[sdiy] solder types

[patchell]

    I have written some comments on soldering on my website,
http://www.silcom.com/~patchell/diytips/diytips.html

    I personally use Kester 331 (organic core) for soldering PC boards.  However,
you have to be careful with this stuff.  If you go to Kesters website, you will
find that all of their solder fluxes are optional to clean, except for Kester 331
which is a "must" clean flux.  Never use Kester 331 when soldering insulated
wires, as the flux will wick up under the insulation, where it cannot be cleaned,
and it will start corroding the wire.

    But for PC board assembly, Kester 331 is great.  I use a tooth brush, warm
water, and scrub away.  You get a clean, flux free board in minutes, without
having to use any sort of nasty smelling chemicals.

    The No Clean fluxes are generally rosin based, I believe.  Even Kester 44,
which is a very active rosin based flux, is technically a no clean flux.  Kester
44 is what I use to solder the things that it is a bad idea to use the 331 on.

    Also, what ever you do, never mix rosin and organic flux.  This can happen by
accident if, while you are using Kester 331 to solder a board, you accidently grab
a roll of Kester 44.  It makes a mess that is extremely difficult to clean, and is
also very highly conductive.

    -Jim

Daniel Kruszyna wrote:

> OK, I'll start simple...
> What is a good type of solder to use for synth projects?
> Cleaning rosin core solder is a pain  -- I usually make a bigger mess
> whenever I try.  I have read about people using water soluble flux ("organic")
> solder and "no clean" solder.  Some kits use organic solder for most of the
> connections, and no clean solder for certain parts at the end.  Now if
> cleaning was the only difference between these two types, it seems to me
> that there wouldn't be a reason to use both.  I can't find any info on
> the differences though.  Any takers?
>
> -- Daniel

--
 -Jim
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