Toolcraft Solder Wire Dispenser

My old 1lb solder reel was about 2mm too long to fit in this holder so the reel would not rotate freely but was just jammed in the gap. Maybe more modern metric reels will fit ok? The sponge tray is almost tin foil thin and broke within the first 10 minutes of handling. The reel its self however is solid and well made.

In my opinion. this is one of the best value solder wire holders on the market, especially when compared with the offerings from soldering giants Weller and Ersa. It is neat and robust and the two spindle sizes are extremely welcome, given that different solder manufacturers use different reel types. However, the self-assembly (not mentioned in the product description) is fiddly and therefore time-consuming. The solder wire guide arm is almost impossible to fit securely without the likelihood of it coming loose routinely with the movement of the solder. The product description refers to the spindle accommodating several reels: whilst this would be true if very small reels of solder were used, it is really only large enough to hold one of our quarter- or half-kilo reels at a time. The sponge tray is largely superfluous due the now widespread use of the brass wool tip cleaner. The product description mentions "batteries not included" but it is difficult to see why they would be needed!