What's the deal with solder and 2006?

[Mark Hammer]

Flipping through a mag on the stands the other day (forget which one), there was an item about some international ban on lead in solder taking effect in 2006.

Does anyone have more info on this?  

Are there implications for those of us whose pedal habit necessitates low tech tools and 27W irons?  

Does anyone have any experience about the solder alternatives they have used so far?

What does this mean for component availability, treatment of boards, etc.?

[Lonestarjohnny]

It mean's beside's sitting there Swatting NoSee'um's and Drinking Cold Beer you better get that Butt down to the local hardware store and grab all the Solder on the Shelf, LOL !
JD

[petemoore]

That and every possible accessory?
 No solder = No solderable parts available...how could this possibly be true?

[niftydog]

My understanding is this;

Lead solder will still be available to regular joes.

Lead free solder initiatives are aimed at big manufacturers.

No need to worry unless you do repairs... hobby stuff will be allowed to continue with lead solder.

Even so, there's a lot of development going into lead-free solders, it'll be at least 2006 before we really know the impact in terms of equipment required etc.

Even then, a lot of big corporations are saying that 2006 is an unrealistic goal and that it should be pushed back until the technology is useable and cost effective.

Some new gear coming out of Japan already has lead-free in it.  The PCBs require a label indicating it as "Pb FREE".

[bobbletrox]

I plan on switching to lead-free solder when I run out of the regular stuff.  Lead bad.

[Richard]

I work for a small electronic assembly company and the switch to lead free is some thing that we are going to be dealing with.
Like our new SMD oven, well its not really oven as such, its a vapor phase oven, the board sit's in a sealed chamber at around 200degC totally covered in "vapor". it is a very consistent method of lead free soldering, compared to normal Infrared type ovens.

btw
Hi. been enjoying reading all the great info here and putting some of it into use.

[puretube]

it`s gonna be big trouble for all of us...

[casey]

EVERYONE, RUN FOR THE HILLS !!!!!!!

[petemoore]

They want everything in the manufacturing to be controlled by 'them'?
 Just another of my new mill conspiracy theories...

[Doug H]

They want everything in the manufacturing to be controlled by 'them'?
 Just another of my new mill conspiracy theories...

Them? http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0047573/

Or Them? http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/clipserve/B000003TWA001003/0/104-3307454-7808736

Doug

[Mark Hammer]

Wait a second.  You mean Van Morrison *ISN'T* a giant ant?!   (actually, I can confirm that; I got to interview him in 1970 and he was quite convincingly NON-ant)


Frankly, less lead in the drinking water is a good thing, and if you had any idea how much solder gets stuffed into landfills in the form of abandoned electronic devices every day, you become a little happier at the thought of lead free soldering in commercial plants.  Can't really happen soon enough.

My concern is what sort of timelines I face in terms of tooling up for that transition, but from comments here it appears I won't need to change much...if anything.

[Doug H]

Wait a second.  You mean Van Morrison *ISN'T* a giant ant?!   (actually, I can confirm that; I got to interview him in 1970

Tell us more!

Doug

[Mark Hammer]

I will simply say that I was 18 and it was painful.  I have the hardest time telling when Irish folks are being sarcastic and when they are simply talking enthusiastically. It was backstage at a festival, and when Jethro Tull walked by us in the hallway after their set and I muttered "Oh, I guess you're finished", Van said "Okay" and sauntered off.  Like I said, painful.

[Doug H]

I will simply say that I was 18 and it was painful.  I have the hardest time telling when Irish folks are being sarcastic and when they are simply talking enthusiastically. It was backstage at a festival, and when Jethro Tull walked by us in the hallway after their set and I muttered "Oh, I guess you're finished", Van said "Okay" and sauntered off.  Like I said, painful.

Oh well, you know, most of my memories of awkward moments like that at that age usually involved women.    But even as an adult it happens, like the time I talked to Bela Fleck after one of his shows. I was going to have him sign a cd but didn't have a pen. Then I didn't give it to him to sign, and it was awkward, like I thought maybe I came across like "Never mind, you're not good enough to sign it" or something. Then I basically froze in place, no idea why. Maybe I felt bad because of the poor turnout, or maybe because he was just such a geniunely nice guy, an unbelievably friendly person.

In any case I bet you have some interesting stories to tell from that job.

Doug

[lightningfingers]

I started using lead free solder a while back. Its more sensetive to grease and filth on copper (like, you HAVE to get it totally spotless), but if you do than it grabs the copper very well. I use perf mostly and its real good for that too. I goes from liquid to solid with no wierd "paste-like" stage in the middle. Wont stick to your iron tip as much as lead. Its a little more expensive (i think the main ingredient is silver) but i like it.

My $0.02

[Mark Hammer]

If the silver content is high, does that mean it might be any sort of audible improvement?  If so, then one of the interesting implications is a closing of the gap between "audiophile" products and more common pedestrian items. and production techniques.

Actually, your comments are heartening. I was worried that it would involve drastically higher temperatures and a steep learning curve with respect to heat-sinking, etc.

One of the things I'm wondering about is just what to component leads come covered with in that case?  Aren't non-SMT cap and resistor leads lightly tinned presently?  If they have to be tinned with something else, will that imply higher component costs?

[Peter Snowberg]

I've tried a couple of no-lead solders so far. One had a higher melting point and the other a lower one than 63/37. To be blunt, I wasn't all that thrilled with either, but it sure beats crimping all your connections.

One of these days I've got to try some of those super low temp alloys.

Take care,
-Peter

[Lonestarjohnny]

I wonder if anyone has seen a SilverSolder that has no lead content ?
JD

[Paul Marossy]

All I know is that silver solder sucks compared to the 63/37 type. It doesn't flow worth a crap, and it takes a lot longer to get it melt with a low wattage iron (25-30 watts). I'm ordering my gross (144) of 63/37 rolls right now!  :wink:

[niftydog]

goes from liquid to solid with no wierd "paste-like" stage in the middle.

You can get regular solder without a plastic stage.  Look up Ersin 362, although don't bother with the multicore.com website, it's a big, steaming pile of shiite.  This is the best I could find.

All I know is that silver solder sucks compared to the 63/37 type

well... it's about all that I use!  I don't think it sucks!

solder gets stuffed into landfills in the form of abandoned electronic devices every day, you become a little happier at the thought of lead free soldering in commercial plants.

not after you read this!

Granted, this is propoganda, but the basic facts are true.  I can't find the other article I wanted to post, but there was references to the dangerous chemicals that they use in lead-free solder to attain good wetting properties.  The effect of these chemicals on the body is unresearched - where as the effects of lead are well understood.

Basically, it's gonna be a while before they settle on a decent replacement.  Until then, it's just as polluting, and more dangerous to the user.