Tip for a better more semi-permanent solution for shortening the maskrom could be to instead buy and use an “conductive ink pen” (i.a. a pen filled with conductive ink, a.k.a. circuit writer or circuit scribe, which can write conductive traces on circuit board and easily can be undone by wiping away the conductive ink trace with isopropyl alcohol if needed). Another alternative dirty solution is “conductive tape” with conductive adhesive (metal foil tape with electrically conductive adhesive) that is meant for creating paper circuits projects, (like for example Chibitronics STEM kits for kids):
- https://www.amazon.com/conductive-ink-pen/s?k=conductive+ink+pen
- https://www.amazon.com/s?k=conductive+tape
Otherwise suggest just buying a new USB soldering iron (a.k.a smart soldering pen or pencil) which are nice to have regardless as they can simply can be powered by practically any 65W+ USB-C power-supply/ USB-C PD (Power Delivery) charger, such for example a USB-C laptop power-supply. Personally, I can warmly recommend the Pine64 Pencil V2 open-source USB smart soldering iron, (note though that most of them only come with a single fine cone soldering tip with other none-cone shaped soldering tips being sold as options separately for it, and they usually do not either come with any solder wire, flux paste, or solder wick, however, that can simply to be bought as a kit, nor does it include a USB-C PD cable rated for 100W which you also need).
This one if is open source so there are many alternative manufacturers making clones/replicas of it, and all of these new smart USB soldering irons are relatively inexpensive and super easy to use, offer very flexible utility, and take up almost no space so can quickly be stored away almost anywhere, (my only complaint with Pine64 PENCIL V2 is the same as most already written, that it only ships with one tip and that fact that tip is cone-shaped instead of a small chisel/wedge tip). Anyway, a smart soldering iron is another awesome geeky gadget to own, so check out:
PS: The Pine64 Pencil V2 open-source USB smart soldering iron has Bluetooth built-in so could probably create an integration for Home Assistans, (for reference there is an phone app called PineTool for it).