Solder paste UK - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: paulca
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 03, 2025, 01:08:22 pm
content: RoHS was bad enough with orders for "Leaded" solder being cancelled as "Your a residential customer, we are not allowed to ship products with RoHS exceptions to you."Now REACH makes this even worse. Anything which has any form of "Safety Datasheet" and your order gets cancelled.I couldn't even order 10 LFP 1.8Ah cells from RS Components without being told "Cancelled due to REACH Restrictions on residential addresses".I have basically shrugged and went to ali express.Now Ali Express are "cleaning up their act" after being threatened with fines for dumping unsafe products into the UK/EU markets. Rather than remove/filter leaded solder it seems they have just removed "Solder paste" for UK view entirely.I did find some solder paste eventually and it looks like sellers are catching on quickly. In the thousands of results for "Solder 'flux' paste" you find sellers who "headline" the flux, but have a product sub option for the solder. Leaded or various low temp unleaded, like bismith etc. (Any point trying these for homemade DIY? Or just stick with leaded while I can get it?)I just ordered some leaded quick chip paste from Mouser.uk. However, as it ships from the USA, they don't appear to have noticed.... yet. It still has to pass customs and if you slap a "ROHS/Reach substances" on the box, it could get blocked.On non-leaded. I was watching Digikey's YouTube channel and the man with the bow tie was showing us how to solder a TFN package. He was using lead-free solder. You could tell before he said it because the way it looks globby and sticky and doesn't seem to flow, just clings to things like snot.Do you get used to it or is it always horrible and unsatisfying compared to leaded?Irony? I live less than a mile from an old lead mine. I expect a little lead in some solder wont add much to my environment.

author: Psi
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 03, 2025, 01:29:18 pm
content: Do you know if the order cancel/rejection is automatic or being caused by someone reviewing orders.If it's a manual review then write your address in a way that sounds like a business but still gets delivered correctly.And make up a business name for your 'self employed company' and add that in. (assuming you can do that, i'm not sure about the UK rules)TomFlat 4321 example roadBecomesInwards GoodsAttn: TomTom's ElectronicsSuite 4321 Example Road

author: paulca
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 03, 2025, 01:43:41 pm
content: I believe, for RS anyway, it's based on account type. At the time if you wanted to open a "Trade" account rather than an individual account, you needed to provide your VAT or company house number. So that would exclude Sole Traders. There were other options, but they were "human gated", you had to email support and ask them for a trade account.

author: tom66
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 03, 2025, 02:27:40 pm
content: Back in the day I got a trade account with Farnell as a sole trader. You won't get any credit with them but do get the other benefits. I'd be surprised if RS was much different. You will need to phone them though.

author: themadhippy
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 03, 2025, 02:44:12 pm
content: Have you tried cpc, never had an issue with them refusing to post to an obvious residential address ( add the cheap stanley blades to yer order for free upgrade to courier)

author: mikeselectricstuff
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 03, 2025, 02:48:36 pm
content: I had to open a credit account at Rapid to order leaded solder ( been using them for decades with card orders.)However as in the UK you can be a sole trader without having any official registration,. I suspect just making up a company name will probably do.

author: mikeselectricstuff
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 03, 2025, 02:55:21 pm
content: If anyone finds leaded paste on Aliexpress in 250 or 500g tubs, please post a link here

author: mikeselectricstuff
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 03, 2025, 03:00:32 pm
content: "183" (melting point) is a good term to include in search.Small pots :https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005007836979244.htmlSelection of types in small syringes etc. on ebay :https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/285155169823Sn63/Pb37 gets lots of hits on Ebay UK, but mostly small sizes50g tubs at about 10% the price I normally pay for 500https://www.temu.com/uk/--paste-sn42bi58-low-temperature-formula-metal--flux-for-led-smd-bga-repairs-no-clean-rework--with-good-conductivity-high-quality--materials-138-melting-point-g-601099622204154.html

author: nali
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: July 03, 2025, 04:38:48 pm
content: Quote from: paulca on July 03, 2025, 01:43:41 pmActually that's not true, I have a RS account as a Sole Trader, and after the same experience I was told by their customer services I had to write tocustomer.records@rs-components.comrequesting my account be changed, which they did straight away. They didn't ask for any proof, documentation or whatever.Quote

author: paul cotter
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: July 03, 2025, 05:17:52 pm
content: A few years ago I ordered some IGBTs and 500 grams of solder(wire, leaded) from the local RS franchisee. A few days later a private car drives into my driveway and I'm asked to sign for my order. On opening the package I find it is only the solder and the driver had departed before I could query matters. Two days later a regular courier delivered my transistors. I found this uneconomic delivery method to be very strange but worst of all the solder delivery man was not wearing a hazmat suit- neither was I to be truthful. About a year ago I needed more solder but on checking the RS website I see all this shit about "professional" users, blah, blah, blah so I thought I would look online for an alternative supplier. Although all the suppliers I looked had the same crap on all their lead solder products I took a chance and placed an order. A few days later my wife, who takes care of the email, informs me that they cannot supply the ordered product and I think f*#k!. However this reaction was premature, on reading the email carefully they say they cannot supply that particular guage and offer me a finer guage. Product arrived without difficulty. This was a UK based company, though I cannot remember which one.

