Buying Solder on Amazon or Ebay

[Bishop Vogue]

Hey all,

I used to buy solder from a local shop here in Toronto, but it always irked me that it's marked up a lot.  So I ordered a random brand on Ebay (sorry, forgot to record the manufacturer's name and threw it out) and it was worthless.  Tried one from Amazon (Suder brand), and it was a fantastic value.  Like most of you, I'd guess, I'm looking for 60/40, about 0.8mm.  I know there's good products out there, but I don't like to throw money away on lost gambles.  Anyone able to recommend something good?

Thanks!

[bloxstompboxes]

Anything you find under brand names like AIM and Kester ought to be good. Radio Shack's house brand was even good. Someone else made it for them, I'm sure, but I don't know who. AIM was used at the Harman/Becker/Kardon plant I used to work at. Kester is a well known brand that has been around since like the late 1800s or something.

[EBK]

Kester 63/37 is what I use and recommend. 

[Bishop Vogue]

Good stuff - thanks guys.  Rereading my post, I see I forgot to mention that I can no longer find the Suder stuff online and that's why I am asking for recommendations.  Would love to hear of other brands if other forum member care to share - even knowing which brands to avoid would be useful.

Cheers.

[EBK]

Only things I would actively avoid are lead-free or acid core.

[italianguy63]

I use Kestor "44" 63/37 .031

MC

[davent]

I have MG Chemicals  Sn63/Pb37 (company's in Burlington, solder's made in the States)  & Kestor  245, Sn63/Pb37. I like the MG better, have seen rolls on Amazon.ca for a reasonable price.

dave

[EBK]

I use Kestor "44" 63/37 .031

MC

I just double checked my Amazon order history.  "44" is what mine is too. 

(I think I may have been lazy and simply picked the one that had a ton of reviews.   )

[digi2t]

Bought this last year;

https://www.ebay.ca/itm/60-40-2-500g-0-8mm-Tin-Lead-Line-Soldering-Rosin-Core-Solder-Flux-Welding-Wire-/302047059035?hash=item4653685c5b&_uhb=1

Works great. Price is right as well, for a 1/2 kilo, I'll be good for a long while.

Word of warning though... took me a looooong time to get it. Like a month and a half I think, but I wasn't in any hurry.

[Bishop Vogue]

thanks digi2t, it's on sale right now so I placed an order. will repost after it arrives and i test it.

[duck_arse]

"Multicore", Multicore Solders, UK, Australia, Canada, Germany, Japan ,,,, USA. Sn 60/40 Pb, 5 core, 362 flux. is the stuff I was using when production soldering.

[stallik]

Just received 1/2 kilo of 63/37 made by Warton Metals in the UK. I chose their Future HF 22swg. Advertised as a non clean product with little flux deposit. First try is really promising. Very clean and far superior to my last reel. That was a 60/40 lead from Maplin made by Adepto out of Taiwan.

At £26 delivered from Rapid Electronics, it was far more expensive than 63/37's on eBay but so far, I'm not regretting it.

[amptramp]

I have one roll of thick Kester solder and one roll of thin Kester solder.  I also have a small pack of Cramco stainless steel solder.  I have a sample of no-clean solder that I have not used yet.