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




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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

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

Henry Gardiner 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. 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

Did you have high levels of lead in your blood? The place I worked
sent the assemblers for routine blood tests, and never found anything.
We didn't have a wave solder machine, but we did have three reflow ovens
that were vented through the roof.


--
We now return you to our normally scheduled programming.

Michael A. Terrell
Central Florida

Henry Gardiner 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. 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

Did you have high levels of lead in your blood? The place I worked
sent the assemblers for routine blood tests, and never found anything.
We didn't have a wave solder machine, but we did have three reflow ovens
that were vented through the roof.


--
We now return you to our normally scheduled programming.

Michael A. Terrell
Central Florida

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 -

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 -