Which diameter solder to use?

[grache]

I'm a novice solder and I was wondering what type of solder is best for simple mods. Would .46mm diameter 60/40 be good?

Sorry if this has been addressed somewhere else, searching for "solder" pulls up 17 pages of results.

[cjameslv]

I use "44" Rosin core, which i guess would be 65/44. it's a 16oz spindle, lasts pretty damn long too.

[grache]

I use "44" Rosin core, which i guess would be 65/44. it's a 16oz spindle, lasts pretty damn long too.

Cool, thanks. Do you know what diameter it is? Is there ever *too* small of a diameter solder?

[mackdanger]

Cool, thanks. Do you know what diameter it is? Is there ever *too* small of a diameter solder?

I use 0.6mm rosin core and solder flow/control isn't an issue for me. If you have trouble with controlling the amount of solder you feed in, you can go smaller like 0.5mm with no worries.

[cjameslv]

Yeah i wouldn't worry too much about the diameter. It is also worthy to note the size of  the tip on your gun. I use a very fine point, so it cant really hold alot of solder anyway. I wouldn't recommend using the generic $20 solder stick they sell at radio shack either. I prefer an adjustable temp model with a few different tips (flat comes in handy sometimes) and the sponge holder.

[Fidde_se]

In general 0.5-0.8mm for hole mounted and 0.2-0.35mm for SMD (especially finepitch or even ultrafinepitch).

And stick to RoHS solder and avoid lead based, old consoles are all lead but it's better for YOU! to stick with the RoHS one, while flux, natural harts plant based or newer synthetical is unhealthy to breath in, small fumes of vaporized lead is very much more unhealthy and also handling with your fingers one way or the other getting inside you and getting stored in fat, sometime that fat is burned.. lead has no minimum accepted intake for any region, anyhow to make it short go for RoHS...

[grache]

Cool, thanks. Do you know what diameter it is? Is there ever *too* small of a diameter solder?

I use 0.6mm rosin core and solder flow/control isn't an issue for me. If you have trouble with controlling the amount of solder you feed in, you can go smaller like 0.5mm with no worries.

OK, I'll just shoot for <= 0.6mm, thanks.

I wouldn't recommend using the generic $20 solder stick they sell at radio shack either. I prefer an adjustable temp model with a few different tips (flat comes in handy sometimes) and the sponge holder.

I've done a little bit of research and I think I'm going for the Hakko FX888D (http://www.hakko.com/english/products/hakko_fx888d.html) and picking up some other tips (chisel tip at a minimum). It's got all the features you mentioned. It costs about $90, which seems overkill for what I'll be using it for in the immediate future, so I'm open to suggestions.

And stick to RoHS solder and avoid lead based, old consoles are all lead but it's better for YOU! to stick with the RoHS one, while flux, natural harts plant based or newer synthetical is unhealthy to breath in, small fumes of vaporized lead is very much more unhealthy and also handling with your fingers one way or the other getting inside you and getting stored in fat, sometime that fat is burned.. lead has no minimum accepted intake for any region, anyhow to make it short go for RoHS...

Isn't there some negative about RoHS solder, either more expensive or harder to solder?

[Fidde_se]

Cost a little bit more usually a bit silver in it (which is good, also lowest resistance of all metals way better then gold), it melts at around 218 C instead of leaded around 182 C so it needs more heat usually a tip around 370 C will do the trick, you will most likely never feel the difference unless it's a real cold solder point, like around a heatsink.