Opinion on Solder Wire - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / beginners

author: SamwelP
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: May 23, 2019, 05:15:32 am
content: Hi, guys. I know this might be a silly question but I was wondering if any of you have any good suggestion about what brand of solder is best for through hole soldering. It needs to be leaded, 60/40 and 0.7mm. The problem is that there are so many brands out there that it got confusing which one to purchase.

author: bdunham7
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 23, 2019, 05:22:40 am
content: https://www.amazon.com/KESTER-SOLDER-32117-24-6040-0027-Diameter/dp/B00068IJPO/ref=ya_od_pd_dx_gr_3/130-6637747-9001643?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B00068IJPO&pd_rd_r=dd020551-2a97-45cf-8776-967bf06001e4&pd_rd_w=TJzyc&pd_rd_wg=Njd2K&psc=1&refRID=WH9FZDMNS6Q29CRMX0TSI'm not sure about availability where you live, but that's what I'd use. I have .020" (0.5mm) and I think this is as close as they get to 0.7mm.

author: ggchab
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 23, 2019, 07:58:25 am
content: Some info here:"SDGEE #055 Cheap or expensive solder? A comparison with PCBs from JLCPCB" on SDG Electronics Youtube channel:

author: SamwelP
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: May 23, 2019, 03:37:07 pm
content: This is the solder we use at our university. It is amazing stuff but I was about to buy it of mouser and they have a minimum requirment of 25 reels !!! Thanks for the link

author: Logical
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: May 24, 2019, 07:33:02 am
content: If i may suggest a good solder wire i would pick the Kester 63/37 for leaded applications.The leaded wire i use is this 0.4 mmhttps://www.ebay.nl/itm/Kester-Solder-SN63PB37-1LB-454g-ANSI-J-STD-006-C-Flux-No-Clean-24-6337-8806/302694564773?hash=item467a0083a5:g:FVAAAOSwrXdaxgGsRegardsLogical

author: GreyWoolfe
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 24, 2019, 11:13:08 am
content: Quote from: Logical on May 24, 2019, 07:33:02 amThat is what I use also.

author: Dabbot
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 25, 2019, 12:19:48 pm
content: Kester 285 63/37 0.79mm (24-6337-9710). Nice shiny joints!

author: mariush
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 25, 2019, 02:02:41 pm
content: 63/37 - euctetic, cheaper than 62/36/262/36/2 - 2% silver, euctetic like 63/37 but more expensive due to silver.60/40 - regular lead solder, the cheapest of the bunch but not euctetic (which may not matter much for a beginner)thickness ... 0.56mm or lower ... but shouldn't go below around 0.4mm, too hard to use due to small flux amountflux ... rosin flux, rosin activated (RA) or RMA (mildly activated) or no-clean flux ... stay away from water soluble or "organic" fluxes, they usually must be properly cleaned from circuit boards and sometimes they're more toxic for you.Aim for 2-3% fluxKester solder, Multicore / Loctite / Henkel (same brand) , Stannol, Edsyn ... good brands, as long as you stick to fluxes with the properties i mentioned 2-3% / no-clean or Rosin/RMA/RABuy separately liquid flux... it will help a lot.

author: djnz
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 26, 2019, 01:42:16 pm
content: I personally like Kester with type 44 flux.If you want to buy Chinese solder from AliExpress / ebay, Mechanic is a good brand to buy. It is not as good as Kester, but it's quite good nonetheless. Avoid buying other Chinese brands (KOOCU / JINHU / whatever) - my experience is that they are vastly inferior in quality. They don't flow well, have higher impurities so form a thick slag like consistency upon melting, and they also need higher temperature to get them flowing.

author: Ysjoelfir
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 27, 2019, 06:23:06 am
content: I have to admit that I am a little Stannol fanboy - maybe because I was born in the region where they produce.For leaded soldering I prefer Stannol Kristall 505 which is simple 60/40, for lead free I use Kristall 511, preferably in SN95.5/Ag3.8/Cu0.7.They have a new product series called "Trilence" which I will try soon, the marketing wank at least sounds pretty nice.

