Anyone ever hear of this solder brand before?

[jayjr1105]

Need some .6mm solder. I gave what was left of my cheap 63/37 to a friend who needed some. Stumbled on this brand. I figured "made in Japan" it must be half decent but it doesn't give flux percentage or flux type unless you can read japanese maybe. Anyone hear of it before? As long as it has 2% flux it pretty much checks every box for me. 63/37, .6mm, 2% or more flux.

[stj]

i hope that doesnt mean it's made in november 2005!!
would be nice to know if the flux contains Halide.
because Halide is good, but unhealthy to breath - so a lot of solder is Halide free,
but you need the Halide to solder to things like brass.

[jayjr1105]

Originally Posted by stj

i hope that doesnt mean it's made in november 2005!!
would be nice to know if the flux contains Halide.
because Halide is good, but unhealthy to breath - so a lot of solder is Halide free,
but you need the Halide to solder to things like brass.

Yeah I messaged him to ask about the flux type and he wasn't sure but said he would contact the distributor. The date code is the 21 I believe (2021)

https://www.ebay.com/itm/254928162490

Was able to translate it but no flux info unfortunately.

[megaraider]

Originally Posted by jayjr1105

Need some .6mm solder. I gave what was left of my cheap 63/37 to a friend who needed some. Stumbled on this brand. I figured "made in Japan" it must be half decent but it doesn't give flux percentage or flux type unless you can read japanese maybe. Anyone hear of it before? As long as it has 2% flux it pretty much checks every box for me. 63/37, .6mm, 2% or more flux.

According to the label we can only tell it contains flux type P2 > hence Rosin.
As for percentage it's unspecified.

Originally Posted by stj

i hope that doesnt mean it's made in november 2005!!

It's a little worse... if "Val." stands for "valid / validity" as it should, then it was made even before 2005!

[clearchris]

I highly recommend getting a pound of solder from digikey or mouser. It's much cheaper than you think (iirc, a pound of AIM was around 20 USD), and it will last you a long time. Cheap solder really stinks.

[stj]

lucky you, in the u.k. we are getting fucked by exchange rates.
500grams of decent solder is about $100!!!!!
the same roll from poland - half that.

[petehall347]

Originally Posted by stj

lucky you, in the u.k. we are getting fucked by exchange rates.
500grams of decent solder is about $100!!!!!
the same roll from poland - half that.

maybe you are looking in the wrong place ?
https://uk.rs-online.com/web/c/power...ons=4294378735

[clearchris]

I paid 16usd a two years ago for this. It's 32 now, but that's still not 100.

https://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/738-13977

[stj]

Originally Posted by petehall347

maybe you are looking in the wrong place ?

no, your forgetting i use lead-free, that averages £70 a roll for standard crap
i use one with added nickel and germanium for use on fine copper wire/traces.

https://www.tme.eu/en/details/sn100k...tannol/810916/

[jayjr1105]

Originally Posted by stj

no, your forgetting i use lead-free, that averages £70 a roll for standard crap
i use one with added nickel and germanium for use on fine copper wire/traces.

https://www.tme.eu/en/details/sn100k...tannol/810916/

Are you obligated to use lead free or just a glutton for punishment?

[stj]

the good stuff works just fine thanks

i use it partly because it's stronger so things that have heatsinks wont need resoldering in future so much,
and partly because any comercial repair on goods made after 1996 i think it is, must use leadfree.
military,aviation and medical exemptions exist - but they are being slowly phased out with the newer solder formulations.

[jayjr1105]

I bought a 1lb roll of lead free for $8 which was possibly a pricing error just so I have some lead free if anyone ever requests it...

Is this stuff any good? I have another leaded MG chemicals roll and it's my go to.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B072JKFDCH

[stj]

the metal blend is o.k.
i wouldnt mind seing the flux ingredients - it's the flux that really matters.
i'v said it before a lot, HALIDE is your friend - as long as your not snorting the fumes
it will make the solder take to stuff like brass contacts and maybe even aluminium or some types of steel.

if you get halide-free flux then your shit out of luck soldering to brass.
----------------
found it!

Halide confirmed!

[jayjr1105]

I took a gamble and bought this stuff and it arrived already. Wets really nicely and has adequate flux content from the residue you have to clean up afterwards. It doesn't finish quite as shiny as my MG Chemicals or Chipquick spool but it's miles better than the chinese .6mm stuff it's going to replace. It smells different than my other two as well but not sure what to make of that.

[stj]

the chinese use pure rosin usually,
the chipquick is water soluable flux - thats toxic just so you know and has to be cleaned off.
the others dont say

all fluxes smell different

[jayjr1105]

Originally Posted by stj

the chinese use pure rosin usually,
the chipquick is water soluable flux - thats toxic just so you know and has to be cleaned off.
the others dont say

all fluxes smell different

According to the datasheet the Chipquick flux can be left on the board.
http://www.chipquik.com/datasheets/SMDSW.020%201OZ.pdf

Same with the MG.
https://www.mouser.com/datasheet/2/2...eb-1290892.pdf

[jayjr1105]

Well, you live you learn. without cleanup my MG chem stuff is a clear winner. The new stuff leaves an almost burgundy crust that is really difficult to remove even with 99% alcohol.

[stj]

thats rosin - mostly.

if you see milky light brown flux then it may be stannol HS10 - it's very common because it works well but it's hard to remove.

the other common one in europe is stannol krystal, it's only in lead-free solder but it's completly colourless and water-clear.
it's the only one i use

stannol seems to license or supply their fluxes to other solder makers.

[jayjr1105]

I should clarify. The pictures there are both uncleaned and the MG chemicals is the very shiny one.