60/40 solder. What brand

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RockinRocket
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60/40 solder. What brand

Post by RockinRocket »

I used to drive down to my local Radio shack and use their branded 60/40 solder..
now that they closed what should I use? Silly question but what do you folks recommend for something that works and flows well?
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sluckey
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Re: 60/40 solder. What brand

Post by sluckey »

I've been using Kester since the '60s

https://www.tubesandmore.com/products/s ... 1-lb-spool
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xtian
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Re: 60/40 solder. What brand

Post by xtian »

I use Kester also, but prefer the eutetic alloy, 63/37. Plenty to read online about eutetic solder, no disadvantages I’ve found.
I build and repair tube amps. http://amps.monkeymatic.com
RockinRocket
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Re: 60/40 solder. What brand

Post by RockinRocket »

Sounds good fellas. Was just curious.. saw some crazy cheap stuff on ebay from china.. lots sold. Don't know.

I needed some in a pinch last weekend and the only stuff I could find local was at home depot, lead free and very little flux.. absolute garbage and the joints didn't look shiny.

Ill just order what you guys recomeded.
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TUBEDUDE
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Re: 60/40 solder. What brand

Post by TUBEDUDE »

WBT silver, if someone else is paying.
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mrn1ngstr
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Re: 60/40 solder. What brand

Post by mrn1ngstr »

Ill third the kester
Hail to the king baby - Ashley "Ash" Williams
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Phil_S
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Re: 60/40 solder. What brand

Post by Phil_S »

I'm sure I am the odd man out. Early on, I developed a preference for Radio Shack silver solder. IIRC, 96% silver 4% tin. I guess I won't be seeing that again. It came in small tubes for about $3, so it didn't hurt to buy it, but by the ounce it was expensive. Bernzomatic makes a similar product that I was getting at Sears, LOL, the local store closed last year and the next nearest isn't convenient at all. I bought a roll of 96.5% silver 3% tin 0.5% copper and I can't recommend that one at all. It's likely the next time I need solder, I'll get Kester 60/40 or the stuff xitan mentioned. The store where I was buying that also closed up. I see a pattern here. The next question ought to be, where do you buy it and how much do you have to buy to make an on-line order cost effective?
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M Fowler
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Re: 60/40 solder. What brand

Post by M Fowler »

I used Radio Shack solder for years but then Ampgarage guys turned me onto Kester and I never tried anything else but I'm sure there are many other brands worth trying.

Mark
mwelch55
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Re: 60/40 solder. What brand

Post by mwelch55 »

My Dad was a TV repairman and he had several pounds of Kester solder from the 50s. I inherited the solder when he died in 1973. I have used about 2 pounds of it and still have about a roll and a half. Still good after all these years. Great solder. I have also used Radio Shack solder and it was good too.

Mike
RockinRocket
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Re: 60/40 solder. What brand

Post by RockinRocket »

Phil_S wrote: Thu Jan 11, 2018 12:59 am The next question ought to be, where do you buy it and how much do you have to buy to make an on-line order cost effective?
I ended up ordering a pound from AES for 30ish.. bought some tubes to get the free ship.
Gotta wait a week though for the slow free post.
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Phil_S
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Re: 60/40 solder. What brand

Post by Phil_S »

The economics of solder purchases. I'd be pushing up daisies before I finished a pound. 1lb/$30 vs 1/4oz/$3. Hmmm.... 64* $3 = ~$200! Yikes!
RockinRocket
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Re: 60/40 solder. What brand

Post by RockinRocket »

Phil_S wrote: Fri Jan 12, 2018 10:20 pm The economics of solder purchases. I'd be pushing up daisies before I finished a pound. 1lb/$30 vs 1/4oz/$3. Hmmm.... 64* $3 = ~$200! Yikes!
1 pound is about 12 - 14 amps for me..
I must be doing something wrong :lol:
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Phil_S
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Re: 60/40 solder. What brand

Post by Phil_S »

RockinRocket wrote: Sat Jan 13, 2018 2:08 am
Phil_S wrote: Fri Jan 12, 2018 10:20 pm The economics of solder purchases. I'd be pushing up daisies before I finished a pound. 1lb/$30 vs 1/4oz/$3. Hmmm.... 64* $3 = ~$200! Yikes!
1 pound is about 12 - 14 amps for me..
I must be doing something wrong :lol:
Maybe my remembery isn't what it used to be, but I'm fairly certain 2 x 0.25oz sleeves of solder is the most I've ever used for an amp. I build small amps. If you are building 2-channel preamps with 4 tube power sections, it' sounds quite reasonable to use about an ounce per amp. I am very stingy when I solder, careful to use just enough and not too much. Style might easily account for the difference. It's a question of interest probably only at a place like this. Maybe we should take a pole?
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dorrisant
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Re: 60/40 solder. What brand

Post by dorrisant »

I go through a pound of Kester roughly every 6 months.... Let it flow, let it flow, let flow.

On average, I'm building 2-3 amps at any time... Right now, I have 6 going. No joke... :)
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va3dxv
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Re: 60/40 solder. What brand

Post by va3dxv »

mwelch55 wrote: Thu Jan 11, 2018 2:55 pm I have also used Radio Shack solder and it was good too.

Mike
You must mean the earlier stuff from RS? ...or maybe the batch I got was bad. I got a bunch of rolls from a closing store in Myrtle Beach for dirt cheap, It always cures very dull and dirty looking.

I threw it in the junk drawer and use MG Chem Sn63/Pb37 with great results.
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