....there are many tricks to not burn fingers.
Your iron(second pic) is of the style most use.
Change of your methodology required. 

[kolonelkadat]

I burn myself frequently because I dont put the soldering iron down when im not soldering. Its a bad habit from when I was a kid with a firestick style iron with no holder so putting the iron down left you just one absent minded bump away from burning a hole in your trousers and whats under them.

Im not sure how much a shorter hot end would help either. I mean, my iron is 60mm from plastic to tip, and ive got a 30mm burn across my knucles. So if you cut the iron in half, all that you'd really be doing is making it harder to see when you're waving it around like a maniac.

As long as you put the iron down when you arent using it, you should be hard pressed to burn yourself.

[nanofrog]

1) Do solder irons really need this long metal tube ? We only use tip of the iron for soldering, other surface is useless (except for a grip). Is there are any solder irons with hot parts covered or less exposed ?

Generally speaking, Yes. It's done to get the heater away from the grip/handle so it doesn't get too hot to hold (or worse).

That said, not all irons are that long. Some manufacturers have made irons with a much shorter tip-to-grip distances for better control (very useful with SMD).

2) Do safety regulations tell us anything useful about this ? People have been soldering for >70 years. Is there are any improvements in soldering safety ?

A. Other than electrical standards, not AFAIK.

B. Yes. The auto-off feature built into some stations will reduce the chance of fires when the iron is accidentally left on when the operator leaves their station would be one example. The fact they're electrically operated rather than copper chunks heated by an open flame, and modern/current electrical standards vs. early electrical designs would be others.

Basic process hasn't changed, but the equipment has improved (degree varies, primarily depending on budget). 

[amyk]

Even the entry-level Hakkos (and their various Chinese clones) have a smaller tip-to-handle distance than those long ones with presumably mains-powered heaters. All the power output of the heater is concentrated at the tip.

[DenzilPenberthy]

You could consider wearing some thin ESD gloves. I wear them when doing a lot of soldering. It keeps fingerprints from contaminating boards, prevents small accidental burns from the iron or from conducted hear e.g. holding wires while soldering them and keeps the lead off my fingers and out of my lunch

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=esd+gloves&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=narPVIjgM8SBUdKPg6gO&ved=0CAkQ_AUoAg&biw=1706&bih=1230&dpr=0.75

[German_EE]

Picture the scene, young German_EE has just received his first soldering iron for Christmas so whilst it's warming up for the first time he reads the instruction pamphlet. Right there it says "hold the soldering iron like you hold a pencil". So, with the iron sitting at about 300C I pick it up with my left hand and grasp the metal shaft with my right hand as if I was holding a pencil

I've got better, honest.

[AG6QR]

I burn myself frequently because I dont put the soldering iron down when im not soldering. Its a bad habit from when I was a kid with a firestick style iron with no holder so putting the iron down left you just one absent minded bump away from burning a hole in your trousers and whats under them.

I used to burn myself when I used a firestick style iron without a good holder.  I got a temp controlled soldering station with a proper holder, probably 15 years ago, and haven't burned myself since.

There are only two places I allow my iron to be.  Inside its holder, or in my hand.  And if it's in my hand, that's because I'm using it to heat up solder.  If I have to reposition parts or something like that, the iron goes back in its holder. 

I've learned to do all sorts of tasks while holding a pencil, and it's tempting to treat a soldering iron the same way.  I must resist the temptation, and remind myself to slow down and put the iron in its proper spot before I use my right hand for anything except soldering.

[Nerull]

Though even with a 'traditional' style iron, I've only gotten burned once ever.

[Yago]

Once saw someone let the lead curl back onto a "firestick" iron and short the mains.
He was unharmed but I think his undies may have been "scorched" !

[KJDS]

Once saw someone let the lead curl back onto a "firestick" iron and short the mains.
He was unharmed but I think his undies may have been "scorched" !

I've done that, it sure does make for a big flash bang

[Yago]

Once saw someone let the lead curl back onto a "firestick" iron and short the mains.
He was unharmed but I think his undies may have been "scorched" !

I've done that, it sure does make for a big flash bang

Ah buddy, I am not going to ask which part, each are distinctly punk 

[Stonent]

I have a ceramic coffee cup that I set mine in if I need to set it down for a few moments while rotate the board or do some parts placement.

[Spyke]

I wasn't aware of the term "Firestick" for an unregulated direct mains wired soldering iron. I personally burnt myself many times as a kid using these old clunky radioshack specials.
Are they called firesticks because they are much more of a fire hazard than a typical temp controlled low voltage heater model?

I personally have yet to ever burn myself with my Weller WD1/WMP pencil in the last several years I had it....

[MFX]

You'll get used to the occasional little burn, it won't kill you, just swear loudly suck on it and d then get some cold water on it ASAP. You shouldn't be getting burn't regularly though pay a bit more attention to what your hand holding the solder is doing and learn to hold the solder further back so you always have at least an inch (maybe two) protruding from your fingers. The other thing you'll learn not to do is not try and catch the iron if you drop it and jump back bloody quickly. Then quickly retrieve it before it burns the carpet too much.