Al wrote:

In article ,
"The Eternal Squire" wrote:

Maybe I should rephrase the question: are there any hams out there
actually *using* lead-free solder, and what is thier favorite kind.


I haven't. But you must be very careful. Read the following quote from
a paper on non-lead solders. Although directed at one combination, it
illustrates the problems inherent with mixing differing solder types.

When com-bined with a lead-containing solder metallization, on the PCB or
the component terminations, a small amount of tin-lead-bismuth eutectic
alloy will form. This resultant alloy has a melting temperature of only
960C (2040F)! Because many temperature-cycling regimens do cycle up to
1250C (25T-F), this presents an obvious problem. As a result,
tin-bismuth-silver has been abandoned until the electronics industry is
certain that all lead has been "purged" from electronics manufacturing.
This is expected to take at least five or ten years.


Al


I'm thinking Thermal Fuse ;-)

--
Donovan Hill
VA7LNX (Basic, Advanced)

Jeff Spidle wrote:
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.


The reason for banning lead solder isn't that it is dangerous to people
using it,
but rather that old electronic equipment ends up in landfill and so does
the lead.
Auto batteries require special disposal for this reason. The idea is to
ban the use
of lead in all products (where possible) to eliminate disposal problems.

But just how good IS lead free solder? I guess it DOES work well in
plumbing
where it has been in use for many years.

If lead is insoluble in water, then WHY isn't it used in plumbing? The
small
amount that it IS soluble is the danger. Guess the Romans went mad due
to their
use of lead pipes (that's where the word plumber comes from, the latin
for lead
is plumbum, and the atomic symbol for lead is Pb). Could be the lead
pipes were
the reason for the fall of the empire?

Jeff Spidle wrote:
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.


The reason for banning lead solder isn't that it is dangerous to people
using it,
but rather that old electronic equipment ends up in landfill and so does
the lead.
Auto batteries require special disposal for this reason. The idea is to
ban the use
of lead in all products (where possible) to eliminate disposal problems.

But just how good IS lead free solder? I guess it DOES work well in
plumbing
where it has been in use for many years.

If lead is insoluble in water, then WHY isn't it used in plumbing? The
small
amount that it IS soluble is the danger. Guess the Romans went mad due
to their
use of lead pipes (that's where the word plumber comes from, the latin
for lead
is plumbum, and the atomic symbol for lead is Pb). Could be the lead
pipes were
the reason for the fall of the empire?

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!)

kenneth scharf wrote:

If lead is insoluble in water, then WHY isn't it used in plumbing?

____________________

Lead is NEARLY insoluble in water, but the more acid the water is, the more
soluble it becomes.

And to answer your question, it WAS used in plumbing for many years until
someone made the connection. Just like carbon tetrachloride for dry cleaning or
asbestos for insulation.

--
Bill W6WRT

kenneth scharf wrote:

If lead is insoluble in water, then WHY isn't it used in plumbing?

____________________

Lead is NEARLY insoluble in water, but the more acid the water is, the more
soluble it becomes.

And to answer your question, it WAS used in plumbing for many years until
someone made the connection. Just like carbon tetrachloride for dry cleaning or
asbestos for insulation.

--
Bill W6WRT

Andrew VK3BFA wrote:

Who comes up with these things - now we have to go to a new solder
formulation not as good as the old one - a bit like FREON - dont worry
about the millions of Asian countries using FREON in the
refridgerators, get the can out of the workshop and the world will be
a better place. (the fact that the patents have expired on FREON but
not the replacements is pure co-incidence, I'm sure...)


I'm just going to put my tin foil hat on and avoid the consipiracy rant
today ;-) But I think that freon comment has merit.

I have been using lead based solder for 30 years - no precautions. For
20 years I was a cable jointer with Telecom wiping lead sleeves onto
cable, using bar solder and a propane torch at the bottom of a ill
ventilated manhole -the only precaution I took was not to use the same
pocket knife I scraped lead with to cut my lunch - somtimes I did, but
I ALWAYS wiped the blade on the grass before I did. 20 years of blood
testing revealed NO higher levels of lead than general environmental
exposure.


My biggest problem with solder was the flux. I used to work in 2way repair
and I had a small fan on the desk to blow the flux away or else my eyes
would burn.

Andrew VK3BFA


--
Donovan Hill
VA7LNX (Basic, Advanced)

Andrew VK3BFA wrote:

Who comes up with these things - now we have to go to a new solder
formulation not as good as the old one - a bit like FREON - dont worry
about the millions of Asian countries using FREON in the
refridgerators, get the can out of the workshop and the world will be
a better place. (the fact that the patents have expired on FREON but
not the replacements is pure co-incidence, I'm sure...)


I'm just going to put my tin foil hat on and avoid the consipiracy rant
today ;-) But I think that freon comment has merit.

I have been using lead based solder for 30 years - no precautions. For
20 years I was a cable jointer with Telecom wiping lead sleeves onto
cable, using bar solder and a propane torch at the bottom of a ill
ventilated manhole -the only precaution I took was not to use the same
pocket knife I scraped lead with to cut my lunch - somtimes I did, but
I ALWAYS wiped the blade on the grass before I did. 20 years of blood
testing revealed NO higher levels of lead than general environmental
exposure.


My biggest problem with solder was the flux. I used to work in 2way repair
and I had a small fan on the desk to blow the flux away or else my eyes
would burn.

Andrew VK3BFA


--
Donovan Hill
VA7LNX (Basic, Advanced)

Bill Turner wrote:
kenneth scharf wrote:

If lead is insoluble in water, then WHY isn't it used in plumbing?


____________________

Lead is NEARLY insoluble in water, but the more acid the water is, the
more soluble it becomes.

And to answer your question, it WAS used in plumbing for many years
until someone made the connection.

Like I said the word 'plumber' comes from the latin plumbum meaning
lead. Ancient Rome was the first to use lead pipes. Could be why
Nero was mad as a hatter.