can you recommend a solder?

[eptheca]

I have ran out of solder, and my local electronics shop has closed down.

Can anyone recommend a solder suited for the typical through hole and surface mount PCB's for MIDIbox projects?

 

I have always used a Multicore 60/40 ERSIN 362 solder, but for no particular reason.

I have no knowledge about the different options.

 

I am about to order some stuff from Mouser, so something  from their assortment would be great.

Anybody using a Kester 63/37 type solder?

 

Cheers

[jojjelito]

Kester no-clean rules! I like the 275 flux better than 245, but that's splitting hairs. Use 0.8mm (or thereabouts), unless you're to use it for fine pitch SMD. In that case stick with 0.2mm. My current roll is Kester 275 63/37 0.8mm and we get along just fine :)

[Altitude]

Kester 331 for a water soluble flux (i.e. clean with warm water)

[sneakthief]

Kester 245 is engineered to complement low-residue fluxes used in electronics production.  Proper use results in a clean assembly with clear residue – yet the soldering quality is equivalent to that of mildly activated rosin flux.

Kester 275 was developed to offer superior wetting performance for hand soldering in electronics production, and to reduce spattering typical of other core fluxes. The results are an extremely clear post-soldering residue with no cleaning. 

Kester 331 Organic Flux is a water soluble formula for use in flux-cored solder wire. This cored solder version of the popular 2331-ZX Neurtral Organic Water Soluble Liquid Flux is more effective than rosin fluxes in soldering difficult metals. The same fast action and mild properties are exhibited with 331 Organic Flux as with the liquid 2331-ZX. The flux is more heat stable than most organic fluxes, resulting in minimal smoke and odor. The residue can be completely removed with a simple water rinse.

 

Kester 331 is made from polyethelyne glycol instead of rosin (pine tree sap). You have to wash it within a couple hours to prevent corrosion.

As such, 331 shouldn't be used on switches and pots - basically anything that the flux can corrode.

 

However, it's supposedly much less toxic since rosin-based fluxes release some nasty things like formaldehydes, hydrochloric acid and other gases containing benzene, toluene, styrene, phenol, chlorophenol, etc.: http://www.sentryair.com/solder-fumes.htm

 

 

Check out this discussion for more info about solder choices for synth DIY:

 

https://www.muffwiggler.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=271545

[eptheca]

thanks for the suggestions guys :)