Solder
 

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Kester 0.031" 44 63/37 is available at Anchor Electronics right here in the Bay Area. A 1 lb. spool is $13.95. Get it while you can.

I'm still using a vintage roll of Kester 44 I found at a Thrift years ago for $5.00.

It's getting down to the last pound or so (must've been a 5 lb roll?) Probably a good time to stock up though.

So, you do not like lead free solder? You may find this editorial interesting. It seems that there are seveal good reasons not to get the lead out. http://www.edn.com/article/CA6477864...xt=lead+solder

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lots of whisker examples here
 

http://nepp.nasa.gov/whisker/

Some of the stuff here is a little scary. Check the videos.

I occasionally use lead free solder, and don't like it. I see it all the time in new equipment, and you cant tell if connections are good or bad by looking at them. I understand using lead solder to repair equipment made with lead-free can lead to unpredictable failures.

The tin-whiskers problem needs to be front page news. When consumer electronics start failing left and right, maybe someone will put two and two together. Of course, consumer electronics products are failing at a higher rate then ever before, I think a lot of failures blamed on "cheapness" probably can be traced to lead-free solder. The average person doesn't seem to care though, the stuff is usually obsolete before it fails and a new one goes on the credit card. It's amazing that people accept the low levels of quality in consumer electronics today.

I think if lead free solder is that bad, they'll either come up with a better formulation, or bring lead solder back.

Also, since I'm almost certain that leaded solder is cheaper to make, I bet places like China will find a way to sell it over here with some warning label that the product contains lead which is known to cause nervous system damage and yadda yadda yadda...

Why, at a dollar store I go to, they sell mini FM radios that have lead in the headphone cord. There's a little warning label stating this and it advises you to wash your hands after handling the cord...

I've seen labels on patch cords claiming that they contain a substance known to the state of CA to cause cancer and birth defects and that your hands should be washed after touching.

I think the issue with the wire is because lead salts are sometimes used to stabilize PVC used to insulate the wire. Because of this, the State of California has determined that PVC insulation is not a good dietary supplement.

It is ironic that the insulation may have lead in it but the circuit board will not.

Fry's had plenty of the good stuff last time I looked, which was within the past couple months. Since all I do now is hobby work with TVs (no longer for business,) I probably already have enough with about 3 rolls.

Charles

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I hadn't realized that lead solder might be phased out, but you're right that it does seem to have gotten more expensive lately. Hmm...

I don't want to turn this into an ad, but I just thought I'd point some still-current circular specials at MCM (mcmelectronics.com). I don't work for MCM; I just thought this might be useful for some folks.

For example, I see that you can get a 1 lb. spool of Kester 44 .031" 63/37 solder (MCM cat # 21-1845) for $19.95 (regular $34.95) through February 3, 2008 if you use source code WC712 in your shopping cart. ...Or, if you prefer, 1 lb of Kester 44 .040" 60/40 (MCM # 21-1830) for $17.95 (also regularly $34.95) using the same source code number. Other sizes/types of Kester solder have discounts as well in that circular, but those represent the best discounts from a percentage basis.

Also, you can get a 1 lb spool of Tenma (MCM's "house brand") regular lead solder (60/40) for $7.99 (MCM # 21-1040) using source code WC711 through Feb 2. Actually, I just noticed that the same Kester solder discounts are in that sale circular too, so this source code would work for that too.