Solders

Ensure your soldering is completed to a high standard and can withstand the test of time with high quality solders. Cromwell offer a wide selection of solders in all types usable in a variety of situations from leading brands such as Johnson Matthey®, Grosvenor Group®, and Multicore®.

Why solders?

Solders provide a permanent and very strong connection within electrical circuits compared to twisting wires and are almost mandatory on circuit boards to ensure operability. Solders can also be used in other industries such as plumbing where pipes that are soldered offer a leak proof connection to one another.

Solder types

Soldering requires a filler metal to be melted and bond two pieces of metal together. There are various types of solder which offer differing levels of melting points and materials used.

• Soft soldering   -   Soft soldering requires the lowest temperature to melt (usually between (90 °C - 450 °C). The filler material is usually created from an alloy. Due to the low melting point, there is low thermal stress on the components, resulting in weaker bonds and therefore should not be used in load bearing situations.

• Hard soldering   -   Hard soldering a much stronger bond than soft soldering but requires temperatures of 450 °C or higher to achieve. The filler material is usually silver or brass and can be used for certain load bearing applications.

FAQs

What is solder made of?

Solder is usually made of a mix of metals such as tin, lead, cadmium, indium, or zinc. These metals are used due to their low melting point and structural rigidity once cooled. Silver is also another common material in solders due to their ability to prevent an effect called silver mitigation and increased structural bond..

What will solder not stick to?

As solder needs to bond two metal pieces by melting and having a solid connection, solder will not stick to dirty or oxidised metals. When soldering, it is important to have a clean surface, free of contaminants and oxidation. This can be achieved by using an alcohol based cleaner to clean and remove any surface oils. Steel wool can be used to remove oxidation on metals and reveal the clean metal below.