Review on 🔧 Enhanced Alpha Fry AT-31604 60-40 Rosin Core Solder (4 Ounces) by Kelly Noonan

I was glad real tin lead solder still existed! But reading user reviews I realized that some users had problems because they don't fully know soldering and soldering. Here are some tips that some of you might find helpful: 1. Solder is used as an adhesive to hold metal parts together and to conduct electricity and heat between them. To do this, you need to apply a metal whose melting point is lower than the melting point of all metals to be joined, otherwise they will melt first.3. For almost all electrical work we could use lead, which is very cheap but melts at around 328°C (622°F). Tin is expensive but melts much more easily at 232°C (450°F).4. If we mix tin and lead, we get an alloy that melts even more easily. It turns out that 60% tin and 40% alloy (60/40) like this solder melts at 188°C (370°F). Even better, but more expensive and harder to find, is 63% tin and 37% lead, which melts at about 183°C (361°F). Plumbers use an alloy of 50% tin and 50% lead that melts at about 214°C (418°F). Avoid for electrical/electronic work.5. To get a good solder joint, the parts to be joined MUST be clean! Use a wire brush or sandpaper (not steel wool, pieces of which can fall on the product and cause a short circuit). hot iron on the solder joint and touch the solder wire with the tip of the iron where it touches the solder joint. Allow a very small amount of solder to melt and pull into the joint to allow the heat to penetrate the joint. Then touch the solder to the part. To get a good joint, the JOINT, NOT the GUN, needs to melt the solder. The solder MUST "wet" the joint and flow smoothly into the joint. Gently move the iron to the side and allow the solder to cool. The melted solder should cool within a few seconds. At this point, the alloy becomes mushy, and stirring until cool results in a weak, rough "cold solder joint" that is unreliable and must be remelted. Melt a drop of solder on the tip of the iron and bring it to the joint. ne and the solder does not flow properly.7. The muddy phase is very short at 60/40 solder but can last many seconds at 50/50 solder. In the past, plumbers made "trowels" out of it by rubbing and shaping the squishy solder with a rag as it cooled. This is very rarely done these days - and NEVER in electronics. 63/37 solder goes from liquid to solid almost instantly, making cold joints rare. Buy it if you can; They consume very little per joint when working electronically. I bought a 1lb roll many years ago and still have most of it. I recently lost it, which is why I'm here on Revain.8. Fluxes: Most metals react quickly with air and form an oxide film the moment they are cleaned. Aluminum is a very active metal that could not be used outdoors if its oxide film did not protect it from corrosion. This makes soldering very difficult, so crimping or welding is usually used. Copper and brass oxide films also prevent solder from sticking. Even if you CLEAN before soldering, you need a flux to dissolve and prevent oxidation at the joint during soldering. Acid fluxes are used in plumbing because they are very effective but are corrosive and must be removed after the joint has been made. Rosin based fluxes are less aggressive and can be left in place. It's usually in the middle of an electronic solder core like this, so you don't need to buy a can of it unless you're interested in plumbing. The secret of soldering: a lot of heat in the shortest possible time. Trying to protect parts from heat with a low temperature iron or a smaller iron will actually result in MORE overheating of the parts because the heat has more time to get to the part even if the solder joint fails. Do it: Use a good temperature controlled soldering iron like the Weller W60P 60W/120V variable wattage soldering iron with a 1/16" or 1/8" tip for electronics, or up to a 1/4" tip for heavier work I use 600F tips for 60/40 solder, although 700F tips might be better for lead-free solder Keep the tip clean by melting some solder on it and quickly rubbing with a damp paper towel or sponge to clean to get a smooth surface Silver finish Modern irons come with iron tips for durability NEVER try to file them like your grandfather did! , nieces, nephews and friends who want to learn how to solder They come with decent tools (although the soldering iron doesn't last 40 years like my W-60) and wiring, with a simple circuit board and parts, with the en you can work and hopefully build a working device. All at an amazingly low price. Disclaimer: I am not affiliated with the products I have mentioned. My 5 star rating for this product is based on Alpha products I have used in the past. I haven't ordered it yet. As a longtime amateur radio licensee, helping others is part of our culture. I hope you find it useful and maybe join us.