"The Eternal Squire" wrote in message
...
Hello everyone,

My wife and I had been 'discussing' some of the effects of my hobby, such
as
the possible exposure of my 2-month old baby girl to lead vapor from
soldering.

Seriously, you'd better consider the effects of the fumes from the solder
fluxes. Since our shop is in an office environment, I bought some devices
from TechniTool to solve the problem of solder fumes. At first glance
they resemble a small bench lamps, but house a small fan and charcoal
filter.
The moveable arm allows them to placed near the work area where the
soldering is done.

Pete

Uncle Peter wrote:
"The Eternal Squire" wrote in message
...

Hello everyone,

My wife and I had been 'discussing' some of the effects of my hobby, such

as

the possible exposure of my 2-month old baby girl to lead vapor from
soldering.


Seriously, you'd better consider the effects of the fumes from the solder
fluxes.

I used to use superglue to attach IC's to pc breadboards dead bug style.
How
about the fumes from heated superglue! (Burns your eyes!)

Uncle Peter wrote:
"The Eternal Squire" wrote in message
...

Hello everyone,

My wife and I had been 'discussing' some of the effects of my hobby, such

as

the possible exposure of my 2-month old baby girl to lead vapor from
soldering.


Seriously, you'd better consider the effects of the fumes from the solder
fluxes.

I used to use superglue to attach IC's to pc breadboards dead bug style.
How
about the fumes from heated superglue! (Burns your eyes!)

hmmm, I have recently had the same discussion with my XYL, we have a 1 yr
old.

My self and another NASA trained ham, N9AEP, just completed teaching a
soldering class for our ham club, Schaumburg Amateur Radio Club.

The EU is going to require all soldering to be Pb free in 2004, I believe
that all US manufacturers will be required to do so in '06. I'm sure I'll be
corrected on the dates.

Your note brings 3 comments to mind:

1. Please use a 35-50 watt iron for your soldering work. You want to heat
the junction as quickly as possible and minimize the length of time that the
joint is heated. In soldering 40w for 1 second is going to heat a component
FAR less than 10w for 4 seconds. example your hand can deal with 600 degrees
for 1 second but not 150 for 4, you would be scalded.

2. Flux in solder is organic. In most manufacturing situations the rosin
flux is kept temperature controlled until use to preserve it. You want to
buy the smallest quantity you can quickly use. Don't buy a large spool of
solder and then store it for years. It is recommended that for maximum
effect that the rosin be 6mths old. If you have to use old solder then buy
a flux pen, this will greatly help the flow and adhesion of your joints.

3. Kester solder has a good repository of info, taken w/salt, at their site,
www.kester.com. This includes alloy, melting point, application notes.

BTW, Pb vaporizes at 1749C or 3180.2F

KC9EII
"The Eternal Squire" wrote in message
...
Hello everyone,

My wife and I had been 'discussing' some of the effects of my hobby, such
as
the possible exposure of my 2-month old baby girl to lead vapor from
soldering.
I typically have been using coventional 2% silver electronics solder wire
with
my 12 watt pencil. I do a few connections every day, but my wife wants
to
take absolutely no chances, and on reflection, I don't really want to
either.

I'd like to know if here is anyone in the homebrew community who uses
lead-free solder for fine electronics work, what brands or compositions
they
recommend, and where such can be obtained retail for a reasonable cost.

Oh, yes, and can someone lend me a yard of it until I can afford my own
large spool?

Thanks in advance,

The Eternal Squire




---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.551 / Virus Database: 343 - Release Date: 12/11/03

"The Eternal Squire" wrote in message
...
Hello everyone,

My wife and I had been 'discussing' some of the effects of my hobby, such
as
the possible exposure of my 2-month old baby girl to lead vapor from
soldering.
I typically have been using coventional 2% silver electronics solder wire
with
my 12 watt pencil. I do a few connections every day, but my wife wants
to
take absolutely no chances, and on reflection, I don't really want to
either.

I'd like to know if here is anyone in the homebrew community who uses
lead-free solder for fine electronics work, what brands or compositions
they
recommend, and where such can be obtained retail for a reasonable cost.

Oh, yes, and can someone lend me a yard of it until I can afford my own
large spool?

Thanks in advance,

The Eternal Squire


You can check the Kester web site on the lead-free update
http://www.kester.com/leadfree_update.htm

Even without lead content, breathing flux fumes from solder can cause
respiratory irritation/problems.

Kester Recommendations
http://www.kester.com/recommendations_leadfree.htm

Alloy temperature guide
http://www.kester.com/alloy_temp_chart.html

w9gb

The Eternal Squire wrote:

Hello everyone,

My wife and I had been 'discussing' some of the effects of my hobby, such
as the possible exposure of my 2-month old baby girl to lead vapor from
soldering.
I typically have been using coventional 2% silver electronics solder wire
with
my 12 watt pencil. I do a few connections every day, but my wife wants
to take absolutely no chances, and on reflection, I don't really want to
either.