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 21, 2019, 04:14:20 pm
content: Quote from: mariush on May 25, 2019, 02:02:41 pmMulticore/Loctite/Henkel and Stannol are all the same product. It’s unclear whether the Stannol company is actually owned by Henkel right now, but the products are the same.As for me, I use mostly Kester, but I’ve also had great success with MG Chemicals and Felder. I’m sure Multicore (and its aliases) are all superb, too.

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 01, 2022, 10:55:13 am
content: (Just a little followup to my last post: in the meantime, I've learned that the Stannol company definitely is not owned by Henkel.)Apparently, back in 1989,Stannol was acquired by Kelsey Industries, theparent company of Multicore Solders. Then in 2000,Henkel acquired Kelsey. Just a year and a half later,Stannol was reprivatizedvia management buyout.It must have been during the Kelsey Industries period that their product lines were merged, and after the buyout, they started diverging again.

author: Neomys Sapiens
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 02, 2022, 12:43:38 am
content: Another company which makes fine solder is Balver Zinn. They have a lead-free solder which makes shiny joints, is well hand solderable and gives even passable results on lead wires and connectors. But also good for leaded ones.In addition to the abovementioned alloys:Sn60Pb38Cu2 (or Pb38Cu1) is intended to add proof against copper leaching for better long-term stability.(was standard for telecommunications under the DBP, often seen as Fluitin rolls marked 'POST' or 'DBP')

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 02, 2022, 07:59:09 am
content: Wasn’t the copper originally intended to prevent soldering iron tips (which at the time were unplated copper) from eroding so quickly?

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 03, 2022, 06:29:13 pm
content: Quote from: rpiloverbd on February 03, 2022, 03:12:13 pmFuck off with the garbage Amazon affiliate link page, which lists one real solder brand and five no-name Chinese brands.

author: BrokenYugo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 03, 2022, 07:04:33 pm
content: Quote from: tooki on February 03, 2022, 06:29:13 pmOne isn't even flux cored, some sort of stained glass solder.

author: Paul B
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: February 04, 2022, 04:10:32 pm
content: hi best advise for home use and repair work is stay away from lead-free solderOK the newer lead-free solder is beater than the original / older lead-free solder but for best results I use lead solderI believe the exemption to not using lead-free solder in manufacturing is aircraft , medical and repair happy to be correctedPaul B

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 04, 2022, 08:41:51 pm
content: That’s not the “best advice”. (That honor goes to “avoid no-name solder from AliExpress”.)Honestly, for most soldering, it makes not an iota of difference whether one uses leaded or lead-free. The situations where you really notice it is when you’re pushing the limits of your soldering iron anyway (like large joints on multi-layer boards) and every bit of heat is needed. But the solution isn’t to whine about lead-free, because even with leaded you’d only gain a little bit more room. Instead, using appropriate tools and techniques (like supplemental heating) is the answer.For repairs, one should use the kind of solder originally used. It’s unwise to mix them on a board.And for hobbyists in Europe, it’s a moot point anyway, since it’s now illegal to sell leaded solder to consumers there. So people are going to have to get used to lead-free anyway, so whining is stupid and pointless.

author: nigelwright7557
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 04, 2022, 11:03:59 pm
content: I find Neillsen solder 60/40 works well for me.Nice and runny for SMD work and good for TH too.

author: Bassman59
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 04, 2022, 11:19:39 pm
content: Quote from: Paul B on February 04, 2022, 04:10:32 pmIf, at this point, you can't manage hand-soldering with lead-free solder, then maybe it's time to consider another hobby.

