|
|
| New No-Lead Formula too |
|
Welborne Labs Silver Solder
Welborne Labs offers its own line of solder and what’s best of all, we tell you what’s
in it. No secret ingredients, no proprietary formulas, just good quality solder with alloys selected for audio applications. We offer an affordably
priced solder that is silver-bearing and available in small coils. Our "TLS" line is a tin/lead/silver (62% tin/36% lead/2% silver) rosin core solder.
This is your typical silver-bearing solder used throughout the industry. It has a melting temperature of approximately 180oC and the finished solder
joint will have smooth glossy appearance(.030" diameter). Our solder uses only Grade "A" pure natural water white gum rosin, which is batch tested by
the manufacturer to insure exceptional quality. This insures a very clean solder joint with almost no residue.
Our new No-Lead solder "TS" is a tin/silver (97% tin/3% silver) rosin core solder with
a melting temperature of 185oC (0.040" diameter). This solder will leave a slightly dull solder joint but the no-lead feature is more compatible with
most of today's pre-tinned lead-free component leads.
|
|
TLS1 |
Tin/Lead/Silver Solder 30' Coil $5.50
|
|
|
TS1 |
No-Lead Silver Solder 25' Coil
$6.00 |
|
|
TS2 |
No-Lead Silver Solder 1lb. spool $60.00
|
|
|
|
|
|
Desoldering Braid
Desoldering braid for solder removal. Great for modifying equipment, repairs and
when removing old components. Approximately 1.5 meters per spool.
|
|
| |
|
|
|
A Solder Primer
We are not 100% convinced that a silver-bearing solder actually makes an audible improvement over a nonsilver-bearing
solder. In fact, some of the solders currently marketed as audiophile grade don’t even contain silver (don’t ask us which ones don’t, we won’t tell
you). Testimonials from individuals saying they reflowed all of their solder joints with brand "X" silver solder and it made an audible difference were
possibly only hearing the difference between an old oxidized joint and a fresh joint. Believe it or not, silver solders were not originally developed
for their improved electrical characteristics. Silver was added to tin/lead solders because nonsilver-bearing solders had a tendency to wick away the
silver on silver-plated copper wires during the soldering process. Metallurgists found that if they added a few percent of silver to the solder, they
could prevent this wicking affect. In fact, the difference in conductivity between silver and nonsilver-bearing solders is very small. And the
difference in conductivity between a 2% silver and a 4% silver solder is even smaller. We have not done any extensive listening tests (don’t have the
time) so the above is just our hypothesis. We believe what’s most important is that you get a good solder joint with both electrical and mechanical
integrity and one that is free of contaminants i.e., a low, noncorrosive flux residue.
Typically the higher the silver content in a solder, the higher the melting temperature. This higher melting
temperature can be lowered by adding more lead to the solder. Thus two solders with the same quoted melting temperatures but different percentages of
silver will also have different percentages of lead (i.e., the solder with more silver will also have more lead). A small amount of lead is not
necessarily bad from an electrical standpoint, lead is toxic though. You should always wash your hands after handling a lead solder and you should avoid
putting your lead-contaminated fingers into your mouth, eyes, etc. Some individuals can also have allergic reactions to the solder fumes. For such
instances, eye protection and/or particle masks can help along with the use of a well ventilated area. Additionally, a small fan can be used to blow
away the fumes. Now you know everything there is to know about silver solder!
|
|
