Recommended solder

[Slackman]

Hello all,

Just joined today because my Crack kit arrived a couple of days ago. I am looking forward to diving into the kit.

My apologies if this has been asked before, but I couldn't find it with a search -- what is the best brand or type of solder to use for the Crack? I have very little experience soldering, so I want to use something that is "easy" and yet will yield a great sounding amp. Thanks in advance for any advice. I'm sure I'll have other questions later.

S

[Grainger49]

Any solder with lead and tin will work well if it has the flux in it.  It should probably say for electronics.

Avoid any solder with copper or silver in it.  Those take too much heat for a noob.

You will probably find a number of solder threads in the Tech Tools folder.  Go there and search for "solder."

[mcandmar]

As above 60/40 with flux is what you want, generally described as rosin core solder. Just avoid the lead free solder and you will be fine.

[STURMJ]

Also, make sure it is not acid flux.  (Someone here had done that) but no electronics solder would have that.

[JamieMcC]

I had good results with the Cardas quad eutectic solder.

[mcandmar]

I had good results with the Cardas quad eutectic solder.

I swear by the stuff too, always leaves a nice shiny finish.  Only reason i didn't suggest it was Graingers comment above, i have no idea what temperature my iron runs at, i just know roughly high far to turn up the dial for different jobs, i just had to figure that out from trial and error.  Only thing i don't like about it is the flux, it seems to have an unusually high concentration, great for clean consistent joints, but on circuit boards it can leave a right mess you have to clean up.  It ain't that cheap either..

[JamieMcC]

I brought 1 meter of Cardas quad eutectic solder off of ebay (plenty for Crack + speedball) as I noticed quiet a few recommendations for it on the different forums. At the same time I also picked up some cheap resin core 60/40 to practice with I had somehow concluded the eutectic would be harder to use than the 60/40  but actually found the eutectic was easier for me to get good results with. 

[Grainger49]

I have an old Weller soldering station, from the 70s.  I, too, use the Cardas Quad Eutectic. 

Since the soldering station heats in about 20 seconds, and I think it is pretty hot, I can't say whether it will work with lower powered soldering pens.

[Slackman]

Thanks for all the replies and advice. Looking forward to buying some solder and getting started.

[NightFlight]

I believe the Cardass Quad is one the best to work with. Eutectic if I have it correctly just means all the elements cool and solidify at the same rate.

[Grainger49]

Just to clarify, all the metals in eutectic solder melt and freeze at the same temperature.  A cold solder joint is often caused by the metal components of solder freezing at different temperatures so the metals migrate in the pool.

[Chris65]

It doesn't 'freeze', it solidifies.

[Doc B.]

Yeah I'll back Grainger up on this one. Freezing and solidification are the same thing, the phase change from liquid to solid.

[Chris65]

Freezing and solidification are the same thing,....

Yes it is. My poor attempt at a joke, the way we use terms (like boot/trunk, etc)

[Doc B.]

Do you mean to say you call an elephant's nose a boot?