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FrozenGate by Avery

ColdHeat Solder irons

Been using Kester solder for many, many years. It was the only solder any of us used back in the early 1970s.
 





Hi Paul & Jerry ,
63/37 Kester is all i use for my builds its an awesome product in 1LB. spools.

Rich:)
 
Yeah, back on the ColdHeat, it'll totally toast smaller sensitive electronics if you aren't crazy careful.

If you want a nice small, portable soldering iron, the TS100 can be had cheap occasionally if you can tolerate the slow boat from China. Just plug it into a USB powerbank and there you go.

Edit: Also, the tips of the ColdHeat chip super easily, so be careful. Not the most effective soldering iron, but it can be made to work for simple projects. Definitely wouldn't recommend touching your laser stuff with it.
 
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I have four solding Irons i have my Weller 4o watt my little usb one that actually not that bad and my Yihua digital soldering station that a friend bought me
 
OK....To all the Eeeeelektronik Experts out there....and there are many....I have been having problems with solder from RShack....not seeming to want to melt !!!! Got some lead free stuff when they were going T's up....so....I suppose...this is crap solder ???
What do you all recommend....for the good stuff ????? Solder containing silver ???? Thanx !!!
 
Just my experience, but lead-free solder is a pain in the rear to work with. When I first started out trying to learn soldering I only ever bought the lead free stuff, would never melt, and I could never get it to "stick" to metal the way the lead stuff does. It would just bead up all over the PCB and never flow onto the contacts like its supposed to. Switched to rosin core tin-lead solder and haven't looked back. I just wear a respirator and wash my hands after soldering, 6 years soldering with the stuff and so far no lead poisoning.
 
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I don't think you need to spring for the most expensive solders out there. Really Kester 63% Sn/ 37% Pb is really good solder and isn't as expensive as silver solder. I have some of that solder from Jmillerdoc and it's good solder, but spendy. For having only 2% Ag I could never figure out why they are so much more expensive than regular tin/lead.
 
paul1598419 said:
I don't think you need to spring for the most expensive solders out there. Really Kester 63% Sn/ 37% Pb is really good solder and isn't as expensive as silver solder. I have some of that solder from Jmillerdoc and it's good solder, but spendy. For having only 2% Ag I could never figure out why they are so much more expensive than regular tin/lead.
Click to expand...


Yeah, 60/40 or 63/37 will do the job just fine for most hobbyist uses and you can get a 1lb spool of good quality stuff for fairly cheap. The 2% Ag stuff is quite pricey, if you do a lot of soldering it'd get expensive fast.

@CDBEAM, I'm assuming your iron is getting up to temperature and the tip is in good shape too? Damaged/corroded tips and failed heating elements will cause similar issues.
 
paul1598419 said:
For having only 2% Ag I could never figure out why they are so much more expensive than regular tin/lead.
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2% of a pound is 9.1g, and the current silver price is 0.54 USD/g, so that's $5 right there. Add in the extra cost of manufacture, the profit, and the "novelty" they will likely charge just because it's "fancy", and it makes sense to me.

Silver doesn't really help anything. It helps a tiny bit with strength and conductivity, but it's not worth it.
 
I had one of those cold heat soldering irons when they first came onto the market. It couldn't solder anything much beyond 26ga, and what it did do made very brittle solder joints. I guess for testing sake it might be ok... but it don't expect too much.

The soldering tip is made of a composite material (conductive ceramic), and is easily damaged mechanically.
 
Thanx guys....EDSYN 951SX Solder Station. I am AR about cleaning the tip.
In a low light room, one can see the tip glow dull red. This should be about 900F. I do not typically use the station up that high. I do the method...
"get in...solder....and get out"... !!

So....figures...A bargain....turns into a waste....too bad about the Shack though....it is a sign of the times !!! Who fixes Sh$t anymore !!!

I will go back to the leaded stuff...likely with 2-3% Silver....Why cheap out on Solder....lesson learned !! Beam Out:san::san:
 
CDBEAM777 said:
OK....To all the Eeeeelektronik Experts out there....and there are many....I have been having problems with solder from RShack....not seeming to want to melt !!!! Got some lead free stuff when they were going T's up....so....I suppose...this is crap solder ???
What do you all recommend....for the good stuff ????? Solder containing silver ???? Thanx !!!
Click to expand...
You don't need silver in solder for electronic assembly.
I would suggest to get some of this.....
MM00975 - MULTICORE / LOCTITE - Solder Wire, 63/37, 0.022" Diameter, 183°C, 1.102lb | Newark element14

or some of this...
https://www.mouser.com/Tools-Supplies/Soldering/Solder/_/N-b11qq?P=1yzxt4nZ1yywsso

You will need a good iron at the proper temperature...
The solder itself is not enough...;)

My personal choice for everyday use is the Multicore.
I go through a pound of it every 8-10 months or so.

I agree with the others here... Lead Free solder is
crap to use.


Jerry
 
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Silver solder is unnecessary and a waste of good money. It is at least as important as decent tin/lead solder that you have a good soldering iron that has a clean uncorroded tip set to 300 degrees C or less for PCB soldering. I use a thermostatically controlled iron with multiple tips that I keep immaculate. I do have a flux pen as well as using flux core solder. I do very small work at times and these help to make my solder joints solid and clean. It's important to care for your tips as poor quality ones can give unacceptable results even worse than using a marginal quality solder.
 
Thanks again....I have never given solder much thought....OK...

NO Ag is necessary...at all....fine !!! No probelmo !! Just Lead / Tin !!!

And yes.....keeping the tip clean/no oxidation is important....as is a big'ole set of magnification glasses( So I can really see my hand...less than steady )....add a good amount of light....all the little things.

And...SMT stuff...Fotgetaboutit !!!! Never....NOT in my Wheelhouse !!!

Thanx again crew....I am now Solder educated !! ... CDB :p:p
 
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