Solder

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Solder

Fred (FL)
DO NOT USE LEAD-FREE SOLDER!  It's not even good for
fishing sinkers!   Good old Kester, thinner .020
is the best.  Try to find "# SN63PB37 #58/285,
24-6337-9700, J-STD" lead solder, if you can! Most
of the recommended Elecraft solder suppliers carry
it.  You end up with nice joints, and not too much
resin rosin.  :)  A good Soldering Station, from
Circuit Specialist Inc., helps too.

Good Luck
Fred N3CSY, K2 # 54xx


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RE: Solder

RBrigham1
Ok,
The point is well taken. I will use only my standard Pb/Sn for the K2 and save the Pb-free stuff for a few specialty projects. Thanks for your input. (This was my first question to the group - thanks for your input).
73
Rob
KC6ROC
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RE: Solder

Ron D'Eau Claire-2
I hope we didn't drive you away with the answers, Rob!

Keep in mind that there is NOTHING wrong with the quality and durability of
joints that lead-free solder makes. It's great stuff that works very well.

For hand work there are two important issues that recommend against its use:

1) Lead-free solder melts at a higher temperature than leaded solder. Higher
temperatures mean it's easier to lift a trace or damage a solder pad if you
change a part. Of course, a higher iron temperature is needed during
assembly too. Many builders are already skittish about using a high enough
temperature iron already, so the idea of pushing the temperature higher
isn't very welcome.

2) At least some lead-free solders cool to a nice, dull matte finish:
exactly what we've been taught to recognize as a 'cold solder' joint that is
not reliable. It can be very hard to tell a good joint from a bad joint.

It simply doesn't seem to make sense to buy into those issues when leaded
solder is readily available and has a century-long history of doing an
excellent job in electronic gear.

While we're on the subject of solder once again, let me repeat an important
slightly off-topic warning about fluxes!

AVOID WATER SOLUBLE FLUXES LIKE THE PLAGUE! They are a plague that will ruin
your rig.

"Water soluble" sounds great. A little water and they're gone. No rosin
mess. But they are a disaster for hand work outside of a special property:
The water-soluble flux remains corrosive at room temperature, just like
acid-core plumber's solder that we've all learned to avoid in electronics.
(Rosin is inert below the temperature at which solder melts.) Joints
soldered with the water soluble flux must be "power washed" in a special
machine to remove all traces of the flux immediately after soldering.
Failure to do so will result in your rig becoming intermittent in a few
months as the flux literally eats its way through the traces on the boards.
The boards will be a total loss.

Ron AC7AC

-----Original Message-----
Ok,
The point is well taken. I will use only my standard Pb/Sn for the K2 and
save the Pb-free stuff for a few specialty projects. Thanks for your input.
(This was my first question to the group - thanks for your input). 73 Rob
KC6ROC _______________________________________________

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RE: Solder

RBrigham1
In reply to this post by Fred (FL)
"Ron D'Eau Claire" <[hidden email]> wrote:

>I hope we didn't drive you away with the answers, Rob!
>snip<

Nope,
Still here, and glad for the input about flux too.
KC6ROC+
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Re: Solder

wayne burdick
Administrator
In reply to this post by Ron D'Eau Claire-2
Ron D'Eau Claire wrote:

> I hope we didn't drive you away with the answers, Rob!
>
> Keep in mind that there is NOTHING wrong with the quality and
> durability of
> joints that lead-free solder makes. It's great stuff that works very
> well.

Yes, but it's much more difficult to remove parts installed with
lead-free solder, should that be necessary. Just ask Don Wilhelm -- and
he's a pro  :)

73,
Wayne
N6KR


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RE: Solder

Mike S-8
In reply to this post by Ron D'Eau Claire-2
At 06:51 PM 12/21/2006, Ron D'Eau Claire wrote...
>I hope we didn't drive you away with the answers, Rob!
>
>Keep in mind that there is NOTHING wrong with the quality and
>durability of
>joints that lead-free solder makes. It's great stuff that works very
>well.

It's very premature to make that claim.

There are real concerns that lead-free solders are less reliable. Lead
free solder joints are more fragile -
http://www.pcbrc.com/dev/PDFs/WhitePaper-SACfragility1.pdf  Little is
known about how to avoid the "tin whisker" problem, and the
corresponding reliability issues -
http://ap.pennnet.com/Articles/Article_Display.cfm?Section=ARTCL&ARTICLE_ID=233627&VERSION_NUM=2&p=95

It's interesting to note that many life critical systems (medical,
aerospace, military) are exempted from RoHS.

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RE: Solder

Ron D'Eau Claire-2
In reply to this post by wayne burdick
I agree, Wayne!

I thought that's what I said when I wrote, "Lead-free solder melts at a
higher temperature than leaded solder. Higher temperatures mean it's easier
to lift a trace or damage a solder pad if you change a part."