author: HumbleDeer
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: February 05, 2022, 04:02:31 am
content: Quote from: Ysjoelfir on May 27, 2019, 06:23:06 amI have been using Stannol 2630 for a while now and ever since the day I tried it at a friends place I've been sold on spending money on solder. Hell, this stuff flows onto 10awg wires at 280c.Quote from: tooki on February 04, 2022, 08:41:51 pmAny written source on that for following up? I can still buy my favourite Stannol with 0.2% halide containing fluxIf I should stock up, I should do it sooner than later.Lead-free solders from decent brands (like lead-free alternatives to the Stannol 2630 I use) have remained a fair bit pricier than the old leaded stuff. And I'm not talking four euros more per roll that lasts a year. I'm talking three quarters extra. €12 for a leaded roll can be as much as €27 for lead-free, which is insane.

author: JustMeHere
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 05, 2022, 04:59:41 am
content: I use Radio Shack solder with no issue. Having some flux (I like the paste) will help more than anything.

author: TomS_
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 05, 2022, 08:20:16 am
content: The last batch of solder I bought was lead free, since RS will no longer sell leaded to me.Honestly, it makes no difference to me. The only thing I noticed is that it seems to create more pointy joints if I rework it too much, more than I seem to remember the leaded stuff doing. A dab of flux and a quick application of heat fixes it right up though, just like it did with leaded, so meh, couldn't care less about the type of solder I'm using now.If you have special requirements for a particular type of solder, then fair play, but you're probably in a situation to know that you need it at that stage.As for flux, I'm done with those flux pens for sure. They never seemed to work great for me, and not to mention the tip eventually becomes a mushy mess. I would apply some, then touch my iron, and it would seem to bubble and hiss at me for a second or two and then barely make an improvement to the joint. I'm now using a more pasty flux from a syringe and it works a million times better.Felder ISO-CORE "RA" solderMG Chemicals 8341, 10ml tube but it goes a long way (unless you're Louis Rossmann)

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 05, 2022, 11:28:36 am
content: Quote from: HumbleDeer on February 05, 2022, 04:02:31 amSome retailers (especially small shops) are just ignoring the law*. It’s been in effect for several years now. Seehttps://ila-reach.org/2018/01/new-restrictions-and-labelling-requirements-affect-lead-from-march-1-2018/*the law restricting the sale of lead solder to consumers is the REACH directive. It’s separate from RoHS, the directive disallowing the use of lead solder in finished electronics.Quote from: HumbleDeer on February 05, 2022, 04:02:31 amDepends on the alloy — the lead-free alloys with silver are significantly costlier than the ones that are just tin and copper. But yeah, lead-free solder is substantially more expensive. But I maintain it doesn’t matter, given how little of it one uses in a project. Even if it’s 3x the cost, 3x practically nothing is still practically nothing.

author: Paul B
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: February 05, 2022, 01:41:52 pm
content: Hi OK about Lead free and i stand corrected if all on this topic are using lead free but a suspect notThe line ( Honestly, for most soldering, it makes not an iota of difference whether one uses leaded or lead-free. ) i wonder if other agree with you considering mixing is not recommendedok the person that clams to be his job and quotes (If, at this point, you can't manage hand-soldering with lead-free solder, then maybe it's time to consider another hobby.)I think this is harsh and not in the spirit of helpingmy only response is my repair and rework is often to deal with dry or cracked solder joints that were made using lead solder also a do not deal with the domestic marketmanly test and measurement and the Defence market but I am open to advise on the best lead free solder that is available so more open minded to lead free after reading this topic

