Radio Shack Solder ??
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Are any of the Radio Shack solder types acceptable for a KX1 build?
Also any opinions on their digital solder station 64-009? Thanks in advance. -- Visit http://oceansblue.biz _______________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Post to: [hidden email] You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com |
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Rob,
The solder available at Radio Shack is of a larger diameter than I like to use. While the solder is OK, the large diameter means that once it melts, you already have too much solder on the connection. I recommend a solder diameter of 0.020 inches or smaller (I personally use 0.015 for thru hole work and 0.010 for SMD work). For construction of the KX1 or other densely packaged kits, I highly recommend a small diameter solder so you can easily control the amount fed to the connection. While there is nothing wrong with the standard 60/40 alloy, you will find the eutectic 63/37 alloy a bit better since it has no plastic state and cold solder joints are practically non-existent when it is used. As for flux, most any kind of mildly-activated rosin core flux will do fine. Mouser carries Kester solder and I like the Kester 285 for all-around electronics use. Look at Mouser PN 533-24-6337-6422 .015 dia. or 533-24-6337-6401 .020 dia. Stay away from the water soluble flux (corrosive unless removed by industrial methods) and the lead free solders - lead free solders require a higher melting temperature and are extremely difficult to remove if component removal becomes necessary. I have not used the RS soldering station, so I cannot comment. 73, Don W3FPR Rob Lundahl wrote: > Are any of the Radio Shack solder types acceptable for a KX1 build? > > Also any opinions on their digital solder station 64-009? > > Thanks in advance. > > _______________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Post to: [hidden email] You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com |
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Radio Shack has some very nice 2% silver 33%/65% 0.015" solder on 1.5
ounce rolls. I picked a couple of rolls up on a close out and it's very nice stuff to use. Jack Don Wilhelm wrote: > Rob, > > The solder available at Radio Shack is of a larger diameter than I > like to use. While the solder is OK, the large diameter means that > once it melts, you already have too much solder on the connection. I > recommend a solder diameter of 0.020 inches or smaller (I personally > use 0.015 for thru hole work and 0.010 for SMD work). For > construction of the KX1 or other densely packaged kits, I highly > recommend a small diameter solder so you can easily control the amount > fed to the connection. > > While there is nothing wrong with the standard 60/40 alloy, you will > find the eutectic 63/37 alloy a bit better since it has no plastic > state and cold solder joints are practically non-existent when it is > used. > > As for flux, most any kind of mildly-activated rosin core flux will do > fine. > > Mouser carries Kester solder and I like the Kester 285 for all-around > electronics use. Look at Mouser PN 533-24-6337-6422 .015 dia. or > 533-24-6337-6401 .020 dia. > > Stay away from the water soluble flux (corrosive unless removed by > industrial methods) and the lead free solders - lead free solders > require a higher melting temperature and are extremely difficult to > remove if component removal becomes necessary. > > I have not used the RS soldering station, so I cannot comment. > > 73, > Don W3FPR > > Rob Lundahl wrote: >> Are any of the Radio Shack solder types acceptable for a KX1 build? >> >> Also any opinions on their digital solder station 64-009? >> >> Thanks in advance. >> >> > _______________________________________________ > Elecraft mailing list > Post to: [hidden email] > You must be a subscriber to post to the list. > Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): > http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm > Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com > Elecraft mailing list Post to: [hidden email] You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com |
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Jack,
Thanks for that info, sounds like good solder - I was looking on their website and only saw the large diameter stuff listed even in the 2% silver alloy. Hurry to get some before it is gone - that is what close-out means, they do not intend to carry it forever. 73, Don W3FPR Jack Smith wrote: > Radio Shack has some very nice 2% silver 33%/65% 0.015" solder on 1.5 > ounce rolls. I picked a couple of rolls up on a close out and it's very > nice stuff to use. _______________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Post to: [hidden email] You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com |
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Went to the basement and retrieved the empty spool (never throw things
like that out - always good for odds and ends of wire). It's 62/36/2, with the 2% being silver. Radio Shack part number 64-035, and it's still shown in the on-line catalog at $3.99 for a 1 oz spool. 1 oz of solder lasts a long time. I do a fair bit of building and that's 6 months worth or more for me. There is also a larger diameter 62/36/2, think it is 0.022" PN 64-013, on a 1.5 oz spool. There's probably a better source for 62/36/2 solder than RS, but it's decent stuff, unlike a lot of the things one finds there. Jack Don Wilhelm wrote: > Jack, > > Thanks for that info, sounds like good solder - I was looking on their > website and only saw the large diameter stuff listed even in the 2% > silver alloy. > > Hurry to get some before it is gone - that is what close-out means, > they do not intend to carry it forever. > > 73, > Don W3FPR > > Jack Smith wrote: >> Radio Shack has some very nice 2% silver 33%/65% 0.015" solder on 1.5 >> ounce rolls. I picked a couple of rolls up on a close out and it's >> very nice stuff to use. > _______________________________________________ > Elecraft mailing list > Post to: [hidden email] > You must be a subscriber to post to the list. > Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): > http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm > Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com > _______________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Post to: [hidden email] You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com |
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Jack Smith wrote:
