Pocket Thermometer

This isn't a digital infra-red thermometer that goes down to tenths of a degree; it's a small, inexpensive, convenient, quick way to tell whether your iron is within a safe temperature range for whatever you're working on. It's made to seal some kind of mylar or plastic, but I use it to check my ski waxing iron, which has an impossibly temperamental dial. I obviously need a better iron, but in the meantime this $10 tool lets me set the iron and check it until it's within the wax's temperature range. No more smoking and burning wax!The front of the thermometer is a black metal dial with a yellow hard plastic knob so you won't singe your fingertips picking it up when it's hot. The dial is clearly marked in 10 degree increments from 50 to 500 Fahrenheit in large numbers and from 10 to 260 Celcius in smaller (but still readable) numbers. In the middle is a hard plastic knob to save your fingertips when you pick the thermometer up from the surface you're measuring.The back of the dial is the actual mechanism: a coil of thin metal attached to a brass center post. The coil expands with heat as it lies on the hot surface, turning the dial until it reaches the temperature of the surface, generally in about 5-7 minutes. It works best if you place it on a horizontal surface (I just hold my iron upside down). If you held it sideways against what you're measuring by the knob, you'd have to be very careful not to stop the coil from moving against the surface while still keeping it in contact. It would be doable, but IMO likely to be less accurate.I use the Coverite thermometer to check my ski waxing iron's temperature because minute movements of the iron's dial would change the temperature a lot more than I expected. Sure enough, the thermometer revealed that the dial is so temperamental that I can never tell if the iron will be hot enough to burn my ski bases, which would be a bad, bad thing, or burn the wax, which would affect its performance. Ultimately I'll buy a new one that doesn't need such close monitorying, but for now I set the iron, let the temperature settle for several minutes, and check it with the Coverite thermometer. If it's not within the wax's temperature range I keep adjusting and checking until it is, then go to work, periodically re-checking the temperature to make sure it's consistent.The only issue with the thermometer is its fragility. The fine metal coil is completely exposed at the bottom and sides, and the handle on top doesn't allow it to lie flat with the base facing up, so the thermometer just sits right on the coil. It's also easy to get bits of wax or filings in the spaces in the coil, which would affect its accuracy, so I keep a straight pin next to it to get bits and pieces out of it before I use it. I'd gladly pay two or three dollars more for a small hard protective case to keep it from bumping around against the metal tools and files in my ski tuning box. As it is, I'll probably carve up a few pieces of hard foam to tape together around it so it's just as useful next fall when it's time to wax everything up for opening day. I almost took off a star, but at $10, it's hard to expect a fancy protective case, although I'd have paid two or three dollars more if it came with one.Bottom line: definitely worth it, especially at this price, and will probably last forever if treated with care.

Don't like the temperature control . It get very hot to the touch and won't shut completely off . No on- off or temp gauge on the control . Works well but would get one w better temperature control next time .

Bought this to check the temperature on my Toko XC ski iron. Must have for those of us that don't currently own one of the digital wax irons. Nice to actually know the temperature of the iron when applying wax versus the "if it is smoking too much, then your iron is too hot". Easy to use, easy to adjust.Set your iron at your desired setting (6, 7, 8, etc), let it heat up and then press the metal coil to the baseplate of your iron. You may need to hold it there for 20-40 seconds to let the temp stabilize. You can see the dial moving while you are checking the temp.

It is okay but my infrared thermometer is easier and faster to use.

I'm just starting to build RC model planes having exclusively built RC model boats for decades, so this was my first try at shrinking and adhering the covering on the wings. The manufacturer of the plane kit (Great Planes) recommended the Covert 21st Century Sealing Iron and this accessory thermometer, so being a newbie I ordered both, along with some spare cover socks from Amazon. Perfect results on the first try! The simple, somewhat old-school, analog thermometer gave me confidence that the temperature setting on the sealing iron would not overheat the coating (it was spot on). Great combination!

Comes up to temperature very quickly and holds the setting well. Good iron, well balanced, easy to use.

While not very accurate in tight tolerances, it helped me through some rough work with Beva 731 film. My project was a success.

It arrived when expected and works very well. Very satisfied