View Full Version : Kester 63/37 Tin/Lead Sn63/Pb37 Solder Bar Ingots
MediumCore358
06-30-2015, 01:27 AM
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
06-30-2015, 01:42 AM
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
06-30-2015, 01:43 AM
Anytime you are around $10 a pound you are good. You are right there with 63%. Retail is $20 a pound for pure.
MediumCore358
06-30-2015, 01:48 AM
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
06-30-2015, 03:11 PM
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
06-30-2015, 06:45 PM
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.
Body solder had to be low in tin to allow it to remain in a plastic state so it could be paddled.
runfiverun
07-02-2015, 11:06 AM
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
07-03-2015, 02:43 AM
****! 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
07-03-2015, 02:48 AM
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.
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