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I have this old Weller soldering iron that was issued to me at my first job in the early 80's. It has a lot of sentimental value to me. I was going to order some new tips and the one that is on it currently is attached very well.

What is the model? How can I disassemble it? The heating element looked okay, but there was some sort of ceramic in the metal tube that shattered as I pulled it off.

enter image description here

After reading some of the comments, let me clarify. I have done I lot of searching. I have found a few that look close, the difference is how the tip is attached. This one is screwed on. enter image description here

I tried to back into the model based on the heating element. I found this description, Ungar 127S. According to the picture, I don't think the heating element is broken. The ceramic looks like it came out of the metal tube. The picture shows a piece still in the tube. I wonder if it has something to do with the temperature control and/or directing the heat more toward the tip. enter image description here enter image description here enter image description here

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    \$\begingroup\$ The ceramic is where the heater is, and you broke it. You don't have to use an iron with sentimental value. It sounds like the iron had a good run - you could always hang it up, put a plaque saying "my first soldering iron", and get something newer. Is this one even temperature-controlled? \$\endgroup\$
    – Criticizing Israel not allowed
    Commented Dec 27, 2023 at 15:57
  • \$\begingroup\$ Weller only makes one model in that colour with a black grip and three prong plug: W60P3. weller-tools.com/us/en/industrial-soldering/products/… You can do a Ship of Theseus with the new innards and the outer handle. \$\endgroup\$
    – DKNguyen
    Commented Dec 27, 2023 at 16:08
  • \$\begingroup\$ @user253751: It's most likely a magnastat iron, so it is regulated. \$\endgroup\$
    – JRE
    Commented Dec 27, 2023 at 16:24
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    \$\begingroup\$ You're getting into the "This axe has been in my family for five generations. It's had two replacement heads and five handles" territory. \$\endgroup\$
    – Transistor
    Commented Dec 27, 2023 at 16:37
  • \$\begingroup\$ I tried to address some of the comments by editing the OP. @DKNguyen, that was close. I followed the like and thought you nailed it. The tip is different. I wonder if it is the same model and Weller changed how the tip is mounted. \$\endgroup\$
    – Paul
    Commented Dec 27, 2023 at 17:18

2 Answers 2

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Looks like the ground pin has broken off or has been removed from the plug- that is not ideal and you should replace the plug if you intend on using the iron as a soldering iron.

The Model 127S 27W heater (apparently now broken) is easily available (as of this writing, anyway) for a very reasonable price.

I really don't think this kind of soldering iron is temperature controlled, but I am not 100% sure. It does not match either type I have here- WP35 (a nasty and originally cheap Weller 120V type which is not controlled and which has a 2-pin cord) or WTCP (low voltage controlled via. Magnestat). If it clunks during operation and there is a digit embossed into the back of the tip such as '6' (for 600°F) it is likely the latter (assuming it has the correct tip installed). Weller et al. have been around a long while and there have been changes to the various products. I can still get parts for my 20-40 year-old tools (though they are long ago no longer made), but there are also probably ones that were less popular.

Weller bought Ungar a while back, and Weller was swallowed by Cooper, then Apex Industries.

Here is a spare heater for a Magnestat low-voltage iron- it is a hollow metal tube rather than a ceramic cylinder and it looks nothing like yours:

enter image description here

While you can certainly replace the heater and put a new line cord or plug on the unit you have, it was never a great soldering iron for electronics work and you'd do better to replace it with a modern controlled-temperature type.

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    \$\begingroup\$ I added some more pictures while you were posting. They crossed in the mail. :-) Anyway, they are different. I understand the concern about the ground. The reason it was removed, is to prevent a ground loop. Why, I was an electronic cash register tech. We would replace a soldered-on rechargeable battery while under power. The reason for doing it under power is the battery protected some CMOS memory that you did not want to lose. A second option was to use a battery with alligator clips. There were a couple of test points you could attach it to and try it that way. If one popped off... :-) \$\endgroup\$
    – Paul
    Commented Dec 27, 2023 at 17:38
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Spehro gave a good try. I've gone back to an old local catalog (Spehro, you might recognize Electrosonic) that displayed three type of Ungar soldering irons:

  • Standard line
  • 3-wire line
  • Princess

All three could take thread-in tips. Princess was a small iron, I recall it took 1/8" dia. tips.
Paul's photo looks similar to "3-wire line". It takes 120V AC heat cartridges of different powers:

  • 127-S is a 27W heating element temp range 650-750 F for Ungar model 127 iron
  • 135-S is a 35W heating element temp range 750-850 F for Ungar model 135 iron
  • 145-S is a 45W heating element temp range 900-1000 F for Ungar model 145 iron

A threaded body replacement part # 130 for heating element. Perhaps the metal shroud?
A handle and chord assembly part # 136
A heat reflector part # 129

Somewhat unclear to me what thread-in tips were used. Some are 1/8" dia. Others 3/16" dia.

Since these items are ancient (practically antique) brand, hope this doesn't constitute forbidden advertising. Have an old Ungar 45W that takes 1/4" thread-on tips that may be of different form from OP's. But the two-pin ceramic heat cartridge looks similar.

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