63/37 is actually a eutectic solder so it goes directly from solid to liquid without a plastic transition region.   A eutectic a little more soldering friendly but not nearly enough for the high price you stated.  Nothing wrong with 60/40.  Just turn up your soldering iron a bit and don't wiggle that connection while it cools.  I think a good multi-flux core is more important than the particular alloy.

Dennis AE6C

On Sun, May 5, 2024 at 11:58 AM hwhall--- via ARC5 <arc5@mailman.qth.net> wrote:
I think 60/40 was what we curmudgeons & our ancient ancestors were using for generations. There's a sort of excitement over 63/37 because it has a sharper freeze point temperature - IOW, it hardens somewhat faster when heat is removed. $6 for ~2ft of solder sounds like highway robbery.

Wayne
WB4OGM

On Sunday, May 5, 2024 at 11:51:36 AM MDT, releazer@earthlink.net <releazer@earthlink.net> wrote:


The last of my Radio Shack QQ-S-571 solder is about gone and I am wondering about replacement.  I only just noticed that the two most recent rolls of RS solder is 60/40 rather than 63/37.  I bought a little 63/37 on ebay, 25 inches for about $6, before I realized I was already using 60/40.  Which should we use?

I also found that desoldering WW2 vintage solder joints on the BC-348 using a 30 watt iron was not a good idea.  I bought a higher powqered iron, although I have a RS variable digital temp iron, I needed two for opposite sides of the workbench.

Wayne
WB5WSV 
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