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Lead Free Solder?

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4/16/2003 11:16 PM

Lead Free Solder?

Since the birth of my son I've been paranoid about my electrical projects and the lead in solder. I don't have a workshop or anything so the living room is where I work. He'll be getting around soon and I'm concerned about little pieces of solder that I may miss, or contaminating things it touches or I touch. Probably not much danger, but it's one more thing for a parent to worry about, as if there aren't enough.

I just picked up some 96% tin, 4% silver solder with rosin flux core. Any problem using this in my amps and pedals? From reading the packaging it seems it should be fine, but I thought I'd see if any of you guys have had any problems with it.

Thanks,
Blues

4/17/2003 3:52 AM

Might be harder to use (may need higher temperature), but probably it'll work. You might want to get one of those fume extractor things also. Too much exposure to the flux smoke is not supposed to be good for you also. Also, watch out for those little bits of flux and solder that can sort of "spit" out when you're soldering. Wouldn't want to get him too close to that. Gotta take care of the little ones.

4/17/2003 7:47 AM
Enzo	Boy I sure hope you won't have a hot iron anywhere near where the kid can even see it. If daddy plays with that, it must be fun to play with. Check out the toxicity of tin too.

4/17/2003 3:41 PM
dpcoyle	I think it is pretty well established that the flux smoke contains some lead. Tin is toxic, too, although IIRC, lead is especially bad for the young. It makes all of us stupider, so ventilate. Don't want them eating any of those shiny orange drop caps, either. Dan

4/17/2003 4:58 PM
Blues Lyne	Don't worry, I only work on stuff after he's upstairs in bed. Don't want him to be around the fumes or the hot iron. Not to mention all the cool looking little colorful parts with pointy leads. The solder I got says it melts at 430 degrees. Thanks for the heads up on tin. Blues

4/17/2003 6:36 PM
dpcoyle	Tin is a lesser danger, steel food cans are plated in it, and it was the solder they used to use to seal them that was the real problem. Dan

4/18/2003 4:47 AM
Jack Koochin	Yep, the tin is far, far less toxic than the lead. Jack

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