As a supplier for DIYers of all sorts including electronics enthusiasts who like to put Velleman Kits together we also carry the much needed supplies to put those kits together. From soldering irons to solder, flux and cleaner we carry everything to help you have success in your projects.
To start, it’s best to make sure to do some research to see what you’ll need. You can start with learning about choosing the right flux and solder. Once you’ve decided what you’ll be doing and what solder to use, you’ll want a soldering iron that gets to the right temperature. We sell quite a few different ones from a 20W iron to a 25W to 30W. There are many more, so be sure to do a search on our website to see if there are any that suit your needs.
Once you’ve chosen the iron it’s time to choose your solder. The most common type of solder you’ll find is 60/40 which consists of 60% tin and 40% lead, the highest quality and most popular brand of which we carry is made by Kester. Kester makes a few variants of the 60/40 such as the 24-6040-0066, the 24-6040-0061 and smaller amounts like the 83-4000-0000 pocket pack. The 60/40 solution is the most common as it’s the most affordable, the only downside is how flexible the solder is, which once it’s applied, is largely not an issue. If you’re concerned about lead in your solder you can either slap a “Prop 65 label” on it or just buy lead free solder. The majority of lead free solder is made up primarily of tin and has trace amounts of other conductive metals. We carry some lead free solder by Velleman, Aven, and MG Chemicals.
For a bit more of an investment, the 63/37 solder is quite a bit less flexible, however is favored by beginners as it can be easier to work with. Kester’s 24-6337-0027 and 24-6337-0010 would be good for long term use, and MG Chemicals’ pocket pack would be ideal for when a smaller amount is needed. Just be sure to look through all of our solder selections before making your choice. Lastly for the least common solder 62/36/02 is used. This solder contains a small amount of silver and is gaining popularity with radio enthusiasts.
If wire formed solder isn’t your thing, there’s also solder paste. Solder paste can be a bit easier to work with, just dip the solder tip or other utensil into the paste and apply as needed. One of the downsides of solder paste is that it can be a bit messy. We carry lead free paste from MG Chemicals which comes in tub and also in a syringe.
Solder is definitely a very important thing and widely variable in quality and function. Feel free to contact us if you have questions. Please also leave us a review on our website for your favorite brand of solder and stay tuned, we’ll have a blog about flux soon!
Once you’ve chosen the iron it’s time to choose your solder. The most common type of solder you’ll find is 60/40 which consists of 60% tin and 40% lead, the highest quality and most popular brand of which we carry is made by Kester. Kester makes a few variants of the 60/40 such as the 24-6040-0066, the 24-6040-0061 and smaller amounts like the 83-4000-0000 pocket pack. The 60/40 solution is the most common as it’s the most affordable, the only downside is how flexible the solder is, which once it’s applied, is largely not an issue. If you’re concerned about lead in your solder you can either slap a “Prop 65 label” on it or just buy lead free solder. The majority of lead free solder is made up primarily of tin and has trace amounts of other conductive metals. We carry some lead free solder by Velleman, Aven, and MG Chemicals.
If wire formed solder isn’t your thing, there’s also solder paste. Solder paste can be a bit easier to work with, just dip the solder tip or other utensil into the paste and apply as needed. One of the downsides of solder paste is that it can be a bit messy. We carry lead free paste from MG Chemicals which comes in tub and also in a syringe.
Solder is definitely a very important thing and widely variable in quality and function. Feel free to contact us if you have questions. Please also leave us a review on our website for your favorite brand of solder and stay tuned, we’ll have a blog about flux soon!