What brand of Solder and heatsink grease do you buy?

[Jam]

What brand of Solder and heatsink grease do you buy? I was looking to buy some and I was wanted to see what other people were using Thanks

[The Dude]

Kester seems to be popular. I use MG Chemicals just because that's what my supplier has. It works just fine for me. As for heatsink grease, I use the Rawn stuff that comes in a syringe looking thing. It's easier to dispense without making a mess.

[52 Bill]

I've used Kester solder for the last 45 years. I've tried others now and then but always end up back with the old standby.

I have a lifetime supply of Wakefield silicon heatsink grease. I have a quart can that I use to fill a 35mm film container that I keep on the bench. It is messy, but you get used to dealing with it, so there is very little clean-up to do.

[J M Fahey]

I've used British Multicore Ersin forever ; when not available get the closest one .
Multicore rosin is VERY good, that flux goes an extra step cleaning suspect metal surfaces for better soldering.

M.I. equipment is often stored in damp places and metals get a slimy surface which has to be removed, Multicore has some additive which does a very good cleaning/deoxidizing/wetting job.

If possible, 67/37 tin/lead which is eutectic and gives best, brightest results; if not, 60/40.

No doubt Kester is excellent, but Argentina is basically European oriented so many US brands aren't even known here.

As of heat sink grease, once there was a shortage, so I bought 1 kilo (2.2 pounds) of Zinc Oxide and cooked my own.

So my great great grandchildren will still have some of it left

Funny thing is that I used red Lithium grease as the other ingredient (no silicon grease available either) so mine turned out ... Pink ... no kidding.

[Leo_Gnardo]

Mostly Kester. 60/40 for a long time but I got a couple rolls of eutectic 63/37. The hassle is, I can get nice fat solder for tube work in 60/40 but only skinny wire in eutectic. Ersin is also a favorite - I'm down to half a roll. Yes the built-in flux is good, but still a good idea to scrape, sand, wirebrush anything that's about to be soldered if it shows the least sign of corrosion. That goes for any soldering task, whatever type of solder or metal. Flux is good but can't work miracles. The flux smoke smells quite a bit different than Kester, and some of my customers think I've been having a hash party if I've been soldering with it recently. Gotta get more of that! I think Newark may carry Ersin in the USA, otherwise it's a bit scarce.

Plus a small tin of flux paste - not acid-flux - mine's still half full after 30+ years and several trips around the world in the toolbox. Sometimes a little dab will help do the trick on a difficult connection. Rare that I have to use it. FWIW Caig now has a flux product, a bit expensive at @ $8 or 9 for a small container, probably works well (I'm assuming because their other products do) but I haven't got to try it, and haven't seen any reviews from those who have.

Old tube of GC white heatsink grease still in use after 20 years - shows you how little solid snake work I do. Perfectly good stuff.

Juan I like that pink grease you made up - you'll always be able to tell "Fahey was here."

[tedmich]

Mundorf 9.5% silver solder supreme, $1.34/ft
and
JunPus Nano Diamond Thermal Grease JP-DX1 $1.40/g


kidding
whatevers cheapest at RatShack

[J M Fahey]

still a good idea to scrape, sand, wirebrush anything that's about to be soldered if it shows the least sign of corrosion. That goes for any soldering task, whatever type of solder or metal. Flux is good but can't work miracles.

Couldn't agree more

As of the trademarked pink grease, it has other practical advantages too: sometimes I get one of my own amps for servicing: guys claim , swear, scream: "I have not touched it atb all, nobody was in there, it stopped working and I brought it straightb to you " ..... and besides the blotched soldering work, up to torched pads, rough "plumber's special" solder , transistors labelled with brands I never even heard about, the telltale indicator that "his Techie friend had a go at it" is that transistors now are awash in white grease, he he.

All other indicators are subtle or undetectable by him but this one is undeniable, specially when I show him the pink grease pot and state that I have used nothing else since 2001

[TimmyP1955]

MCM # 21-1040. Tenma Rosin Core Solder - 60/40 Tin/Lead - 1LB | 21-1040 (211040) | Tenma No complaints.

[R.G.]

Let me add a note recommending silicone rubber insulators instead of mica or kapton and grease.

Sil-Pads and similar insulating/thermal coupling devices are now quite good. They once were not as good thermally as mica and grease, but they are very, very close now.

They are not messy, don't cold-flow, and eliminate the manual spreading of a THIN layer of grease and getting either not enough coverage or too much. I used to use only mica and grease, but I found a surplus deal on some TO-3 Sil-Pads and haven't use anything else since.

[Jazz P Bass]

And they don't 'let go' of the transistors when you want to remove a board.