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sn96.3 ag3.7 solder qstn
I am going to recap an old Hallicrafters. I have some Kester sn96.3 ag3.7
solder. Can this be used on joints that already have old lead solder on them? I'd like to get away from lead products, but don't want bad solder joints either. Is this new Kester solder a good replacement for lead solder on new projects? Any advice appreciated. Been enjoying the spirited bidding on August Link's eBay Command set rarities as well as the equally spirited debate regarding the morality? of it all. Good theater if nothing else. If they go any higher someone in China will start making counterfeits. I scoured a lot of surplus places in the 60s and although I have memories of literally tons of unused ARC 5 gear, I never once saw even one of the rare sets he found. As late as 1975, Standard Surplus on Market St in SF CA would give me a free NIB ARC 5 xmtr with every $20 purchase if I politely asked Abe, the crusty old owner. He had big stacks of them in the rat infested dungeon like basement. Getting a box with knaw marks was part of the experience. The good old days. Thanks, Mark |
I've tried the "new" solder and as far as I'm concerned, it isn't worth spit on
electronics. Kester still makes the old stuff and says they will continue to do so, esp for the electronics industry. I did, however, acquire one of those smoke vacuum filter units for the bench. I used to just hold my breath when the plume of smoke went by...hi! I'm a bit more high-tech now!! BOEING377 wrote: I am going to recap an old Hallicrafters. I have some Kester sn96.3 ag3.7 solder. Can this be used on joints that already have old lead solder on them? I'd like to get away from lead products, but don't want bad solder joints either. Is this new Kester solder a good replacement for lead solder on new projects? Any advice appreciated. |
BOEING377 wrote:
I am going to recap an old Hallicrafters. I have some Kester sn96.3 ag3.7 solder. Can this be used on joints that already have old lead solder on them? I'd like to get away from lead products, but don't want bad solder joints either. Is this new Kester solder a good replacement for lead solder on new projects? Any advice appreciated. No, that stuff also takes MUCH higher temperatures. Just use 63/37 stuff. Lead solder is fine. There's no lead in the fumes, so as long as you wash your hads after handling it and keep the work surface clean, you won't have any worries. I scoured a lot of surplus places in the 60s and although I have memories of literally tons of unused ARC 5 gear, I never once saw even one of the rare sets he found. As late as 1975, Standard Surplus on Market St in SF CA would give me a free NIB ARC 5 xmtr with every $20 purchase if I politely asked Abe, the crusty old owner. He had big stacks of them in the rat infested dungeon like basement. Getting a box with knaw marks was part of the experience. The good old days. There are still a lot of them out there, and they are fun project rigs. Not so useful stock, but they were cheap (and many models still are), and are useful as starting points for homebrew stuff. --scott -- "C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis." |
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Scott Dorsey wrote:
BOEING377 wrote: I am going to recap an old Hallicrafters. I have some Kester sn96.3 ag3.7 solder. Can this be used on joints that already have old lead solder on them? I'd like to get away from lead products, but don't want bad solder joints either. Is this new Kester solder a good replacement for lead solder on new projects? Any advice appreciated. No, that stuff also takes MUCH higher temperatures. Just use 63/37 stuff. Lead solder is fine. There's no lead in the fumes, so as long as you wash your hads after handling it and keep the work surface clean, you won't have any worries. My 2c. I was working at a job site and had to do a few days of repairs to some older gear while there. Since I was without my own tools they supplied me with a soldering pencil and some of this solder. I thought it handled well and for what I was doing I didn't notice the temperature issue but nor did I have any 63/37 to compare to. It made very nice shiny connections with ease and my only gripe would be the fumes which are wicked, at least they were with whatever brand it was that I was using. I've heard about the pending doom where anything with the letters L-E-A-D right down to fishing sinkers will be outlawed and don't have an opinion on how this might effect electronic solder. My one brief experience with the sn/ag stuff leads me to think that plain old sn/pb is going to remain as a favorite by popular vote if for no other reason than the fumes created by the 'safer' alternative. -Bill |
I've heard about the pending doom where anything with the letters
L-E-A-D right down to fishing sinkers will be outlawed and don't have an opinion on how this might effect electronic solder. My one brief experience with the sn/ag stuff leads me to think that plain old sn/pb is going to remain as a favorite by popular vote if for no other reason than the fumes created by the 'safer' alternative. I wonder if lead tin solder will become like Freon 12, still in demand but now 15 dollars or more a can instead of 99 cents just a few yrs ago. Maybe its time to stock up on few rolls of old style solder before it becomes a hoarded overpriced item. |
BOEING377 wrote:
I wonder if lead tin solder will become like Freon 12, still in demand but now 15 dollars or more a can instead of 99 cents just a few yrs ago. Maybe its time to stock up on few rolls of old style solder before it becomes a hoarded overpriced item. Hehe...I did that a couple years ago and now have a bunch of old stale solder :-) I'm one of those nutty people who notices that "out-of-date" solder just ain't as good as fresh. My understanding is that lead based solder has been nixxed for plumbing work already and I suppose that makes some sense. Dunno if that gave rise to the rumour that electrical solder would suffer the same destiny. Does anybody know for sure? -Bill M |