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 03, 2025, 06:26:06 pm
content: Quote from: paulca on July 03, 2025, 01:08:22 pmNewer lead-free alloys, combined with really good fluxes, are almost as nice to use as good leaded solder. (And I would argue that they are already nicer to use than some name-brand leaded solders.)What you want is the alloys that have trace amounts of nickel and germanium added. Those improve wetting significantly.Try Felder Sn100Ni+, with their ISO-Core Clear or Ultra Clear flux. (I forget the exact one I have at work, and what the precise difference is). It’s perfectly usable, and available inexpensively from Conrad and Reichelt, among others. I haven’t used any Felder solder pastes, but I would not be surprised if they’re good too.

author: Buriedcode
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 04, 2025, 04:36:47 am
content: Why not just use lead free?I haven't had to order leaded solder in years - only for repairs of old gear where I didn't want to mix alloys. Also, I haven't had much trouble with RS or Rapid when I ordered LDRs (non RoHS compliant). But they don't sell craft knives or junoir hack-saw blades without a trade account. Thats understandable. Don't tihnk I've ever ordered leaded solder from either though.

author: coppercone2
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 04, 2025, 05:36:43 am
content: I noticed when they start getting rid of chemicals you have to do crazy design work and it gets really expensive and counter productive. I.e. demands for mechanical strain relief.And messy too, i.e. mechanical vs chemical polishing or rust removing or paint removing or bondingThe one that gets me is the paint stripper being toxic, but wire brushing some painted object for 2 hours is OK even when it looks like a coal mine from all the dust. I think its a illusion of safety... not to mention mechanical work has giant process problems from contamination that can later cause something to have a expensive fail.And the supposed cure all solutions like bead blasting introduce contamination and strain too.It all feels annoying like you are arguing with the stupid.

author: mikeselectricstuff
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 04, 2025, 10:39:20 am
content: Digikey and Mouser have stock of 250g pots of Chip Quik SMD4300AX250T3 63/37 leaded paste with no restrictions shown on the page.Quite a few Chip Quik lines at DK have no stock, so may be going obsolete.I just ordered one from DK & it has shipped.The datasheet says it has no shipping restrictions, though that would probably be just Hazmat and not the BS regs in the EU

author: paulca
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 04, 2025, 11:03:59 am
content: Quote from: mikeselectricstuff on July 04, 2025, 10:39:20 amYep. Mine did actually make it here from Texas this morning.Although I seem to have went with TS391AX 63/37.It does require 230C reflow which presents some challenges to meet a curve that highly peeked, but bonus is, unlike the cheap aliexpress stuff that was "Stored in fridge 6 months", the Quickchip stuff claims >12 months at room temp.To be honest though. I had a syringe of "Mechanic 63/37" thats been lying on the shelf for a year and once I got the needle clear it appeared to work fine and it reflowed ok. Don't trust it though.

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 04, 2025, 11:13:56 am
content: Quote from: paulca on July 04, 2025, 11:03:59 amI have always been skeptical of ChipQuik’s suggested profile for 63/37 solder.It makes no sense to me that in their lead-free alloys — both regular 217C SAC305 and low-temp 138C SnBi — the peak temp is around 30C higher than the melting point, but on their 63/37 (whose melting point is between the aforementioned two, and is truly eutectic, and which is the alloy which should flow better than anything else), the specified peak is 52C higher than the melting point. Just seems very odd, to the point that I wonder if it’s simply a mistake.

author: paulca
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 04, 2025, 11:58:29 am
content: Quote from: tooki on July 04, 2025, 11:13:56 amThere is no way I'm hitting that profile on an 800W hot plate and hot air gun.The plan was to take it to 150, then on reaching set it for the 230C target. On passing the 185 danger zone I will start a timer. I expect, like you, it will begin transition pretty soon above 185C. I will assist with hot air on heavier components, poke and probe as I need for 2 minutes.Either 2 minutes or it actually hits the 230C and I'll switch off the element, take what I got and turn the fan on to try and match te curve back to 150C before removing from the plate to cool ambiently "out of the fan flow!". The fan stays on to reduce my burn hazard as that plate stay skin melting for FAR too long.I should also order a few thermo couples and solder those onto a mounting hole or something so I get a "real" temp reading and not some made up BS from the hot plate.If you cover your hot plate with a deep baking tray of suitable size do you create an oven or a workbench fire?In other SMD reflow bad ideas, I was considering putting my solder mask onto an SD card and taking it to the local "T-Shift" printer. Asking them to heat transfer it to my PCB. The theory being you could use it as a stencil/mask and plaster the board with a brush, then peel the rubbery T-Shirt decal off, revealing perfectly applied solder paste.This is all well and good and full of issues and caveats, but the thing is.... its cheaper to just order a bloody stencil.

author: Psi
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 04, 2025, 12:35:56 pm
content: ChipQuik products in general tend to be a bit random in terms of quality.I had to stop getting ChipQuik solder paste from digikey, it was too unpredictable. (Yes, manuf date was ok)It's better than random aliexpress stuff, but it's consistency leaves much to be desired.

author: paulca
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 04, 2025, 06:53:14 pm
content: Well, it works. I tested it with my old style "scope and hot air" and my "experimental", "hot plate and let it do it's thing".It was melting before 185, was flowing by 190 and with the timer still running from 185 what it did up to 220 when I called it was smoke.Both ways produced a bridged chip TSSOP20s. Both resulting from bad solder paste application and nothing to do with the equipment.I spend as long fixing them as it would have taken with the iron... but this was "single IC test". It might be different on a bigger board with a stencil. Time will tell.I had some Friday fun and timer how long it would take me to write a "Unit test" for the adapter boards (74HC244s) with an Ardy mega. 15 minutes did it. 30 mins was wasted because a pin was not in a hole. Both chips pass fine. But the tests immediately spotting the missed wire.