In supplying premium car parts to the aftermarket, Dorman Products is a well-known pioneer. From over three decades of experience in supplying vehicle replacement components, fasteners and service line items mainly for the automotive aftermarket, they have gained their reputation for excellence.
- Electrical Requirements: 120 V AC Power
- Maximum Wattage (W): 100 Watts
- Color/Finish: Yellow
The Dorman 85369 kit is one of the cheap ones you may like to carry out for some minuscule wiring job you had to do at home or some DIY project you’re doing.
In soldering wires, this tool may do such a good job. With 100W, you will achieve the required performance.
In a few seconds of use, 100 Watts of instant heat. For higher fire, and for lower heat, the trigger may be taken out.
Besides a 100-Watt soldering gun, this Dorman soldering kit includes:
- Single roll of soldering poo;
- A soldering tip;
- Spanner;
- Zinc chloride flux;
Unlike the other things in the series, the instrument has a light LED lamp that illuminates the finite soldering region but does not have a centered beam. The length of the power cord is 4 feet and 10 inches.
Performance
For students who are doing a wiring experiment, this soldering gun can be a good pick. You don’t have to purchase other pricey soldering guns, this instrument is going to do its job just fine.
A few examples where you can use the Dorman 85369 soldering gun:
- Roofing Business;
- Metal Gutters;
- Stained glass and mosaics;
- Plastic circuit boards;
- For soldering different electrical components;
- Auto repair jobs;
- Various DIY projects;
- May work as a hot knife as well;
Recommendations for users
How to use the Dorman 85369 soldering gun:
1) Unpack the safe case of the solder gun and connect the device in a 120-volt AC power socket. Until the red button is pulled, the solder gun may not heat up or energize.
2) Twist the two ends of bare metal scrap wire together. To practice the soldering technique, you will use these wires.
3) From the reel or sealed plastic shell, pull a length of solder and push the gun’s trigger. Notice that the light will turn on and the tip can automatically begin to heat up. Contact the end of the heated tip with the solder wire and cause the solder to stain or melt on the tip. The bright silver color means the tip is tinned. You may do the thinning part yourself. The first time when you use the gun, this should be accomplished easily. Tinning the tip allows the parts that you are welding together to perform the heat.
4) Contact the tip of the gun to the wire twist that you want to solder, while also depressing the trigger. Start wiping the wire solder on the heated pair of wires steadily. Never use any solder to the heated tip as only the wires are heated using this. The solder can be melted onto a twist of metal. Enable the solder to run and fill in the wire twist joint.
5) Once the joint has been loaded with solder, separate the warm tip from the twisted wire pair. Release the trigger and allow cooling for the gun. Make careful to set down the pistol so that nothing that will fire can be touched by the tip. The cooling of the heated tip may take a minute or two.
Pros and Cons of Dorman 85369 Soldering Gun Kit
Pros
- The exterior can be painted;
- Very affordable;
- Includes flux and tips;
- It is made of steel;
- Sturdy plastic handle;
- One-year warranty;
- Available for a vast range of volts/wattage;
- Available in different styles, including pencil-tip and gun-held;
- Available for a range of volts/wattages;
- Suitable for a broad variety of household, industrial and commercial uses.
Cons
- The replacement tips are hard to find;
- Can’t offer more voltage than soldering irons;
- The design could be better;
- The light bulb shines only when the tip can’t solder;
- Won’t cope with 16 gauge electrical wire;
- The light failing so quickly.
This product is carefully and highly crafted to provide you with superior longevity. It is sufficient for a large spectrum of industrial, household and commercial uses.
The Buyer’s Guide
Wattage
The wattage rating is the first and foremost thing you need to look for in a soldering iron/gun. The rating will be between 20 and 50 watts for a decent soldering iron. But the ranking is higher for soldering guns. Somewhere between 200 and 260 watts is a standard. Higher wattage during soldering can help you retain a constant temperature and helps to reheat very easily as well.
Temperature control
The capacity to regulate the temperature is the next significant aspect. Temperature management is a feature that a soldering gun is effectively available. Soldering irons do not have this function, so go for a pistol if you are anyone with severe projects at hand.
Replaceable soldering tips
Nearly all of the soldering arms are capable of replacing the soldering tips occasionally. Although certain weapons do offer free tips for improvement, although a few do not. Although they look like freebies, they are actually useful and it may not be simple to get the best suit. Select one that comes with a replacement tip free.
Where will you be soldering?
If you are soldering safely at your workstation or whether you are welding in separate areas would be a significant question for your soldering iron. Obviously, if you’re trying to stand on a chair and reach around a pipe into an opening you’ve made through the drywall, you’re going to require a soldering iron that can be inserted through that case.
FAQ
What solder to use for automotive wiring with this soldering gun?
Since the center has flux that removes the wire surface for soldering, rosin core solder is the right one for automobile wiring. Usually, solder is a mixture of mixed alloys. Any 60/40 solder product includes 60 percent tin and 40 percent lead. Such solder pastes are mostly used for vehicle wiring.
How to solder wiring with the Dorman 85369 soldering gun?
You have to keep both of the tinned wired cables on each other, and then you have to contact the cables with the soldering iron. This method would melt the solder and correctly coat the wires. Now, cut the iron and wait for a few seconds to cool and harden the welded bond. Be sure to apply the heat shrink to protect the attachment.
Is soldering with this tool dangerous?
Symptoms can vary from mild eye or nose irritation to more significant airborne skin contact diseases as a consequence of indirect/direct contact with any rosin-based solder flux. Such disorders such as persistent bronchitis, chemical hypersensitivity, chest pressure, headaches, and dizziness can often be induced by toxic solder fumes.
Can soldering with this Dorman gun provide permanent joints?
Brazing and soldering methods are known to shape permanent joints, but heating will dismantle these joints for reconstruction or replacement. Soldering is one of the most commonly used techniques of delivering permanent joints. The joint strength depends on the metal’s specs.
Video Review: DIY101: HOW TO USE A SOLDERING IRON
Final thoughts
Being a basic mid-level soldering gun, the Dorman 85369 can be your universal device for various DIY jobs. You will conserve electricity with this soldering iron. In only seconds, the tips will heat up and be ready to use, so you don’t have to wait so long. When operating on your prototype, you will still provide ample exposure because the tip of this soldering gun glows when you pull the trigger. All in all, this is a reasonably good product that you can try, especially if you are new to soldering projects.