There's a big push to stop putting lead solder into landfills, particularly
in Europe. They tried making manufacturer's take their stuff back but it didn't work, so now they're trying to eliminate lead from solder. I suspect that there will be quite a long grace period where the military, avionics and medical systems people will be able to continue using lead solder on reliability grounds. Does solder really get that stale? I'm still using the roll I got 25 years ago as a gift (it's a big roll) -- I don't have any problems with it, nor does my boy, 10, who's just learning to solder. Perhaps you could pack it with dessicant? "- - Bill - -" wrote in message ... BOEING377 wrote: I wonder if lead tin solder will become like Freon 12, still in demand but now 15 dollars or more a can instead of 99 cents just a few yrs ago. Maybe its time to stock up on few rolls of old style solder before it becomes a hoarded overpriced item. Hehe...I did that a couple years ago and now have a bunch of old stale solder :-) I'm one of those nutty people who notices that "out-of-date" solder just ain't as good as fresh. My understanding is that lead based solder has been nixxed for plumbing work already and I suppose that makes some sense. Dunno if that gave rise to the rumour that electrical solder would suffer the same destiny. Does anybody know for sure? -Bill M |
Tim Wescott wrote:
There's a big push to stop putting lead solder into landfills, particularly in Europe. They tried making manufacturer's take their stuff back but it didn't work, so now they're trying to eliminate lead from solder. I suspect that there will be quite a long grace period where the military, avionics and medical systems people will be able to continue using lead solder on reliability grounds. Does solder really get that stale? I'm still using the roll I got 25 years ago as a gift (it's a big roll) -- I don't have any problems with it, nor does my boy, 10, who's just learning to solder. Perhaps you could pack it with dessicant? The solder doesn't get "stale", the flux does. Easily fixed with a bottle of flux. -- Jim Pennino Remove -spam-sux to reply. |
The push to eliminate lead has nothing to do with it getting "stale". It
is considered to be a toxin that effects intelligence (although according to Emsley, the chemistry community is not sure about some of the research to that effect - kinda' like the mercury scare). There is a big push to eliminate Lead in everything including electronics. Major elec. manufacturers are already working to reduce it wherever they can. "stale"solder: If solder is left in a humid environment, possibly with oxidants such as sulfur as well, it can degrade. Generally, the "duller" it looks, the worse its condition. I don't know the chemical reaction(s) (both tin and lead are generally quite un-reactive) , just that some solder from the 1940's (like in Dad's garage) can be "dirty" on the outside. and difficult to use. I would keep it in sealed plastic bags. "Tim Wescott" wrote in message ... There's a big push to stop putting lead solder into landfills, particularly in Europe. They tried making manufacturer's take their stuff back but it didn't work, so now they're trying to eliminate lead from solder. I suspect that there will be quite a long grace period where the military, avionics and medical systems people will be able to continue using lead solder on reliability grounds. Does solder really get that stale? I'm still using the roll I got 25 years ago as a gift (it's a big roll) -- I don't have any problems with it, nor does my boy, 10, who's just learning to solder. Perhaps you could pack it with dessicant? "- - Bill - -" wrote in message ... BOEING377 wrote: I wonder if lead tin solder will become like Freon 12, still in demand but now 15 dollars or more a can instead of 99 cents just a few yrs ago. Maybe its time to stock up on few rolls of old style solder before it becomes a hoard ed overpriced item. Hehe...I did that a couple years ago and now have a bunch of old stale solder :-) I'm one of those nutty people who notices that "out-of-date" solder just ain't as good as fresh. My understanding is that lead based solder has been nixxed for plumbing work already and I suppose that makes some sense. Dunno if that gave rise to the rumour that electrical solder would suffer the same destiny. Does anybody know for sure? -Bill M |
snip-snip
Hehe...I did that a couple years ago and now have a bunch of old stale solder :-) I'm one of those nutty people who notices that "out-of-date" solder just ain't as good as fresh. I've begun to wonder if the solder is OK, but it is the solderer that gets stale? Lynn, W7LTQ since 1948 |
Lynn Coffelt wrote:
snip-snip Hehe...I did that a couple years ago and now have a bunch of old stale solder :-) I'm one of those nutty people who notices that "out-of-date" solder just ain't as good as fresh. I've begun to wonder if the solder is OK, but it is the solderer that gets stale? Lynn, W7LTQ since 1948 I think that sometimes too. :-) I'm just picky - not saying that 'stale' solder isn't usable, its just not as good as fresh. -Bill |
In article , - - Bill - -
writes: I'm just picky - not saying that 'stale' solder isn't usable, its just not as good as fresh. Isn't it the rosin flux inside that evaporates or gets stale, not the tin/lead solder itself? One old timer taught me to always crimp the end of the solder roll's free end with pliers when I was finished with a session, to keep that flux from drying out. --Mike K. AA1UK Oscar loves trash, but hates Spam! Delete him to reply to me. |
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