Recommended Solder To Use?

[lettuce]

For the past 5 years i have been using solder that my father gave me from his old place of work, the stuff came on a massive roll and has lasted for what seem like forever and it is some of the most easiest solder i have ever worked with, but sadly it has almost run out. I asked the question in another thread a while back about what solder is best to use as i believe most solder nowadays don't contain lead anymore and i think the stuff my father gave me did as it was fairly old and was probably what made it so easy to work with. 63/37 solder was recommended to me and i got some of this stuff from ebay

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/400521624534? ... 1439.l2649

but the stuff appears to be useless, it seem to turn into a thick paste as soon as you take the iron way from it and is no where near as liquified as the old stuff i used. Im after just a basic solder that is easy to work with, suggestions??

[Fudoh]

Home users can still purchase and use solder with lead. You can basically choose between 60% lead and 40% tin or the other way around. On most solders you buy there's the composition stated in the packaging, e.g. Sn60Pb39Cu1 (Tin 60%, lead 39%, copper 1%). Stay away from lead-free solder.

Maybe your old roll has the composition written on it somewhere ?

[Pasky]

I've been using this for the past couple years:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/200791895904?_t ... EBIDX%3AIT

Gone through 3 rolls so far, works great. It's .4mm 60/40.

[beatsgo]

Stay away from lead-free solder.

To prove Fudoh's point, there has been research showcasing how lead-free solder can change it's crystal structure under stress over time, rendering lead-free solder to fail compared to lead solder.

[eightbitminiboss]

Learned soldering with 60/40, work in 60/40. Will probably continue to use 60/40.

[lettuce]

Home users can still purchase and use solder with lead. You can basically choose between 60% lead and 40% tin or the other way around. On most solders you buy there's the composition stated in the packaging, e.g. Sn60Pb39Cu1 (Tin 60%, lead 39%, copper 1%). Stay away from lead-free solder.

Maybe your old roll has the composition written on it somewhere ?

Nah have looked its just a generic red roll, i guess it have a label on the top of the roll at somepoint but has long gone.

Have bought a selection of 1 meter rolls from eBay, will test them out and see which one i get on best with

[Crafty+Mech]

I use 60/40 every day, cleans up well with isopropyl 90-99%.

[Fudoh]

when you guys simply state 60/40 is that 60% tin and 40% lead like most current materials offer or classic 60% lead and 40% tin as it's been used 20 years ago ?

[Pasky]

The former is what I meant.

[eightbitminiboss]

when you guys simply state 60/40 is that 60% tin and 40% lead like most current materials offer or classic 60% lead and 40% tin as it's been used 20 years ago ?

Tin/Lead as it was taught to me in that denomination and generally recognized. Or so I thought.

Edit: Oh, I see the disconnect. 60 Tin/40 Lead is for electronics. 60 Lead/40 Tin is for like pipe/brass soldering and larger types of soldering jobs.

[Crafty+Mech]

60% tin / 40% lead

[lettuce]

Im guessing 0.5mm diameter is best to used for console mods etc??