Solder gauges, is 23 gauge small enough? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / beginners

author: plunger
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: January 08, 2012, 07:54:32 am
content: The smallest size I could find in the local electronics shop was 23 gauge .025". The manufacturer they carry only goes this low.http://www.mgchemicals.com/products/4880.htmlIt'll be mainly for computer board type stuff. Is this thin enough or do I need to return and order some small 25 gauge or lower solder?

author: IanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 08, 2012, 08:03:19 am
content: I rather suspect that will be fine. I have the MG Chemicals solder in both the 0.025" and 0.032" thicknesses and use both according to the size of the job.It doesn't hurt to have a variety though, and if you ever need some really thin solder wire Radio Shack have some 0.015" silver bearing wire as part number 64-035.

author: plunger
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: January 09, 2012, 09:15:21 am
content: I'm placing an order for lower gauges anyways and I'll keep the one I have also.Kester 24-6337-001044 RA Solder Wire, .020" dia., Core Size-66 Sn63Pb37https://www.all-spec.com/products/KW4400.html

author: plunger
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: January 12, 2012, 08:25:08 am
content: Solder arrived. Now I have .40mm, .50mm and .60mm. $90 dollars worth of solder I bought in under a week

author: Unknown
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: January 12, 2012, 10:39:02 am
content: Quote from: plunger on January 12, 2012, 08:25:08 amI was wondering if you took up plumbing, until I scrolled down and saw that you omitted a decimal.

author: BravoV
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 12, 2012, 10:56:01 am
content: Quote from: plunger on January 09, 2012, 09:15:21 amNoob question, at it's description on above link "Shelf life: 3 years from DOM", just curious does this thing really degrades ?I mean to what extend it will become so bad that become useless ?

author: Unknown
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: January 12, 2012, 11:07:06 am
content: I would expect the flux core to degrade. Can't say I've ever had issues with old solder, but I haven't compared it side-by-side with new stock either. In the worst case you may have to add extra flux. This stuff is much less critical for hand soldering than industrial processes like wave or reflow soldering. With hand soldering you just apply the soldering iron for a few extra seconds, in an industrial process with a preset thermal profile you may get insufficient wetting on some joints.

author: Psi
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 12, 2012, 11:10:49 am
content: Sometimes with really old solder you notice the color isn't normal, it's all dark and patchy.But that's with like 20-30 year old stuff

author: plunger
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: January 12, 2012, 03:20:07 pm
content: Quote from: alm on January 12, 2012, 10:39:02 amlol 50mm. No, I'm not fixing a bridge or plugging a sub

author: ciccio
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 12, 2012, 07:50:53 pm
content: Quote from: Psi on January 12, 2012, 11:10:49 amTo day I used some 40 years old solder, found in a closet at a customer's lab.It worked like a charm, the only thing was a very "aromatic" smell, that I cannot attribute to aged and degraded flux or to a different flux from the one I daily use.I can understand that flux will degrade with age, but I don't know how the degradation process will act: if the more volatile parts will try to evaporate, how could they find a road for the outside world? Will gaseous parts pass through the wire's end? It's a long road.

author: nukie
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 13, 2012, 01:02:48 pm
content: I think 5-7 years for properly manufactured standard rosin core 60/40 no issues. I have a huge roll of unknown manufacture date, I have it for 7 years still works okay.