Solder Identification

[ArrowJ]

I picked up 3 lbs 4oz of long thing bars or wire marked 50/50 tin for $2. Specifically, 4 ½ pieces were marked Dutch Boy Meter Bar NL CO 50% Tin and three were marked Federated Fry 50/50 Sn50.

Any chance these are zinc/tin instead of lead/tin? They sound the same when dropped and weigh the same. No ding when dropped.

[Muskrat Mike]

I'm no expert but doubt very much if they are anything but tin/lead. I grew up in a Plumbing heating family and used to pour lead joints and soldier and never saw any soldiers with zinc.

[ArrowJ]

I doubt it as well, but my initial Google search turned up a hit on here of a guy with something that sounded similar and contained zinc, and places selling stuff that was of a different composition. I think it would be highly unlikely. Is zinc difficult to cut? I cut through these with snips with relative ease.

[bangerjim]

Most likely what you have are wave soldering machines bars. No Zn in there!

Since you have the foundry names cast in, use your leeeeetle friend GOOGLE to do a search. Tons of info out there on solder bars! Just take a look.


Test them if you are unsure! Drop some HCl acid on and see if there is any reaction. If Zn, thing will get interesting and start bubbling and fizzing. Pb/Sn have no reaction to HCl acid. I use it all the time for one test for Zn.

banger

[ArrowJ]

No HCL handy, but I have been using Google in addition to CB which eventually lead me to a spec page for the Dutch Boy which checks out. The Federation Fry bars are actually stamped differently one with a lot number. I could not find any definitive info on them, but did leave a message with a guy from a company called Alpha that might be able to answer my question according to the guy that answered the phone, but if he will call back for such a small issue I do not know.

This is the info I found about Dutch Boy if anyone else needs it down the line: https://archive.org/stream/NationalLeadCompanyLeadProductsForIndustryAndTrade/NationalLeadCompanyProductsForIndustryAndTrade-CatalogNo.47j_djvu.txt

[bangerjim]

Find a friend with a swimming pool or hot tub. They buy is by the gallon! I do. We all should have an 8oz bottle of HCl on the shelf for alloy testing. Almost a mandtory tool in your bag-o-trix.

Find some. It is dirt cheap around here......~$4 a gallon for 30% concetrated HCl (pool acid).

banger

[Mitch]

this is how solder is marked 50/50 or 60/40 the fist number is tin the second is lead.so you have a small amount marked only with 50% tin.and the problem is?

[ArrowJ]

this is how solder is marked 50/50 or 60/40 the fist number is tin the second is lead.so you have a small amount marked only with 50% tin.and the problem is?

When I used the Google I saw that Federation Fry made a few solders, and some of them were apparently not that way...apparently. I know nothing about it. I think there is no problem and you are correct.