[sdiy] solder questions

[James Patchell]

I use Kester 44 for almost everything, except PC board assembly.  For PC 
board I use Kester 331.  Kester 331 does not wet quite as good as Kester 
44, but, Kester 331 can be cleaned up with warm water and a tooth brush 
(preferably a tooth brush that is no longer being used on ones 
teeth...).  Kester 44 requires a much stronger solvent (generally some sort 
of alcohol at the very least, TriClor at the worst), and even then, it 
takes a good amount of work to get a truely clean board.

Using Kester 331 has down sides.  Kester 331 is a "MUST" clean flux, where 
as Kester 44 is cleaning optional.  Never use Kester 331 on insulated 
wire.  The flux can wick up under the insulation.  Kester 331 is 
corrosive.  Never use Kester 331 on a board that already has Kester 44, or 
any other rosin flux, on it.  This make a disastrous mixture that is almost 
impossible to clean up.  Never use Kester 331 anywhere where you cannot 
clean.  Did I mention that Kester 331 is corrosive?

Still, the advantages of using Kester 331 for PC board assembly outweigh 
its potential problems.  Just be careful.  After 20 some years of using 
both fluxes, I have never had a problem...however, the above observations 
came from people I helped solve their problems with these fluxes.  Using 
Kester 331 wrong will give you headache and heartache.  Did I mention that 
Kester 331 is corrosive?

Also, stay away from paste flux.  I have found (in general), that stuff is 
pretty much only good for making a mess.  If you want extra flux, buy a 
bottle of either Kester 44 or 331, depending on what you are doing (Did I 
mention that Kester 331 is corrosive?).  What ever you do, do not ever use 
a patse flux called "No Corrode".  They lie, it is very corrosive, worse 
than 331, but again, it will wash up with water.

By the way, in my opinion, save your money.  If you purchase good solder 
with a good flux core, you will not need extra flux.  I have a bottle of 
both 331 and 44 here...I have never used them...in fact, they are so old 
they have both spoiled.

Did I mention that Kester 331 is corrosive?

At 12:02 PM 9/7/2004 -0500, Paul Higgins wrote:
>Hi all,
>
>The talk about PC board disasters and such got me to thinking.  I know 
>that solder has been discussed a bit in the past, but I've forgotten 
>whether this topic has: is there a solder type that is preferred these 
>days for general-purpose work (i.e. everything: outboard parts as well as 
>PCB work, tube sockets, perfboard, and other no-clean applications)?  I'm 
>still using the old-school stuff, Kester 44, and occasionally silver 
>solder for a few applications, but I know there's a wide variety of other 
>stuff available.  Is there any advantage to using the newer products?
>
>Also, I've noticed that my local supplier (AEI Electronics here in MN) 
>carries the bottled liquid rosin flux, but the only other flux I've ever 
>seen is the (shudder) Radio Shack stuff which is a paste.  Is one 
>dramatically better than the other?  (I have a feeling that the answer 
>will always be "yes, the competing product" when it comes to Radio Shack).  : )
>
>-PRH
>

         -Jim
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