? Uses for Solder

[tchepone]

I have been deep cleaning my 56 year old reloading room and came across a couple 5lb rolls of Stearine Core Solder, AT 7241B. From what I found searching, it appears to be 35% Tin, 64% Lead and 1% Antinomy.

I have had this since my days in the telecommunications business, when lead sheathed cables were common. It was used for wiping splice closures on the lead cables. I am wondering if smelting this down for the tin will cause any issues when mixed in the lead pot and used to cast boolits.
I know Stearine is an acid, and if I remember correctly it was derived from the rendering of sheeps wool fat. Any one ever use this? Thanks. GJH

[dondiego]

I have melted acid core solder with no problems but I was advised that the acid can damage metals and cause rust. I just added some to my melt and fluxed. I am sure someone more knowledgeable will chime in.

[bangerjim]

Melt is separately and NOT in your casting pot, feed it slowly in......in short lengths and cook the fatty acids out. Wear eye protection and a face shield, and stand up-wind.

Stearine is just stearic acid like used in candle and soap making. Not a dangerous substance like the acids usually found in acid core solder. Electronics soldering cannot use corrosive fluxes, so this it is a non-corrosive natural animal fat flux.

You should end up with ingots of 35% Sn alloy.

[kevin c]

No personal experience, but I’ve read here that folks will soak up the acid (it floats on the melt, apparently) in sawdust, to be removed before it chars. A couple rounds or more, IIRC.

ETA: I think that’s mainly for stronger mineral acids, now that I’ve read bangerjims post.

[Winger Ed.]

It'll work fine, but it's messy, and will want to rust the liner of your pot.

I've done it a few times.
I start with a pot about 3/4 full, feed it in slow, flux it more than usual, pour off ingots when it gets almost full, and so on.
Then run the pot on down pretty low, and clean it real well to be sure and get any of the remaining corrosive residue off.

You'll end up with mixed amounts of alloy in the different ingots, but you can re-mix them later when it's all clean.

[fc60]

Greetings,

You are most fortunate to have access to casting metal that is of KNOWN composition.

Use it wisely.

Cheers,

Dave

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

No personal experience, but I’ve read here that folks will soak up the acid (it floats on the melt, apparently) in sawdust, to be removed before it chars. A couple rounds or more, IIRC.

ETA: I think that’s mainly for stronger mineral acids, now that I’ve read bangerjims post.
Years ago, I got a bucket with 25 - 30 lbs of various roll solders. I used a sacrificial SS soup pot from the thrift store over a Coleman gas stove for melting fluxed solder to pour ingots. Whether Acid core or resin core, I used sawdust to absorb the acid or resin. While resin isn't dangerous, it sure is messy. The first time I did this (without sawdust), the acid or resin gets cooked on the sides, makes for a stinky process...cuz that acid or rosin just kept cooking and smoking.

[tchepone]

Thanks Guys!
I do my smelting in a separate cast iron pot so there should be no issues with contamination or possible rusting. I will use sawdust to hopefully soak up any stearic acid. Thanks again! GJH

[MrWolf]

Years ago, I got a bucket with 25 - 30 lbs of various roll solders. I used a sacrificial SS soup pot from the thrift store over a Coleman gas stove for melting fluxed solder to pour ingots. Whether Acid core or resin core, I used sawdust to absorb the acid or resin. While resin isn't dangerous, it sure is messy. The first time I did this (without sawdust), the acid or resin gets cooked on the sides, makes for a stinky process...cuz that acid or rosin just kept cooking and smoking.

Thanks, I like the idea of the sacrificial pot. Good idea.

[Soundguy]

with that smokey flux.. i'd smelt and flux that stuff in something other than my production pot, then either pour ingots.. or use a muffin pan and pour 'coins'. 10# of solder will give you a NICE stack of coins. Those coins can be added to mixes that need some tin and or antimony. You could divide it say pour 5# as 1/2# ingots and the rest as coins. you could drop an ingot into a pot with range scrap and pure scrap.. like muzzleloader balls.. etc.. and come out with really nice pistol bullet plinker lead..