Lead free solder

[wyatt]

The dangers from lead solder have more to do with discarded electronics and lead containing ground and water. That's why it the EU banned its use with their adoption of the RoHS directive. Eventaully, you'll see the same push in North America.

As far as handling leaded solder as a hobbyist, as long as you wash you hands effectively are careful with solder, you'll be fine. As noted, there is no lead solder fumes, that's the flux melting.

The flux itself does have harmful qualities, which is why people who solder professionally on a regular basis are recommended to wear a mask or respirator. I know I need one because just a quick solder to will give me headaches for days, so I wear the mask, I expect it have an allergy to the colophony.

[Reeltarded]

Crap, I read it as free lead solder and I was.. well.. ready to buy at that price point.

Crap!

[Cygnus X1]

But...isn't lead everywhere, in small amounts, in the soil anyways?
Control tha Lamn Dandfills dodgammit.

Seems if they heated up discarded lead soldered devices then the solder could be recaptured easily.

[Reeltarded]

Did anyone read the NASA stuff? They must spec silveranium of something.

Back before the turn of the 19th century radium was discovered and soon put into everything from makeups to bottled drinks. They advertized it as "a Little Piece of the Sun".

Yeah it was..

We are just like Rome anyhow. I like lead. It tastes sort of sweet.

[NickC]

........ I like lead. It tastes sort of sweet.

All I know is ...... if you eat enough of it ..... they can't read your thoughts any more!

[Reeltarded]

What thoughts? Gatorade hit my tongue today and sparked.

I would have to be brain damaged to drink gatorade.

[Dr-Joned]

[quote="cbass"]Hell I ate lead paint chips all duh times when I was a kid. Look at me iI'm tottally fine I think [/list][/quote]

LOL
I've been snortin solder fumes since about 1975. Chewin on it too! I'll never admit to paint chips though!

[tsutt]

........ I like lead. It tastes sort of sweet.

All I know is ...... if you eat enough of it ..... they can't read your thoughts any more!

AHAHAHAHA!

[trane34]

This forum is great. I never thought my solder question would lead to conspiracy theories and the decline of modern civilization.

[Reeltarded]

This conspiracy is no theory. Hear that frequency?

[rp]

Back before the turn of the 19th century radium was discovered and soon put into everything from makeups to bottled drinks. They advertized it as "a Little Piece of the Sun". Yeah it was.

The guys and gals that painted watch dials used to lick the tip of their brushes to get a nice point.

We are just like Rome anyhow. I like lead. It tastes sort of sweet.

yup, they sweetened their wine with lead and their piping was lead. Could explain why their elites were so deranged (but what explains ours?).

Those fancy leaded crystal Baccarat wine / liquor decanters? I wouldn't drink some forgotten whiskey that's been sitting in one for 2 years.

Mad as a hatter is because milliners used mercury - you'd think the doctors feeding it to patients for centuries as a therapy for things like depression might have put 2 and 2 together?

I can't get the hang of the lead free stuff, but lead is dangerous in parts per million, and really no safe level, so if I had a kid I would diligently lock the solder up like any dangers stuff, always wash up before playing with him, and clean up the bench and workshop after soldering. If you have a pregnant lady around wash up every time you get up from the bench!

Here's something I found on the web about lead free technique. I stocked up on the bad stuff so didn't bother to try any of this advice:

http://www.jacmusic.com/wire/How-to-sol ... d-Free.htm

[Reeltarded]

My mother has a picture of me with a ball of mercury on my tongue. We used to buy it in one oz bottles from the drugstore to play with.

[Diablo1]

Lead-free solder is bad for the long term reliability of all electronic components. The lead-free solder has problems with whisker formation over time, which can cause short circuits. The big volume manufacturers are required to use lead-free solder because of environmental concerns. However, the military has an exclusion allowing them to continue sourcing electronics which use lead/tin solder because they realize the importance of reliable electronics. As home builders, we aren't required to be lead-free. I would only use lead/tin solder in my builds because I want them to last 50 years or more, like Leo's amps from the 1950s.

[tsutt]

"yup, they sweetened their wine with lead and their piping was lead. Could explain why their elites were so deranged (but what explains ours?)."

SATAN WORSHIP.

[cbass]

"yup, they sweetened their wine with lead and their piping was lead. Could explain why their elites were so deranged (but what explains ours?)."

SATAN WORSHIP.

Exactly most of them don't even realize it