: I found that I could not get the handle off in order to figure out
: how not bugger up the electrics while drilling and tapping the
: base of the iron, so I took the handle off in rather small
: pieces. Hence it has departed to the dump with the strip
: shavings. :) If you can get the handle off, you can figure out
: where to drill and tap, then put the handle back on. Having the
: handle on will allow portable use, i.e. one hand for the strip
: and the other holding the iron.

I'm kinda concerned about using wet strips with both hands around those exposed electric contacts at the thermostat. That iron is probably drawing 10 to 12 amps at 110 volts--plenty of juice going through that to do some spot welds in sheet metal, or to stop your heart.

See what kind of a heat-resistant, waterproof, cover you can rig up to cover the electrical parts. If you are getting the iron hot enough to scorch wood it is getting over 400 degrees F, so you may need a really-high-melting-point plastic, metal, or ceramic.

Here's a thought: An artist's terra cotta modeling clay doesn't need to be fired in a kiln. cover the guts of your COLD iron with some plastic wrap, or foil to keep the guts clean, and form a blob of clay over it. Let the clay harden a day, remove it from the iron so the inside can dry completely, remove your plastic wrap, and after a few days you can reinstall the hardened shell over your iron. Cycle the iron for a few minutes at a time until you are sure the clay is bone dry.

Other ceramic options might be plaster of paris, sand mix concrete, or refractory cement like they use for cementing firebrick together in kilns, foundrys, etc.

You can spray-paint it with a high-temp paint such as used on woodstoves or BBQ grills to keep it from absorbing any water drops that might drip on it.

Good luck and stay safe.

PGJ