What kinf of solder???

[Jeffery8mm]

I wish to add tin to the mix!! I went yesterday to several stores and only found some 1/4lb rolls of 95/5 tin/antimony solder. One is a acid core and the other is rosin. Will either of these work?? This was in an automotive store. Is the stuff in the plumbing stores different??
Just dont want to add something bad!!
Thanks
Jeff

[theperfessor]

I'd stay away from acid core solder. It's awfully corrosive on steel. When I need to add tin I use plumbers solder w/o any flux.

[markinalpine]

The 95/5 Tin/Antinomy solder is the lead free stuff plumbers use, but you should be able to find it without any flux. If not, just use the rosin core solder for the reasons mentioned by theperfessor. It'll at least smell OK. I've found 95/5 solder at a lumberyard in the plumbing section for $11/1 lb roll, but that was a while ago. Rotometals sells it too, and bar stock, check their add at the top of each page.
Merry Christmas,
Mark [smilie=s:

[Jeffery8mm]

After doing some search function reading, I think I will try the rosin core. Although I did see where some are using the acid.
Thanks
Jeff

[frkelly74]

If you stick the rosin core solder into the melt you will get some spluttering and molten metal may be ejected from the pot. Be careful please, go slow. I would try to find the solid core if I could.

[stubert]

try Radio shack, If you do flea markets you can still find 1 lb. rolls of 50/50 cheap.

[seanhagerty]

Lowes has plumbers solder in the one pound rolls.

[Jim]

Got to Lowe's, Home Depot or a plumbing supply house and tell them you want "95/5". It is a solid wire on a plastic spool that weighs a pound. Don't let them sell you anything else!
"This is the new lead free!" NO!!
Insist on 95/5 or walk.

[fryboy]

rosin makes a great flux but the melt into the mix slow aspect is sage advice

[prs]

Solid wire solder in 1# rolls will cost way less than rosin in .24# rolls.

prs

[94Doug]

I'd go with the solid 95/5.

[mrbill2]

Ace Hardware

[NSP64]

Ace Hardware

I find mine there 50/50 tin/lead solid 1lb $7.50

[lwknight]

Seven fifty for 50/50 is a far cry better than what I saw at homo depot. It was $26.XX for 1 pound of 95/5 lead free

[trk]

Take note that if you want SOFT bullets, that the 5% in 95/5 is often (not always) antimony.

[lwknight]

What else would it be? If it has copper , it says Cu right on the label

[JIMinPHX]

Acid core is the most corrosive. Rosin core is somewhat corrosive, but not as bad. Solid wire solder is what you really want.

If you only can get cored solder, you can smelt it down & get the junk out of it in the same way that you smelt wheel weights. Then pour it into small ingots that can be used later. A 200 grain boolit mold makes a pretty good small ingot mold for solder/tin.

Any Home Depot or Lowes, or hardware store or plumbing supply house should have plain old 1/8" solid wire solder in a few different formulations. If you get 95/5 tin/antimony, then using 3 inches of solder per pound of lead will add 1% tin. If you get the old fashioned 50/50 lead/tin solder, then 6" per pound of lead will add 1% tin. If you want to make dead soft boolits for black powder, then you are better off with the old fashioned 50/50. Otherwise, I prefer to use the 95/5 because a roll of it goes twice as far.

I keep 3" chunks of 1/8" diameter solid 95/5 on the bench & add them in as needed. I find that to be the easiest way.

[seanhagerty]

Acid core is the most corrosive. Rosin core is somewhat corrosive, but not as bad. Solid wire solder is what you really want.

If you only can get cored solder, you can smelt it down & get the junk out of it in the same way that you smelt wheel weights. Then pour it into small ingots that can be used later. A 200 grain boolit mold makes a pretty good small ingot mold for solder/tin.

Any Home Depot or Lowes, or hardware store or plumbing supply house should have plain old 1/8" solid wire solder in a few different formulations. If you get 95/5 tin/antimony, then using 3 inches of solder per pound of lead will add 1% tin. If you get the old fashioned 50/50 lead/tin solder, then 6" per pound of lead will add 1% tin. If you want to make dead soft boolits for black powder, then you are better off with the old fashioned 50/50. Otherwise, I prefer to use the 95/5 because a roll of it goes twice as far.

I keep 3" chunks of 1/8" diameter solid 95/5 on the bench & add them in as needed. I find that to be the easiest way.

You, sir, are my new hero. I never knew the exact amounts to add. I added a length of solder about 6 inches and was happy. Now I know for a fact whats right. Thank you.
:lovebooli

[Butch B]

Do most of you add the tin at casting or is it better to get the tin in at smelting?

[JIMinPHX]

I melt my ingots in the casting pot, then flux, then skim, then add tin.

[timkelley]

JIMinPHX, Thank you Sir, I too needed formula for the amount of lead free solder to add.

[Gohon]

If you stick the rosin core solder into the melt you will get some spluttering and molten metal may be ejected from the pot

It will smoke to high heaven also. I have a old casting pot that I use and I just put the solder in the pot on a small table top stove and let the stuff cook off. This is done outside of course and down wind. When the smoke stops coming of I take a table spoon and just spoon a spoon full, let it solidify and dump it out. When finished I weigh each one and mark them with a felt pin as to how much they weigh. These are what I add to my regular casting pot. You need .32 ounces for every pound of mix for a 2% mix.

[quilbilly]

Check your local Walmart or fishing tackle store for lead free splitshot sinkers. They are 100% tin. About three, size 4, tin splitshot sinkers will be just about right to "flavor" two pounds of pure lead. This is not the cheapest way to get tin but is certainly the most precise to get exactly what you want for boolit alloy.