Lead Free Solder Recommendations

[effectsbay]

Does anyone have any recommendations for lead free solder? I upgraded my iron to be a Hakko FX-888D and it's cranked to 725F, but I'm still having trouble with solder flowing like leaded solder. I'm using Kester K100LD 66/48. I'm having issues with both PCB through hole stuff as well as with cables. I just can't get a consistent flow that I feel confident with.

Thanks!
hank

[R.G.]

Don't use lead-free solder.

It's difficult enough to solder by hand. Don't make it worse by using solder that's even harder to use.

Lead-free solder took several months for the folks who manufacture the stuff for my day job to get right, and that was in a well-managed industrial setting.

Why would you want to use lead free?

[effectsbay]

I want to switch, just to be safe - health wise.

hank

[FuzzFanatic71]

Get some sort of ventilation system and stick with good quality tin/lead solder. Lead free solder is terrible to work with.

[Electric Warrior]

It's healthier to use leaded. The fumes are not as nasty. As long as you wash your hands after soldering, lead is not an issue.

[Granny Gremlin]

If you're really worried, sort out your ventilation situation as mentioned and get specialty soap for washing off lead/heavy metals.  If you're in the USA (I'm not) it's easy to find at any gun/ammo shop (especially places that sell supplies for rolling your own ammo).  I use a product called D-Lead (ordered a couple bottles from uniquetek.com - for home and studio) and I'm pretty happy with it.

If you're a beardo, remember to wash your face/beard too - they love to soak up the fumes.

[effectsbay]

With cables I use a file to smooth out the join if it's a through-hole for shield. Do you think that's an issue? I do wash my hands and face often. I heard filing is okay... as long as you're not using a sander, etc.

Thanks!
hank

[slacker]

I use 99% tin lead free solder, no problems with it, can't comment on other types.

[effectsbay]

I use 99% tin lead free solder, no problems with it, can't comment on other types.

What brand do you use?

Thanks!
hank

[R.G.]

I want to switch, just to be safe - health wise.

I spent over three decades for A Major Computer Manufacturer, which was positively paranoid about being a target of chemical and contamination lawsuits. They hired an outside environmental firm to survey their soldering operations. The result? Tin-lead solder was positively not an issue as long as workers did not eat or drink at their work stations and washed their hands before handling food or drink. The survey included air sampling and both blood and urine samples of workers spending full work days operating and refilling/maintaining solder wave machines.

You want to be safe? Limit the amount of time you spend soldering. That includes spending less time re-doing joints. That often means using the easiest to use solder so you don't spend as much total time in contact with it.

The EU RoHS regulations were primarily aimed at keeping lead out of landfills by cutting off the supply of lead in commercial goods.

Metallic lead compounds are minimally hazardous. What is hazardous is the various lead compounds that contain handles for organic processes to latch onto.

An un-sung story is the dangers of what is put into "lead-free" solders. "Lead-free" does not by any means equate to "safe". You've just been (successfully) scared into do what it touted as politically correct.

[armdnrdy]

Well said R.G.!

Once again....we are being saved from ourselves!

Lead is a naturally occurring element.

If one were to feast off of the flesh of a hog which wallowed in the mud on a farm in the southeastern part of Missouri, it would not be completely out of the question to think that the percentage of lead ingested would be higher than a whole years worth of soldering stompboxes.
(wait...let me catch my breath) 
That is to say....small circuits like fuzz boxes.

[slacker]

What brand do you use?

This is the stuff I use, it's an own brand http://www.rapidonline.com/Tools-Equipment/Rapid-Lead-Free-Solder-Wire-22SWG-0-7mm-100g-Reel-85-1166 the datasheet tells you who actually makes it so you might be able to find it elsewhere.
I would guess any solder with the same tin/copper mix would be similar to work with.