soldering size

[laskjpg]

what size of soldering wire should i use for my mechanical keyboard?

[TheProfosist]

get this highly recommended http://tinyurl.com/cxokuqj

[geekabit]

I just soldered a bunch of Cherry mx switches  with standard 1mm 60/40 leaded tin. I can't remember exactly what I paid for it, but it must have been around 15 Euro for 1 kg.

[hasu]

Today I used 0.8mm wire to solder 61 MX switches on DIY PCB without problem. But I need to send forth about 5mm of solder wire to fill up one through hole. Thicker gauge(1.0?) may be useful for soldering switches.

[TheProfosist]

the thinner the better even if yo uhave to feed alot. I use .22 right now going to buy a big roll of what I suggested for when I do the Phantom Assembly GB

[laskjpg]

thanks guys. yeah i'll try to find a thin size.

[luckynet]

i keep burning the solder contacts after desoldering switches on the pcb of my QFR. i'm using a regular solder iron and sucker. when i try to solder back them switches, the solder won't stick it'll just ball up. i had to bridge it using wires for the switches to work. tried using solder paste, still won't stick.. T.T

[WhiteFireDragon]

I use Kester-44  composition 63/37 in wire size 0.020" for nearly everything because that size is very versatile. It's small enough for SMD work, but large enough to solder switches. Also another important aspect of having a finer wire size is that it gives you more accuracy in the delivered amount, and it melts in an instant. Your overall soldering speed should increase with these two factors. Kester is great quality, but not cheap though. I think it cost me around $50 after shipping and taxes (same one profesist linked).

I have two rolls of those so if you don't want to spend that much on good quality solder, I'm willing to resell so you enough to do a keyboard or two.

[TheProfosist]

I use Kester-44  composition 63/37 in wire size 0.020" for nearly everything because that size is very versatile. It's small enough for SMD work, but large enough to solder switches. Also another important aspect of having a finer wire size is that it gives you more accuracy in the delivered amount, and it melts in an instant. Your overall soldering speed should increase with these two factors. Kester is great quality, but not cheap though. I think it cost me around $50 after shipping and taxes (same one profesist linked).

I have two rolls of those so if you don't want to spend that much on good quality solder, I'm willing to resell so you enough to do a keyboard or two.

Here are some plastic spools that you can use to share the solder if yo uwant I bought some because I dont like working with the giant 1lb roll. http://tinyurl.com/cqqnx93

[Leslieann]

the thinner the better even if yo uhave to feed alot.

Agreed.

i keep burning the solder contacts after desoldering switches on the pcb of my QFR. i'm using a regular solder iron and sucker. when i try to solder back them switches, the solder won't stick it'll just ball up. i had to bridge it using wires for the switches to work. tried using solder paste, still won't stick.. T.T

You have too little heat in the iron tip and because of this you are keeping the tip contacted too long.

Get an iron with a larger tip (they hold more heat) or higher wattage iron. You want it to melt the solder and remove the iron as fast as possible.

[alaricljs]

Also make sure you are using solder with flux in it... Not having flux really doesn't work.

[sammsorensen]

I use Kester-44  composition 63/37 in wire size 0.020" for nearly everything because that size is very versatile. It's small enough for SMD work, but large enough to solder switches. Also another important aspect of having a finer wire size is that it gives you more accuracy in the delivered amount, and it melts in an instant. Your overall soldering speed should increase with these two factors. Kester is great quality, but not cheap though. I think it cost me around $50 after shipping and taxes (same one profesist linked).

I have two rolls of those so if you don't want to spend that much on good quality solder, I'm willing to resell so you enough to do a keyboard or two.

This is what I use as well.

[Glod]

get this highly recommended http://tinyurl.com/cxokuqj

Trying to take any advice i can get; I went ahead and bought one of these, however damn that's a lot of solder; hopefully i figure out how to use it well.

this is what i had around the house, http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2062715 that and some lead-free solder with no brand on it.

[TheProfosist]

get this highly recommended http://tinyurl.com/cxokuqj

Trying to take any advice i can get; I went ahead and bought one of these, however damn that's a lot of solder; hopefully i figure out how to use it well.

this is what i had around the house, http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2062715 that and some lead-free solder with no brand on it.

Id recommend ordering up these so that you can wind the solder on to a smaller spool cause personally I hate working with the giant 1lb spool directly http://tinyurl.com/cqqnx93

[rootwyrm]

Actually, there's a related question: what tip are folks using? Personally I've tended to favor longer and thinner tips when I could still do it myself. (Yes, custom machined. Machinist friends rock.) I found the longer, thinner ones gave me better control to avoid PCB burn.

[TheProfosist]

Actually, there's a related question: what tip are folks using? Personally I've tended to favor longer and thinner tips when I could still do it myself. (Yes, custom machined. Machinist friends rock.) I found the longer, thinner ones gave me better control to avoid PCB burn.

have been using the Hakko T18-D16 but just bough the Hakko T18-D08 top work on smd diodes

[Game Theory]

I've been using a Hakko T18-DL12 but I am a soldering novice. https://www.hakko.com/english/tip_selection/series_t18.html#type_d
 I've been using Kester 245 [sn63pb27] .20.  I think the difference from the 44 is the flux.  THe vast majority of folks recommend the 44 and the smaller the solder the better.

[Phil21]

Seconded on the kester 44, great stuff.

[npgatech]

Smaller diam, the better for small jobs but its not absolutely necessary. A slight touch of a thick wire would do if you have the tip, the wire and the pad at sufficient temperature.