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 05, 2022, 02:16:07 pm
content: Quote from: Paul B on February 05, 2022, 01:41:52 pmI use both, depends on the job.Quote from: Paul B on February 05, 2022, 01:41:52 pmWhat’s unclear to you?For most soldering jobs, one won’t notice any substantial difference (the entire opposition to lead-free being that it’s “hard” to use). I.E. the difficulty level is the same.As for not mixing: yeah, so don’t mix them. Certainly not in a joint, but better not in an entire device. Rework should be done using the same kind originally used. If a leaded joint has to be switched to lead-free (if somehow you absolutely, positively cannot get any leaded solder), then it should ideally be “flushed” with fresh solder several times to remove any traces of lead.“It makes not an iota of difference” was referring to the process, not the product.Quote from: Paul B on February 05, 2022, 01:41:52 pmA lot of us are growing tired of the constant, largely unfounded whining about lead-free.From the whining you’d think it was a million times worse, and it’s just not. Is it AS nice to work with as leaded? No, all else held equal. But other factors play a bigger role, like the iron, tip, the joint itself, and the flux. An easy joint is still going to be easy with lead-free, and a difficult joint would still be difficult with leaded.Quote from: Paul B on February 05, 2022, 01:41:52 pmFor repair you really need to have both anyway, so…There are plenty of discussions here on solder recommendations, including earlier in this thread.

author: Paul B
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: February 05, 2022, 11:41:16 pm
content: Hi tookias i explained i am open to being taught how to use lead free solderyou talk about Flux could someone come back with recommendation on Flux to use with lead free solderPS during my apprenticeship copper became difficult to get and i did learn to solder aluminium wire that was a pain and hopefully all will be removed soon as the last bit i had problems with was 5 years ago in Brighton south coast EnglandPaul B

author: eugene
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 06, 2022, 12:25:53 am
content: The only lead free solder that I've used is Kester (don't remember the part number) and I found it significantly more difficult than Kester leaded to get a clean looking joint. And here I'm mainly talking about appearance; I don't have too much trouble getting a mechanically and electrically good joint. I am willing to believe that there are other lead free solders that are easier to work with, and I will look for them. But, as long as I can continue to buy good leaded solder for prototypes, I will likely continue to use it, even if it only looks better.As for flux, I vastly prefer water wash when I can use it. Yes, washing is an extra step (and must be done thoroughly) but I like a flux free board. Again, it's mostly a matter of appearance, not performance. Having said that, it MUST be washed away, so one must be careful with some ICs like QFN where the flux can get trapped and be difficult to remove. I'm still looking for a no-clean flux that is water soluble and easy to clean but doesn't need to be cleaned.

author: Paul B
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: February 06, 2022, 02:00:16 pm
content: eugene thank you for your inputdo you have any documentation , history of degradation of solder joints , tracks , components through not washing the flux offPaul b

author: eugene
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 06, 2022, 05:42:05 pm
content: Sorry, I can not provide documentation or references, only personal anecdote. I have seen I have seen metal components, leads, copper, even tools become corroded when in contact with water wash flux for too long. This is with Kester 2331 which is known to be both corrosive and conductive. I have only a little experience with Kester 977, which is also water soluble, but is not corrosive or conductive. The 2331 just works so well! Solder wetting is instant and easy. If I have bridging on fine pitched parts I can often dispense some 2331, run the iron over the area remelting the solder, et viola! The bridging is gone leaving perfect, beautiful solder joints on every pin.In the end, no lead, no clean solder can be used to get good results. I have techs that will use it all day without complaint. But, they smile and say "thank you" if I tell them they can use Kester 6337 leaded solder and Kester 2331 water wash flux.

author: wizard69
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 06, 2022, 11:12:30 pm
content: I've always have used Kester for hand soldering. That is when I've had control over the solder.That being said it would have too be an extremely poor solder not to work, given components in decent condition. 60/40 is pretty forgiving. If you are in a situation where poor components or wire is an issue then you will likely benefit from additional flux. That is true of any Rosin core solder though.Quote from: SamwelP on May 23, 2019, 05:15:32 am

author: wizard69
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 06, 2022, 11:33:29 pm
content: Towards the end I noticed a bunch of comments about silver bearing "lead Free" solders and mixing of such on a circuit board. Not to be a pain but if you are working on a board, how do you even know what sort of solder it was assembled with?? I'm serious here, any board work I've done over the years I just use leaded solder and get on with it.I can't imagine it making a huge difference due to the fact that the minute you heat up the solder and melt it into a joint the composition of the alloy is going to change.

