This is a kit that allows you to do many soldering tasks in the field. It costs only about $8 to put together and it all fits in an Altoids tin! I’ve used this same kit for years and was inspired to share it based on a recent Instructable on soldering (an outstanding one). This Instructable goes one step further in building a portable helping hand, solder dispenser, and assembling all the other tools that you will need to get things done in the field.

Let me be clear at this point that I know this is not the best way to solder and this method has its limitations. It is, however, the best way to fix surveillance equipment at 3 a.m., in the back of a van, in the dark. I can testify to that. Good times, good times. I was a tech for an undercover narcotics unit for five years and this method came through for me many times.

Figure B: Our portable solder dispenser made from an ink pen

1. Building the dispenser

I hate having to carry a whole spool of solder around with me. When I first started having a need to do these tasks in the field, I would just cut off a couple of feet and throw it in the bag. It soon became a tangled mess. So I came up with this approach.

Materials

You will need:

An ink pen (metal-tipped is the best)

2' of thin solder wire

First, take the pen apart and cut it down so that it fits in the mint tin. Next, wrap the solder around the ink cartridge that you just removed from the pen. Pull the solder off the cartridge and insert it into the portion of the pen that you’ve retained. Cap off the end with the pen cap or whatever you have. I got a ton of these little plastic caps someplace and they are my favorite. I like the metal tips the best because they don’t melt if you use this with a regular soldering iron. The result is a compact solder dispenser! I’m always amazed just how much solder you can fit in one of these suckers.

2. Helping hand

If you’ve soldered very much, you know that a helping hand tool is a necessity. There isn’t much instruction here. There have been many Instructables on making helping hands, this one folds flat. Very simple. Heavy-gauge copper wire with an alligator clip on the end. It’s very easy to use, just bend the clip up over the base (Figure C).

Figure C: A portable helping hand that folds flat

Figure D: Adding some heat shrink tubing (bottom left), a lighter, and clipper

Figure E: The steps to field soldering 1: Wrap the wires and the solder around the wire wrap 2: Heat the solder 3: Bend the wires over 4: Heat shrink the joint.

3. Rounding out the kit

You will need some additional items to complete the kit (Figure D).

Materials

A pair of nail clippers (great foldable small gauge wire cutters!)

A disposable lighter

Various lengths and diameters of heat shrink tubing

The nail clippers are the cheapest and most compact flush wire cutters that you can buy. After 9/11, I was in a surveillance engineering class and they took all my tools for the course at the gate at the airport. A nice airport cop held them for me, but I was still without tools for the course. A quick trip to Wally World yielded a cheap multitool and some nail clippers for $6. I’ve been a fan ever since.

4. Using the kit

First you have to twist the wires to be connected. A good electrical connection is imperative before soldering. Next, place the connection in your helping hand. I like to wrap the solder around the connection prior to heating. This makes the heating process very easy in the field and yields a great distribution of solder over the entire joint. Fold the joint over and heat shrink it. I couldn’t have done it better in the shop (Figure E).

Brian Cochran is a 35-year-old detective in a law enforcement agency in Kentucky with responsibilities for surveillance equipment and crime scene processing.