Solder?

[Joe Gwinn]

I use 63/37 for everything except plumbing (50/50). I found out about 63/37 from a summer job at RCA, where they were building electronics that was literally going to the Moon.

If 63/37 was good enough for NASA, ....

[Rick Turner]

Dave, I don't find the cost of solder being anything I worry too much about. It's the least expensive thing in any of my pickups or electronics! And I just didn't feel like having two kinds of solder around. I have to use SN62 for piezo ceramic work, so I just use it for everything.

I can tell you, though, I absolutely hate the lead free RoHS solder. That stuff is a total pain in the butt.

[big_teee]

I use 63/37 for everything except plumbing (50/50). I found out about 63/37 from a summer job at RCA, where they were building electronics that was literally going to the Moon.

If 63/37 was good enough for NASA, ....

So what advantages of 63/37 over 60/40?
Does it melt at the same temp, or stick easier, dry faster, what do you like about it.
I worked in Bell Phone offices for 42 years and we used the 60/40 most often?
It is the same price and I'm fixing to order some soon.
I'm currently using Kester 44 60/40, It does a nice job.
T

[Joe Gwinn]

So what advantages of 63/37 over 60/40?
Does it melt at the same temp, or stick easier, dry faster, what do you like about it.
I worked in Bell Phone offices for 42 years and we always used the 60/40 most often?
It is the same price and I'm fixing to order some soon.
I'm currently using Kester 44 60/40, It does a nice job.
T

The advantage is that 63/37 is eutectic, which means that it has no paste range, greatly reducing the prevalence of cold solder joints: Eutectic system - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

When I grew up, 60/40 was commonly called radio solder, but I have no idea why it was used versus 63/37. NASA certainly didn't follow the tradition, the issue being reliability.

[David King]

I wonder if my Kimber "wonder" solder is Sn-62, it runs about $136/lb retail. Rick, I agree solder is pennies per instrument.
I'm OK with the eutectic RoHS solder. Kimber sells that as well.

[Joe Gwinn]

I wonder if my Kimber "wonder" solder is Sn-62, it runs about $136/lb retail. Rick, I agree solder is pennies per instrument.
I'm OK with the eutectic RoHS solder. Kimber sells that as well.

Kimber Wonder Solder (Lead Based)

If it contained Silver, this would have been mentioned, so no Silver.

From the stated price, it should contain gold. But again if it did, we would be hearing about it. So, no Gold.

From the stated melting temperature, 380 F (193 C) and the talk about it being able to deal with dirty joints and that it is "lead-based", I'm betting it also contains Zinc.

Solder - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The closest temperature match is Sn89 Zn8 Bi3 (191-195 C), and no other kind of solder brackets the stated temperature.

This Sn89 Zn8 Bi3 alloy has a few disadvantages: "Prone to corrosion and oxidation due to its zinc content. On copper surfaces forms a brittle Cu-Zn intermetallic layer, reducing the fatigue resistance of the joint; nickel plating of copper inhibits this." ... For that brittle, moth-eaten sound ...

One could ask for the MSDS - needed for the Corporate Safety Program you know, and see what happens.

In any event, no way does Kimber make their own solder. There are better sources.

[Rick Turner]

Kester SN62 from Mouser: http://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/...FWxyQgod5UoA2A

$88.62 a pound, and come on, how many pounds will do how many pickups or guitar harnesses? I don't even care to calculate it, but it's not a hell of a lot per piece. This is not the place to be cutting corners! And, being eutectic, it's a dream to work with.

And...I can say to my customers that the soldering is done with silver bearing solder. That remark being for those among us who don't believe in marketing and promotion... :-) Hey, I do this for a living, and I'll take anything I can get for talking points...

[big_teee]

I'm fixing to order a roll or two of this, for pickups and an upcoming amp build.
Unless you need the silver I don't see the extra expense.
That is why they make all grades.
And, if you have a need for both types, buy both and save the 2% for when you need it!
Kester Solder 24-6337-0039 SN63PB37 | 44 Rosin Cored Wire Solder Dia. .040

[Joe Gwinn]

They are both very good. The 2% silver does improve soldering a lot, but strictly speaking isn't needed. (I have some in stock, but use the regular 63/37 most of the time.)

Silver does make for a good talking point, and it's only half what the Kimber stuff costs.

[David King]

Some of the "active" fluxes need to be washed off after soldering, is the Kester 44 flux one of those?

I looked it up and found this Kester FAQ which has a lot of these answers FAQ | Kester
The 44 rosin is a no-clean flux but it is CONDUCTIVE above 160º.

They recommend the 2% Ag when soldering anything with silver plating. Since I use Ag plated hookup wire exclusively that might mean me..

[big_teee]

What ever you like I would stock up.
With ROHS, it is only going to get harder to get and a lot more expensive.
I love the Kester 44 solders.
Lot better than that solder we used in the phone offices forever.
Heck I really like the Kester 44 60/40, but per Joe G. thought I would give the 63/37 a try.
I've never had any trouble with any good rosin core solder.
As far as cleaning, we never did any in the TeleComm world.
The main thing with Bell was no cold Solder Joints.
T

[Rick Turner]

David, the answer is "yes"...you should use SN 62 for your work. The silver plating will migrate off of your copper conductors and into the lead by the process of amalgamation. That could be bad for your solder joints...I don't know...but it's certainly not good. Just 2% silver in the solder prevents further amagamation and the leaching of the silver away from where it's intended to be. I have to thank Lloyd Baggs for pointing me in this direction when I first started experimenting with piezo ceramic based pickup design when I was working for Gibson.

And we must not forget that we are selling dreams to our clients, not just products. Silver has an excellent reputation in the high end and pro audio worlds, so it becomes a selling point. Fine by me...it's certainly no worse than tin, lead, zinc, and copper, and the cost is negligible compared to my labor and what else goes into my electronics. If it's just a tiny bit better...well, we're going for those tiny bit better, are we not?

I find it surprising that boutique pickup makers would worry much about tiny percentages of cost. Try telling your customers that you pinch pennies making pickups...

[SonnyW]

I have been using the Kester #58/245 Sn63-Pb37 no-clean solder for the last several years and have always had good results. I like it a lot. It's not cheap, but I loaded up on it on sale, when I got a chance a few years ago, and I have about 5 pounds left.

But I like the idea of the SN62 especially for some things and I may get a roll of it to try. I like to bury the start wire on all my humbucker coils as in P.A.F. style and I use a #30 silver-teflon (the type E) lead wire. I always am nervous about getting a good solder joint there since I solder it on the machine and I have no good way to get to the other end of the magnet wire to ohm out the solder connection before I wind. I guess I could sand off a spot further down the wire to measure to but I have always just taken my chances. I never thought about the silver in the lead wire migrating into the joint, but that is a good point.

[big_teee]

Where is the best prices on Lead Solder.
T

Back to the OP?
Where is the cheapest place to buy all this solder?
Has Anyone bought anything from Janel's?
They have those almost too good to be true prices?
http://www.janelonline.com/kester-wi...-6337-0039.htm

[Rick Turner]

Nice prices on the SN62 there...and I see that they have it in bar stock, too...good for the solder pot, but it looks like the minimum orders are pretty steep on that stuff.