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 07, 2022, 11:39:09 am
content: Many lead-free boards from the transitional period state Pb-free right on them. Any commercial product made from around early 2006 is lead-free (except for the few exempt product categories, which you’d know about if you were dealing with them).Whether it’s silver-bearing or not isn’t the issue.

author: Neomys Sapiens
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 08, 2022, 07:35:01 am
content: @tooki: can't find the reference right now. But I did read it somewhere exactly as stated. Although I can remember the thing about the tips too.

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 08, 2022, 07:43:36 am
content: The only situation I’m aware of where silver-bearing solder matters is rework on silver-plated ceramic, where the silver content prevents the plating from dissolving away. Classic example is vintage Tektronix equipment with ceramic terminal strips. But if you find the reference, please share!

author: nigelwright7557
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: July 24, 2022, 07:09:43 pm
content: The top reputable brands are usually good. Buy from RS or Farnell.I fell foul of some cheap ebay solder that barely melted and left big blobs.

author: nigelwright7557
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: July 24, 2022, 07:11:25 pm
content: Quote from: tooki on February 07, 2022, 11:39:09 amThe space industry used lead free solder many years ago.Worked fine to start with but after a few years pcb's started failing with solder whiskers developing and causing shorts.

author: wraper
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: July 24, 2022, 07:34:31 pm
content: Quote from: tooki on February 05, 2022, 11:28:36 amTwo largest hardware retailers in Latvia (Estonia and Lithuania too) happily sell SnPb solder to everyone as if there is no law. Yet stupid TME does not sell it outside of Poland even to commercial customers.

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 24, 2022, 07:37:18 pm
content: Quote from: nigelwright7557 on July 24, 2022, 07:11:25 pmNo, they didn’t use lead free solder. NASA’s reports about tin whiskers refer to pure tin plating on component leads.

author: taste_tester
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: July 24, 2022, 08:02:33 pm
content: I tried a roll of MG Chemicals 63/37 solder in a friend's workshop last year and every time I use Kester since then is a miserable experience. Even Kester 245 is "just ok" to me now...I only use the MG Chem any time I can for PCB Repair/Rework because it cuts into & blends with very old solder much easier than any of my Kester [except organic core, of course] so it's often my first choice. I do maintain that it makes desoldering just a bit easier.The MG Chem makes larger solder joints which may or may not be something you care about compared to the Kester.If you could get away with it, I'd say just use Kester organic core and wash your boards off after soldering.

author: free_electron
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 24, 2022, 08:20:54 pm
content: Kester, Multicore , Alpha Metals , Indium Corporation.Get a eutectic alloy.

author: exmadscientist
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: July 25, 2022, 04:12:55 am
content: Quote from: free_electron on July 24, 2022, 08:20:54 pmDo not buy 60/40. Just don't, unless you are desperate or something. You want 63/37 or 62/36/2. Don't throw 60/40 out or anything, but do not buy more.Regarding lead-free, I've come to hate the older alloys (SAC305 and friends). The Sn100C family is much, much more pleasant to use. (I've only tried licensed genuine Sn100C, because how often do you buy solder anyway, but I'd expect the patent-avoiding clones aren't very different for hand work.) It's close enough to SnPb that I wouldn't scream too loudly if I was stuck with it for the rest of my career.

author: wraper
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: July 25, 2022, 05:59:19 am
content: Quote from: exmadscientist on July 25, 2022, 04:12:55 amSN100C patent has expired but name is still trademarked so anyone is free to make the exact composition and just name it differently.

