silver bearing solder

[woodone]

Any one know where I can get solder like this. Radio-Shack #64-035. This is a silver bearing solder (62-36-2)  .015 dia. one ounce rolls.
I was able to get it on line but it is no longer sold. I use it all the time. Has a little bet of a higher melting temp but it wicks well for me.
BTW I don't need a 5 lb.  roll-  Cost is way too much for me. LOL

[crusader27529]

Question......silver solder is MUCH stronger than standard solder, so are you using this for the extra structural strength of the joint, or for some other reason?

I haven't bought any silver solder in decades, so I can't help with the acquisition......sorry.

[Point353]

This is a similar product: http://www.chipquik.com/datasheets/SMD3SW.020%208OZ.pdf
Digi-Key stocks 8 oz. rolls: https://www.digikey.com/products/en?keywords=SMD3SW.020%208OZ-ND

[woodone]

Question......silver solder is MUCH stronger than standard solder, so are you using this for the extra structural strength of the joint, or for some other reason?

I haven't bought any silver solder in decades, so I can't help with the acquisition......sorry.
 

I have found that for me the solder flows much better. The joints are shinny too. No need for strength with doing DCC installs. The small size helps too. Thanks for your input   

[woodone]

This is a similar product: http://www.chipquik.com/datasheets/SMD3SW.020%208OZ.pdf
Digi-Key stocks 8 oz. rolls: https://www.digikey.com/products/en?keywords=SMD3SW.020%208OZ-ND

Thanks Point, I will give that a try!

[mmagliaro]

A few comments.
Silver solder is not the same as "silver bearing" solder.   Silver bearing typically has 2% (like the one you are hunting for) or 4%
silver content, but is otherwise a lead/tin alloy with a flux core.  It melts about as easily as any other lead-based solder that I've used.

It IS stronger than standard lead/tin electronics solder, that is definitely true.  And I prefer it for that reason.
But it is not as strong as true "silver solder" which requires much hotter temperatures to melt and has much higher silver content - more
like 50% and up.

The best thing about the silver bearing solder (and I use the one from Radio Shack too), is that it is NOT  "lead free", so it flows and adheres well, and doesn't make an oxidized mess of my soldering tips.   The lead free stuff is for the birds.

[peteski]

Because silver-bearing solder has a fairly high melting temperature it is not recommended for delicate electronic component which can easily be damaged by heat. I was an electronic repair tech for 10 years and all we used was the 63/37 (or 60/40) rosin core small diameter (0.020") solder. I still use it for all my electronic work. It results in shiny solder joints and the most important property is that it is eutectic .  A good writeup on various solders and their properties is here.

[jeffstri]

Solder melting point ranges according to Kester (http://www.kester.com/Portals/0/Documents/Knowledge%20Base/Alloy%20Temperature%20Chart.pdf):

Sn60/Pb40  183-190 C, 361-374 F,
Sn63/Pb37  183 C, 361 F,
Sn62/Pb36/Ag2  179-189 C, 354-372 F

[peteski]

Solder melting point ranges according to Kester (http://www.kester.com/Portals/0/Documents/Knowledge%20Base/Alloy%20Temperature%20Chart.pdf):

Sn60/Pb40  183-190 C, 361-374 F,
Sn63/Pb37  183 C, 361 F,
Sn62/Pb36/Ag2  179-189 C, 354-372 F

True, but it is the eutectic property of 63/37 that is very important for making good solder joints.  That is all we used to use for reworking components on PC boards and that is what I use in my hobbies when I work on electronic circuits.

[Point353]

True, but it is the eutectic property of 63/37 that is very important for making good solder joints. 

Are you suggesting that Sn62/Pb36/Ag2 alloy solder does not exhibit eutectic behvior?

[peteski]

Are you suggesting that Sn62/Pb36/Ag2 alloy solder does not exhibit eutectic behvior?

Not as pronounced as 63/37. The temperature ranges mentioned by jeffstri indicate that.

[John]

https://www.amazon.com/s?ie=UTF8&field-keywords=silver%20solder&index=blended&link_code=qs&sourceid=Mozilla-search&tag=mozilla-20

[mmagliaro]

It would appear that 63/37 is far better for electronic joints than even 60/40, since the melting range is a single temperature, implying that the entire alloy melts and then re-solidifies at one very narrow temperature, whereas the 60/40 has a range as broad as the silver-bearing solder.  I did not realize the difference between 60/40 and 63/37 was so dramatic.

[Point353]

https://www.amazon.com/s?ie=UTF8&field-keywords=silver%20solder&index=blended&link_code=qs&sourceid=Mozilla-search&tag=mozilla-20

Out of the dozen items on that page, which one(s) are you recommending?

[peteski]

It would appear that 63/37 is far better for electronic joints than even 60/40, since the melting range is a single temperature, implying that the entire alloy melts and then re-solidifies at one very narrow temperature, whereas the 60/40 has a range as broad as the silver-bearing solder.  I did not realize the difference between 60/40 and 63/37 was so dramatic.

E-u-t-e-c-t-i-c. Say it with me: E-u-t-e-c-t-i-c. 
That is a very desirable trait of the 63/37 solder, especially for hand-soldering.  Since it goes from a liquid to a solid at a very narrow temperature range, there is no chance for a bad solder joint caused by slight movement of the (handheld) soldered pieces while the solder is in that semi-melted crusty temperature range.