Modifi3d heat pen

[LiGhTMaGiCk]

Someone I follow on YouTube(Joel Telling/3d Printing Nerd) did a review of the "Modifi3d 3d model finishing tool"(or whatever it's called) link https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/steelmans/modifi3d-3d-print-finishing-tool and then had to do an update video when people pointed out that it was just a cheap Chinese USB soldering iron  with special tips. Here's links to those videos https://youtu.be/X8SfrTfy61s  https://youtu.be/i2ONuZKrFq8 I'd  love to see both Dave's(and anybody else's) take on something like this. The tool does seem to work but how badly are they inflating the price just for the tips?

[ferrix]

Here's a link to the Big Clive video about these cheapo irons.

[thm_w]

Its custom tips and an iron for $23, that seems incredibly reasonable.

Standard metcal tips are more than that, and the unique ones are up around $100+ (yes I know its completely different tech, but niche tips are not cheap).

[Refrigerator]

Its custom tips and an iron for $23, that seems incredibly reasonable.

Standard metcal tips are more than that, and the unique ones are up around $100+ (yes I know its completely different tech, but niche tips are not cheap).

Metcal tips have a quality thermistor with a ceramic heater built in the tip, the whole tip is of much higher quality than a tip that those cheap chinese soldering irons use since those are nothing more than a metal tube with some nichrome wire in it, and producing those would be much, much cheaper than the Metcal tips, which are an order of magnitude better.
If  i had to guess i'd say the "special anti sticking" coating is nothing more than a thin layer of teflon, sort of the kind of thing you find on cheap frying pans.

[edavid]

What I find sleazy about this is that they didn't bother to modify the iron to have a lower tip temperature.  It will burn the plastic, instead of melting it.