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 25, 2022, 10:13:18 am
content: Quote from: taste_tester on July 24, 2022, 08:02:33 pmWhich one? They have 63/37 in both no-clean and RA.Quote from: taste_tester on July 24, 2022, 08:02:33 pmThe size of the joint comes from how much solder you apply, and that in turn has to do with the diameter and with how much you feed in. (Sure, heat and flux type make a difference in how muchspreadyou get, but not the amount of solder as such.)Edit: typo

author: free_electron
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 25, 2022, 02:54:55 pm
content: sn99c or sn100c for lead-free. ditch that sac305 stuff. that is first-generation and trouble...of course, if you need ot do repairs you need it. NEVER mix alloys !

author: mariush
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 25, 2022, 04:27:19 pm
content: Quotera means rosin activated , no-clean means just that, that cleaning the flux is (in majority of the time) not required. Some RA fluxes must be cleaned with isopropyl alcohol or other solvents otherwise they'll continue to corrode the surfaces they're on.No-clean should be slightly milder, less active than RA. If you work with new/clean parts or relatively new parts, no-clean would be fine.If you deal often with very oxidized parts, go for RA.As for diameter I prefer around 0.5mm - i have some multicore 63/37 with 2.2% no clean flux, in 0.56mm diameter (well, whatever that amounts in inch)I was debating back then if I should go for 0.4mm but that can be too thin for some jobs (and you lose fine control when you're feeding a lot of solder on bigger soldering jobs) and also the thinner wires tend to have less flux inside.With 0.5mm I can always cut a length of solder and fold it in two to get a thicker diameter solder wire for bigger soldering jobs, and as a single wire it's thin enough for surface mount stuff.

author: wraper
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: July 25, 2022, 04:35:05 pm
content: Quote from: free_electron on July 25, 2022, 02:54:55 pmSN100C is a completely different beast compared to any simple SnCu alloys. They simply don't like to flow/wet anywhere close to SAC305 or SN100C. So solder flows like garbage unless come with a quite active flux or PCB surface has perfect solderability (PCBs from cheap Chinese prototyping services usually don't).

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 26, 2022, 05:10:26 pm
content: Quote from: mariush on July 25, 2022, 04:27:19 pmI don’t think you understood my question. I know what the flux types mean, I didn’t ask for a definition. I asked taste_testerwhichflux type is used in the solder he liked, because the flux is what makes it flow the way they like. MG Chemicals makes 63/37 solder wire in two types: RA and NC. But taste_tester didn’t say which one, he only said it’s MG Chemicals.

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 26, 2022, 05:27:34 pm
content: Quote from: free_electron on July 25, 2022, 02:54:55 pmThis agrees with my experience. The SN100C I’ve used (this one, calls it SN100Ni+ but is made under license; datasheet below) flows better than any of the SAC305 I’ve used, and produces nicer looking joints. And it’s not expensive at all:https://www.reichelt.com/ch/de/lead-free-solder-with-copper-0-5-mm-250-g-lz-f4-bf-0-5-250-p258990.html

author: Bud
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 26, 2022, 05:32:55 pm
content: In my personal experience Kester is nicer than MG Chemicals for a same given type.

author: Nominal Animal
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 26, 2022, 07:36:26 pm
content: I'd love to get me a half a kilo roll (1 lb) of MG Chemicals or Kester 63/37 no-clean solder in 0.50mm-0.64mm (0.020"-0.025"), but nobody wants to sell me because I'm not a company.It's the lower soldering temperature that makes the difference to me. I just don't have the swift moves of somebody who does it day in day out. With leaded solder I can keep my iron and air a little bit lower temperature so a second or two of dwelling won't crapify the IC, and with a bit of IPA and a brush I get nice, reliable results.Thus far I've used my old stock of 1mm leaded solder, but it's too thick to use with SOT-23 and 0603-sized components.