I'd like to know if here is anyone in the homebrew community who uses
lead-free solder for fine electronics work, what brands or compositions
they recommend, and where such can be obtained retail for a reasonable
cost.

Oh, yes, and can someone lend me a yard of it until I can afford my own
large spool?

Thanks in advance,

The Eternal Squire




---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.551 / Virus Database: 343 - Release Date: 12/11/03

May I suggest a fume-hood or some other sort of exhaust fan at your
workstation?

--
Donovan Hill
VA7LNX (Basic, Advanced)

"The Eternal Squire" wrote in message
...
Hello everyone,

My wife and I had been 'discussing' some of the effects of my hobby, such
as
the possible exposure of my 2-month old baby girl to lead vapor from
soldering.

Seriously, you'd better consider the effects of the fumes from the solder
fluxes. Since our shop is in an office environment, I bought some devices
from TechniTool to solve the problem of solder fumes. At first glance
they resemble a small bench lamps, but house a small fan and charcoal
filter.
The moveable arm allows them to placed near the work area where the
soldering is done.

Pete

In my production engineering job I would routinely hold
my breath and stick my head in over the solder wave in the
wave solder machine. Large amounts of soldering fumes would
come up from that molten commercial-grade organic solder.
After pulling my head out, I'd exhale. One time I did this
maybe 20 times a day for a week in the pursuit of soldering
refinements.
Aggravated by poor sleep from a change in the work
routine, my health went down hill quickly. My ankles were
puffing up, possibly indicating the onset of liver disease.

I got the message. I stopped exposing myself to the
airborne lead and flux particles. It took several months
for the swelling of the ankles to go away.
Workers at the factory would set up muffin fans to suck
the hand-soldering fumes away from them. This is a good
idea. Otherwise, the fumes seek out the rising column of
air around one's body and are thus breathed in directly.
Also, most people lean over the work while soldering.
Doing soldering next to muffin fan and a cracked
down-wind window should readily resolve the problem for the
most cautious hobbyist solderer and family members.
Regarding someone's comment about putting solder in his
mouth: Remember the historians' speculations about the
contribution of lead wine vessels toward the fall of the
Roman empire. Also, I can taste regular spool solder. That
means I'm dissolving something from it.

Henry





Hello everyone,

My wife and I had been 'discussing' some of the effects of my hobby, such as
the possible exposure of my 2-month old baby girl to lead vapor from
soldering.
I typically have been using coventional 2% silver electronics solder wire
with
my 12 watt pencil. I do a few connections every day, but my wife wants to
take absolutely no chances, and on reflection, I don't really want to
either.

I'd like to know if here is anyone in the homebrew community who uses
lead-free solder for fine electronics work, what brands or compositions they
recommend, and where such can be obtained retail for a reasonable cost.

Oh, yes, and can someone lend me a yard of it until I can afford my own
large spool?

Thanks in advance,

The Eternal Squire




---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.551 / Virus Database: 343 - Release Date: 12/11/03




Email address: "see_signature" - "a0015717"
Newsgroup replies may serve better the public interest.

Henry wrote:
In my production engineering job I would routinely hold
my breath and stick my head in over the solder wave in the
wave solder machine.

Hi Henry, that was not the best idea in the world, but I have been soldering
for over 40 years, and have never experienced any health symptoms like you
describe. I solder a lot, both at work and at home as a ham. I'm 57 and never
had health problems. I think you should look for other sources for your
apparent health problems.
As has been stated, the fumes are from the flux, and I have inhaled a bunch
of it:-). The lead portion can only hurt you if it is ingested, not sniffed.
I am sorry you had health problems, but it may not be for the reason you
think.
73 Gary N4AST

JGBOYLES wrote:
Henry wrote:

In my production engineering job I would routinely hold
my breath and stick my head in over the solder wave in the
wave solder machine.


Hi Henry, that was not the best idea in the world, but I have been soldering
for over 40 years, and have never experienced any health symptoms like you
describe. I solder a lot, both at work and at home as a ham. I'm 57 and never
had health problems. I think you should look for other sources for your
apparent health problems.

Henry, your ventilation on the wave solder machine is all wrong! If you
need to look into it, therre is no way that the vent air pull should be
past your face. That thing should have a side plenum vent. the fouled
air will then not make it to you when you look in it.




As has been stated, the fumes are from the flux, and I have inhaled a bunch
of it:-). The lead portion can only hurt you if it is ingested, not sniffed.
I am sorry you had health problems, but it may not be for the reason you

If rosin based fumes are bad for you, than I get a double whammy, since
I make telescopes too, and the polishing laps are made out of pine
pitch. Between that and the soldering rosin, my garage always smells
like pine. Yummy!

- Mike -