> There is also a larger diameter 62/36/2, think it is 0.022" PN 64-013, > on a 1.5 oz spool. > > There's probably a better source for 62/36/2 solder than RS, but it's > decent stuff, unlike a lot of the things one finds there. What's the advantage of 2% Ag over plain 63/37 Pb/Sn eutectic? 73, Fred K6DGW - Northern California Contest Club - CU in the 2007 CQP Oct 6-7 - www.cqp.org _______________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Post to: [hidden email] You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com |
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Fred,
Advantage: It wets more readily and coats the connection a little better. Disadvantage: It is more difficult to remove components. As far as I have discovered, there are no other advantages. Now perhaps you can understand a bit why I prefer the 2% silver for SMD and the 63/37 for thru-hole work. 73, Don W3FPR Fred Jensen wrote: > Jack Smith wrote: >> There is also a larger diameter 62/36/2, think it is 0.022" PN 64-013, >> on a 1.5 oz spool. >> >> There's probably a better source for 62/36/2 solder than RS, but it's >> decent stuff, unlike a lot of the things one finds there. > > What's the advantage of 2% Ag over plain 63/37 Pb/Sn eutectic? > > 73, Elecraft mailing list Post to: [hidden email] You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com |
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In reply to this post by k6dgw
Here's how one reference describes the advantage of silver:
*60/40 and 63/37 Solders* These solders are used in the stained glass industry and also for electronic component such as computers and communications equipment where a minimum of heat can be used to make the connection. For the electronics industry, silver is added to tin/lead solders to reduce the dissolution of silver from silver alloy coatings. Silver may also be added to improve creep resistance. http://www.frymetals.com/products/tinleadsolder.html?product=tinlead You may also recall the old Tektronix vacuum tube oscilloscopes built with ceramic strips. The notches were metalized with a silver-bearing compound and the scopes had a short length of silver bearing solder included with each scope. (I think that might have been 4% silver, but it's been a long time.) Jack K8ZOA Fred Jensen wrote: > Jack Smith wrote: >> There is also a larger diameter 62/36/2, think it is 0.022" PN >> 64-013, on a 1.5 oz spool. >> >> There's probably a better source for 62/36/2 solder than RS, but it's >> decent stuff, unlike a lot of the things one finds there. > > What's the advantage of 2% Ag over plain 63/37 Pb/Sn eutectic? > > 73, > > Fred K6DGW > - Northern California Contest Club > - CU in the 2007 CQP Oct 6-7 > - www.cqp.org > _______________________________________________ > Elecraft mailing list > Post to: [hidden email] > You must be a subscriber to post to the list. > Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): > http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm > Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com > Elecraft mailing list Post to: [hidden email] You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com |
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In reply to this post by Rob Lundahl
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Hash: SHA1 I used Kester #44 .020 diameter for my K2. I only use RS solder on Pl-259's. Get to the Elecraft site and have a look at the recommended solder stations. I bought the Hakko 936 when I started the K2. I think a soldering station should be looked at as an investment, like any other piece of test equipment or tool. You get what you pay for, usually. Rob Lundahl wrote: > Are any of the Radio Shack solder types acceptable for a KX1 build? > > Also any opinions on their digital solder station 64-009? > > Thanks in advance. > > - -- R. Kevin Stover, ACØH -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: GnuPG v1.4.7 (MingW32) Comment: Using GnuPG with Mozilla - http://enigmail.mozdev.org iD8DBQFGWZbF11jxjloa2wsRAg8UAKCyRLqGiZfrCWgK5aV8HT7qBKaepACgyRxU aJ7wIo6ZVj+TpqGe2RRRwnU= =VqRf -----END PGP SIGNATURE----- _______________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Post to: [hidden email] You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com |
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In reply to this post by Rob Lundahl
Some builders prefer other alloys that contain silver, etc. Be aware that
they do not all have the same melting temperatures. This could lead to frustration, damaged boards/components, or also a better solder job. Just check the characteristics - all are published on company web sites - before you begin. I've been building with solder since I was 7 years old ( My dad bought me a one tube radio kit ). I used my wood burning kit (Weller) with a filed down copper tip. The only solder I could find was in the garage where I helped dad repair the radiator on our 37 Ford (90hp). It was made by a company called "ACIDCORE" and it was about the diameter of my school pencils. The radio worked great and I had it until I found out I could hook it up to the phonograph and play music through it on the kitchen radio. It was OK until I started getting request from the neighbors for records I didn't have. A neighbor friend dropped in, his name was K6MJX, a funny name I thought, he told me I might like to hear about another way to use my talents. The rest is history!! Thanks Dick, may you rest in peace. 73 de WA6VNN, Al ************************************** See what's free at http://www.aol.com. _______________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Post to: [hidden email] You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com |
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In reply to this post by Rob Lundahl
The 63/37 is what is called eutectic solder because it has a very sharp
melting temp dip at the eutectic temperature of tin/lead alloy. It can be difficult to solder with because it has almost no pasty state going almost directly from liquid to solid. Its primary use is for rapid soldering processes that are usually automatic. It also has one other use, because it is the lowest melting temperature tin/lead alloy, it can be used in special applications called two stage soldering. It this process an initial soldering of a component is done usings, say 60/40 or maybe 50/50 which has a higher melting point, and can then have additional soldering done with the 63/37 without causing it all to come apart. Obviously this type process would require extreme control of soldering tools. Al, WA6VNN ************************************** See what's free at http://www.aol.com. _______________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Post to: [hidden email] You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com |
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