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 26, 2022, 07:43:20 pm
content: What about Digi-Key or Mouser? They don't indicate that theywon'tship leaded solder to Europe, but I haven't needed to try yet.Otherwise, maybe you can get a smaller US reseller to send it to you -- or have a friend in USA forward it to you. (Well, that, or go on vacation there!)

author: Nominal Animal
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 26, 2022, 09:13:16 pm
content: Quote from: tooki on July 26, 2022, 07:43:20 pmMouser has Kester 44 and 245 (63/37, 0.020"=0.508mm), but their datasheet says IPA won't clean the flux residue, and I haven't tried them myself, so I'm hesitant.They also have ChipQuick SMDSW.020 (63/37, 0.020"=0.508mm) with ROL0 flux that does not need to be removed but can be washed off with hot water, but I'd like to try this first before getting a full spool of it (that will probably last the rest of my life).And I just ordered parts (transistors and whatnot for my 2.8" display LED backlight project) from Mouser.(No matter how long you wait before pulling the trigger on an order, there is always something you miss. Or you end up waiting so long they run out of stock.)Quote from: tooki on July 26, 2022, 07:43:20 pmMe, have friends?Just kidding. I dislike putting my friends on a spot like that, especially if it ends up with customs trouble or whatnot. I might just have to take a trip to Tallinn, and see if one of the stores there has a spool of suitable solder and will sell it to me.

author: Microdoser
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: July 26, 2022, 10:51:24 pm
content: My personal choice is Kester Sn60Pb38Cu2. I've tried various solders over the last 40 years, and as people have said, you can solder with almost any solder you get your hands on.But I simply find that when I use this solder, it's easier, and I get more consistent results.

author: Jeff eelcr
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: July 27, 2022, 12:16:32 am
content: Tooki, when surface mount parts first came out silver solder 3% was recomended.Jeff

author: Infraviolet
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 30, 2022, 12:17:01 am
content: #41. not sure what you're on about there. 60/40 and 63/37 are very similar, and a lot of the professional brands mostly sell 60/40 anyway.P.S. good tip, Farnell in the Uk don't f*** you around with bullsh*t about not selling lead to any-old-buyer. They clearly understand that all hobbyist work is protoyping of a form and understand what it is good and moral for a business to do, supply the customer with whatever they want. Box still comes with scary labels to make the postman feel uneasy. Some minor online sellers, ebay etc, sell leaded too, but don't guaranteee the quality farnell does. When I last bought solder from Farnell I only saw 60/40 available as the leaded option, plenty of brands, plenty of thicknesses, flux options, but all 60/40.

author: mindcrime
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: July 30, 2022, 06:17:37 am
content: POSIT: All this new-fangled "solder" stuff is for the birds. Just stick withwire-wrapconnections.

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 30, 2022, 01:26:02 pm
content: Quote from: Jeff eelcr on July 27, 2022, 12:16:32 amTo prevent dissolving the silver end plating on components, I assume? (But that would have been silver-bearingleadedsolder. SMD parts have existed for far, far longer than most people think: they came out in the 1960s, and were already widespread by the end of the 1980s. By the end of the millennium — still before RoHS — they were dominant.)

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 30, 2022, 01:34:58 pm
content: Quote from: Infraviolet on July 30, 2022, 12:17:01 amThe only major manufacturer that seems to have abandoned 63/37 wire solder and only sells 60/40 is Multicore/Loctite. (I didn't count Weller, the only other example I found, because it’s very unlikely they actually manufacture solder, and likely just buy it from a major solder manufacturer.)

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 30, 2022, 01:37:11 pm
content: Quote from: Nominal Animal on July 26, 2022, 09:13:16 pmToo bad this discussion didn’t happen a few weeks earlier: my sister is currently on holiday near Tallinn and I probably could have had her bring you some leaded solder (at the workplace I just left, we had tons of leftover leaded solder we didn’t use).

author: Nominal Animal
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 30, 2022, 02:02:51 pm
content: You're kindbut no worries. It is just annoying, that's all.