The brass wool is pretty good. I've yet to have it cause issues.
If you use a wet sponge, you either have to use demineralized water or you'll end up with a soldering tip that's coated with calcium. And if you do use a wet sponge, make sure the sponge is a cellulose one. If you don't have one of those, use some folded up paper towel instead.
That depends on the alloy. The most common lead-free alloy is SAC305 (96.5% Sn, 3% Ag, 0.5% Cu). Good solder joints made with that alloy will look grainy. I find it really hard to work with. For lead-free, I much prefer the 99.3/0.7 Sn/Cu alloys. That flows nicely, especially if you get the germanium or bismuth doped versions. Good joints will look shiny. It's also an eutectic alloy.
Tom
Solder composition makes a hell of a difference for me. I have 4 different solders available, depending on the need for how much at a time (power connections and the like) or something delicate like the SMD stuff. Of course it isn't just size but makeup of the solder itself. I tend to prefer Wonder Solder over the years, but also am having good luck with Kester and also WBT. This can go in circles if you haven't cared for your solder tip or properly prep the job at hand. The lead free stuff is just not something that I care to work with, especially for removal of a device on a circuit board.
From what I understand leaded solder is getting harder to find in Europe, so some have no choice but to use the lead-free stuff.
Tom
Tom
That figures. As it happened, I ran into a barter/money deal that included 3 1/2 lbs. of solder. Seemed like a LOT at first, but I do use almost daily it seems. The other thing that is hard for me to get right is solder wick. Too small, no clean and other small print has been my mistake all too often. Need some #4 when I can find it.
Apply for electronic soldering jobs, they will grade you and explain what you do right and wrong, I did this... painful good experience
+1
I tried to use it when I ran out of brass wool and took the steel one I had for the pots in the kitchen, but as expected it's not good for that job.
Furthermore I don't think there are steel wools on the market sold to clean the tips of soldering irons.
+1
The brass wool does work flawlessly here too.
There is this strange policy in the Europe that you can't buy leaded solder as an individual, you need to run the business to be able to buy it. It's strange to me that the market is restricted for those who usually buy it once a decade or so.
For me the leaded solder is just superior, with powerful iron you can set the temp around 310 Celsius and the joints are good. If you go unleaded, you need the silver in it. When you're lucky you can do quite good soldering at around 340 degrees Celsius with it. But it's not as nice as the leaded.
Yes, it really seems that way.
However, at least in my area, a sort of "workaround" has recently been found to be able to sell it anyway... but please don't make me say which one it is otherwise the "gravy train" could stop... 😉
Yes, and maybe even copper.
I recently purchased an alloy with 96.5% tin, 3% silver, and 0.5% copper that does work just great, but as long as I have the 60/40 on hand I always choose that one first. 🙂
Standard leaded 60/40 is easily available here in the Netherlands, most shops still sell it. Rohs regulations do not apply to hobby use so it is perfectly legal to buy and use it as an individual.
I appreciate the insight about the physical aspects of soldering, especially the thought of thermal shock to the tip when using too wet of a sponge. That never occurred to me, but now makes good sense.
If you know what you want, then Digikey/Mouser are probably the easiest. You can get it with rosin/RMA flux.
Tom
Thanks for so many pointers. Completed my first soldering project the quasimodo test-jig. I calculated Rs and will use that to complete Ubib project. Some of the leads ended up with more solder than needed. Hopefully with practice it'll become better. Also, my solder has lead so i need to get different solder and prolly a small fan for the fumes.
Well than it's just our government failing again, nothing I'm not used to. But really in Czech Republic you can't buy leaded solder as an individual.
N-T-O, there's no need to get a different solder. Solder has had lead in it for over a century - don't chew on the solder and it won't hurt you. (Seriously, just wash your hands when you're done and don't be eating while you're soldering and you'll be fine. I've been playing with this stuff for nearly fifty years and it hasn't ended me yet.) Leaded solder is much easier to use, and you'll more easily get reliable connections with it. A fan for the flux fumes is fine, but the fumes contain no lead - lead isn't vaporizing unless you're running your iron at over 1749 °C/3180 °F (the boiling point of lead).
All that said, the joints in your photos above look pretty good - as you stated, a few are a bit heavy on the solder, but not terribly so. Your soldering looks good to me, especially given that you're just starting. With practice, you'll develop a feel and get better at it.
-Pat
All that said, the joints in your photos above look pretty good - as you stated, a few are a bit heavy on the solder, but not terribly so. Your soldering looks good to me, especially given that you're just starting. With practice, you'll develop a feel and get better at it.
-Pat
Don't fall for that trap. Yes, lead/tin solder is widely available for repairs or hobbyists. Lead-free (RoHS) regulations are for mass produced goods. There is nothing stopping a hobbyist from using it. Using lead/tin solder will not kill you or send you mad. Some people are quoting the RoHS regulation, however this is wholly wrong as the regulation applies only to Equipment and not components/materials. Components/materials only need to comply if they are going into new equipment to be placed on the market for the first time, or for technical reasons to match RoHS compliant equipment. You can still buy leaded solder in EU and no one will stop you using it for personal projects but if you want to manufacture electronic equipment for the open commercial market you must use unleaded solder.
If I have to give you one piece of advice, it is: Shop lead/tin solders made in the USA, delivered - ТОЖЕ🙂 from the USA! But, even here, there are details. I will explain later.
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350 is where I set mine. What set me only buying a thermostatically-controlled soldering iron with temperature adjustment was lifting a pad on a Fender Blues Junior PC board. Thankfully it was a structural pad and hole for holding down a pot that lifted and not a circuit pad and hole but that scared me.
No. Sale of solder with lead content to consumers is banned in EU and EEA since March 2018. The ban is not part of RoHS directive.
https://ila-reach.org/2018/01/new-r...g-requirements-affect-lead-from-march-1-2018/