I think you’re putting way, way too much thought into this, for the simple reason that you should always have both around... for repairs...
I would have thought that it's blindingly obvious that I'm talking about work going forward. As both the thread title and my posts say, I'm doing a test of both leaded and lead-free. Pre-test, I'm leaning strongly toward the latter for the reasons stated six posts up, but I'll make the decision when I test both next week.
Perhaps not being quite as dense as you apparently think I am, I've already thought about the few prior projects that I would bother to revisit. I'll decide when I do the tests whether using lead-free solder on those projects is, or isn't, likely to be an issue. That's why I'm going to do a couple of lead to lead-free replacements, although frankly it isn't a pressing concern.
LOL. Nothing is “blindingly obvious”. Nor did I think you were dense; if anything, it’s typically unusually smart people who go to such efforts over something comparatively trivial.
Anyhow, an analysis of how to compare them
cheaply (by buying pocket packs instead of whole rolls) strongly implies an intent to only purchase
one in bulk once a winner was declared. That is why I said you should have both anyway, and explained why.
This thread is about an inexpensive way to test leaded and lead-free solder. I can tell you, for a fact, that nobody else has addressed this in prior threads.
Maybe there’s a reason for that, namely that the cost of solder is insignificant in the grand scheme of things, and that since you need to have both around anyway, the cost of trial packs simply doesn’t matter.
Besides, if you were
that worried about cost, you’d also have sought out cheaper sources for said pocket packs. They’re available for a lot less than Amazon’s prices.
Further to the above post, I'm quite a bit more interested in the question of why Kester 275 SAC305 is readily available with 2.2% flux, but is very expensive, and indeed not carried by a major reseller, at 3.3%. Having failed to get an answer to that question from two Kester resellers (see four posts up), I hope to get one from Kester.
Kester 275 is a "No Clean" solder. It's possible that 3.3% is seen by a lot of 275 SAC305 users as unnecessary, resulting in specialised demand. If so, Kester 275 2.2% may be an apples to apples competitor to Kester 48 3.3% on both results and price. I want to know if that's the case.
The whole point of no-clean solders is to have minimal flux residue, and for that residue to be inert and inconspicuous. Older non–no-clean fluxes often meet the inertness criterion, but tend to be more visible due to amount and color.
As such, no-clean wire solder typically has less flux in it, with around 2% being typical. And it’s typically enough for components and boards that are not oxidized. Modern fluxes are more effective, so it doesn’t need as much. For example, that Kester 275 (no-clean) has almost 50% more solder spread than 44. So you can get away with using less of it.
The downside of no-clean fluxes is that if you decide you
do need to remove the residues, they’re
much harder to remove. Forget about using simple IPA; it won’t properly remove most no-cleans. You have to use proper flux remover.
I absolutely agree that solder/flux manufacturers could do a way, way better job of explaining the differences between fluxes.
All dressed up and awaiting arrival of the replacement for my ageing soldering iron.
According to an e-mail that I just received from https://www.tequipment.net, the vendor and an EEVBlog supporter, it looks like I'll receive the replacement for my old soldering iron on Saturday or Monday.
Hola! I'm getting a soldering station made by a Barcelona company called JBC Tools. JBC calls it a CD-B, in North America a CD-1BQF. I'll find out this week, while testing leaded and lead-free solder, whether it's any good.
JBC is one of the top brands. I use the prior version CD-B at work.
Downside is consumables cost, as their tips are rather pricy and not as durable as many others. (Their tip selection is second to none, though!) In USA, I would have recommended the Pace ADS200 instead, since in addition to being a smidgen cheaper, people who have both say that the Pace has a certain
je ne sais quoi that makes them reach for the Pace over the JBC. But to be clear, they’re both top-notch systems.