Types of Solder

Video Transcript

Hi, this is Jeff Naylor from M-troniks in Mesa, Arizona for Expert Village. Solder is a mixture of metals designed to penetrate when melted and provide optimum strength when cooled. There are three things to consider when selecting solder. The first is whether you want lead or lead-free solder. Now, a lot of newer devices on the market use lead-free solder for environmental reasons, however for technicians, lead-free solder is a nightmare. I can tell you it's a lot harder to heat up and it doesn't penetrate as well. So, for all of my stuff, T use a leaded solder. The next thing you must take into consideration is whether we want our solder to be solid or flux cored. Now, flux cored basically means the solder is actually hollow in the center and they fill it with a detergent that prevents oxidation. Now, this is nice because if there is any contamination on the metal parts you're using, the flux core will help clean that away and help your components to adhere to each other. The third thing you need to consider while choosing your solder is the diameter. You want wire that is thin enough that it won't over cover the parts you're using. In all my experience, I have found that the optimum diameter for me is sixty-three thousandth of an inch. It is small enough that I can do surface mount work, but large enough so it still fills in well on the hand wired work. Now the most common solder mixture used in tech work is sixty/forty. That means it's sixty percent tin and forty percent lead. This mixture is strong, it flows well, and it melts quickly. Now, there are many types of solder out there. The reason I focused on the rosin core sixty/forty is just for its ease of use. If you do happen to get solid core solder, it would be a nightmare to get it to adhere to the metal and you'll need a separate flux. So stick with rosin core solder and if you can, stick with a lead solder. In our next section, we're going to discuss preparation and maintenance of your soldering iron.

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