Kester 63/37 Tin/Lead Sn63/Pb37 Solder Bar Ingots

[MediumCore358]

Hey guys I'm going to score a bunch of mostly soft lead tomorrow and I'm fully aware i need some tin and or ant. To go with it. So I found someone in my old neighborhood selling Kester 63/37 Tin/Lead Sn63/Pb37 Solder Bar Ingots reclaimed from an electronic soldering machine. They want 6 bucks a pound and I'd like your opinions on cost and if you've ever heard of this stuff. ASAP! Thanks!

[scottfire1957]

From one Bing search, that is a good price.

Edit: if it's not in the original bars, you'll never know unless you get it analyzed.

[jmort]

Anytime you are around $10 a pound you are good. You are right there with 63%. Retail is $20 a pound for pure.

[MediumCore358]

Based on the map and being familiar with that street i think it might be coming from a large corporation not a private seller if that makes a difference. They have approx 475 lbs in 10-18 lb ingots, might have to take a shot on 1.

[fecmech]

mixed with ww's at the rate of 1lb. solder to 32 lbs of ww's will give you approx 2% tin. I bought over 30 rolls of 63/37 solder a few years ago when Grainger clearanced it for $2.37/roll. Yard sales are good places to pick up partial rolls of solder dirt cheap.

[Harry O]

I have been buying cheap rolls of solder at garage/estate sales for several years now. I melted it down into ingots. Most of the rolls were very old and either are unmarked or the markings had rusted off. I had no way to know how much tin was actually in the mix. I had some suspicions (from use) that it was not 63/37 and might not be 50/50.

A couple of years ago, I bought a 0.690" round ball mould from Lee. I cast some round balls from the solder ingots. By knowing the weight of the ball in pure lead and in pure tin, I could weigh the unknown solder and calculate how much tin and how much lead was in it. Turns out, it was pretty close to 40% tin and 60% lead. At least now I know and can get the amount of tin that I want into the mix.

In looking at some historical records, solder of less than 50/50 was very common in the distant past. Much of it was as low as 15% to 20% tin back in the 1920's-1930's. The stuff used for auto body repair had just about the lowest amount of tin made. The amount of tin in solder has increased over the years.

[Echo]

Body solder had to be low in tin to allow it to remain in a plastic state so it could be paddled.

[runfiverun]

that's all I used to buy was the kester solder bars.
the 63-37 stuff works great.
airc they weighed @1-1/2 pounds which gave right super close to 1 pound of tin per bar and that's what I called them.
I would just throw 1 bar in with each hundred pounds of ww alloy.

for 6.00 a pound
I'd buy it and buy it all, it don't go bad and you know what it is.

[MediumCore358]

****! just wrote a very long response and hit the back button losing it! Good thinking on garage sales for a source of solder. Got the guy down to 5bucks a lb, headed over tomorrow or Monday to get some. Would love to buy it all but I don't think I can justify $2300 for tin even at this price. Been spending like mad lately exceeded the cost of my newest gun just buying reloading supplies so I could feed it! Lol.

P.s. guy selling it is very professional and willing to give free samples if need be. When I get what I need I will pass the contact info on to anyone who may be interested.

[MediumCore358]

I have been buying cheap rolls of solder at garage/estate sales for several years now. I melted it down into ingots. Most of the rolls were very old and either are unmarked or the markings had rusted off. I had no way to know how much tin was actually in the mix. I had some suspicions (from use) that it was not 63/37 and might not be 50/50.

A couple of years ago, I bought a 0.690" round ball mould from Lee. I cast some round balls from the solder ingots. By knowing the weight of the ball in pure lead and in pure tin, I could weigh the unknown solder and calculate how much tin and how much lead was in it. Turns out, it was pretty close to 40% tin and 60% lead. At least now I know and can get the amount of tin that I want into the mix.

In looking at some historical records, solder of less than 50/50 was very common in the distant past. Much of it was as low as 15% to 20% tin back in the 1920's-1930's. The stuff used for auto body repair had just about the lowest amount of tin made. The amount of tin in solder has increased over the years.

I have to say that's a pretty cool testing technique for tin content in solder, will have to remember that.