Solder?

[dale2242]

A friend gave me a 5# factory ingot of solder. It is a four leaf clover shape. Around the edge it says Federated Solder. In the center it says Extra Wiping. I assume this is a lead-tin alloy. Does anyone know what the alloy is? What the lead-tin ratio is? I`m hoping to use it as a source of tin.

[crowbeaner]

It should have the ratio #s somewhere. 50/50 is standard. 60/40 and 73/27 are also commonly found. I have big 60/40 ingots that weigh about 10 lbs. each I bought years ago at a scrapyard. If I need some now I go to a plumbers wholesale store and get 50/50 as it is the easiest to figure for #2 alloy. CB.

[Jim]

Decades ago, plumbers used to connect the drain from the sink to the waste arm sticking out the wall by "wiping" them together. This entailed connecting a soft lead pipe to a brass extension. The "solder" used was mostly lead with a smidgeon of tin for reduction of surface tension. It sounds like you've got wiping solder. If that's what it truely is, it's mostly lead, maybe 90% or so. Don't be discouraged though. It is usable.