Ron AC7AC

-----Original Message-----
From: wayne burdick [mailto:[hidden email]]
Sent: Thursday, December 21, 2006 6:13 PM
To: Ron D'Eau Claire
Cc: [hidden email]
Subject: Re: Solder

Ron D'Eau Claire wrote:

> I hope we didn't drive you away with the answers, Rob!
>
> Keep in mind that there is NOTHING wrong with the quality and
> durability of
> joints that lead-free solder makes. It's great stuff that works very
> well.

Yes, but it's much more difficult to remove parts installed with
lead-free solder, should that be necessary. Just ask Don Wilhelm -- and
he's a pro  :)

73,
Wayne
N6KR


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RE: Solder

Ron D'Eau Claire-2
In reply to this post by Mike S-8
Mike S wrote:

There are real concerns that lead-free solders are less reliable. Lead
free solder joints are more fragile -
http://www.pcbrc.com/dev/PDFs/WhitePaper-SACfragility1.pdf  Little is
known about how to avoid the "tin whisker" problem, and the
corresponding reliability issues -
http://ap.pennnet.com/Articles/Article_Display.cfm?Section=ARTCL&ARTICLE_ID=
233627&VERSION_NUM=2&p=95

It's interesting to note that many life critical systems (medical,
aerospace, military) are exempted from RoHS.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

I hadn't seen that report on the fragility of lead-free solder joints. Thank
you.  It reinforces the point that ordinary solder containing lead has
worked very well for nearly a century with an insignificant failure rate
when joints are soldered properly.

When we move into new technology we are breaking new ground no less than the
day the Titanic sailed to New York.

I was aware that the tin whisker problem is a real issue that has no
immediate solution. However, from what I've read, the whisker problem is not
an issue with the solder. It's an issue with using pure tin to coat the
leads on some RoHS parts. The parts themselves are subject to growing deadly
whiskers no matter what solder is used. A number of photos I've seen point
out that the soldered part of the connection is free of whiskers while the
pure tinned portions of the lead that were not subjected to solder grew the
whiskers.

The whiskers can grow weeks, months or even years after a part is installed
and the whiskers can reach several  mm in length, producing shorts between
adjacent solder pads. Here's some pictures of the whiskers:

http://nepp.nasa.gov/whisker/anecdote/20year/index.html

The whiskers aren't getting the play in the press one might imagine because
the consumer electronics industry isn't too concerned about them. They plan
on your Ipod, computer, personal digital assistant, TV, cell phone or other
personal electronics being discarded every year or two anyway, before the
whiskers will render them useless.

It's the military, space and other high-reliability applications who are
concerned, and they aren't the ones to make the "front page" of the morning
paper.

I'm inclined to put my Elecraft rigs up there in reliability objectives with
a satellite or missile. I don't plan to trash the rig in a year or two (my
K2 is already going on 7 years old already!).


Ron AC7AC

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Re: lead-free solder (plus bonus desoldering primer :)

wayne burdick
Administrator
In reply to this post by Ron D'Eau Claire-2
Ron D'Eau Claire wrote:

> I wrote, "Lead-free solder melts at a higher temperature than leaded
> solder. Higher temperatures mean it's easier
> to lift a trace or damage a solder pad if you change a part."

This is certainly true. But it's worse than that. What I should have
said is that it's much harder to get parts off the board *at all* if
they were secured using unleaded solder. It's hard to get even one wire
out of a hole!

In 1999 I wrote about the joys of component removal:

    http://www.kkn.net/archives/html/QRP-L/1999-01/msg00445.html

Everything I said in this piece goes double for lead-free solder  :)

However, I must modify my original Technique #8. Rather than use a
component lead to clean out a solder-filled hole, I use a very thin
stainless-steel "pick" or a toothpick. The solder won't stick to such
tools -- a huge improvement over my original method.

73,
Wayne
N6KR


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RE: lead-free solder (plus bonus desoldering primer :)

Ron D'Eau Claire-2
Ha, HA! That's a GREAT write-up.  (Why isn't it on the Elecraft builder's
resources page?) I'll admit that the latest equipment from Europe that I've
serviced is still pre-RoHS, so I've not faced that dilemma - yet.

I've used your "toothpick" approach, but I found it needs have very small
mass. I have some dental picks (donated by my dentist). Although the pointed
tip is small enough, with the metal handle they have way too much mass and
instantly solidify the solder when it's touched. I have taken a thin piece
of wire and wrapped it around the tip of the iron so it's heated and used it
to push on through the hole. Stick it through the pad and swirl the wire
around (if it's smaller than the hole in the pad) to clear the space for the
new component lead.

Where space is available to reach the pad on both sides of the board (either
I've got the component out or I've clipped the leads so I'm just clearing
the solder pad) I put the spring-loaded solder sucker on the pad on one side
of the board, and heat the pad on the other side until the solder is molten,
then push the button and WHACK! it's clear. It helps to leave some of the
old component lead sticking out of the pad when doing that so I can put the
tip of the sucker over it and it won't slip off while I'm focusing on where
I'm putting the iron.

That sounds elegant, but the reality is much, much closer to what you
describe. Still, it works.  

Mike S brought up an interesting issue about the strength of lead-free
solder joints referencing a paper by Borgesen of Universal Instruments
Corporation and Henderson of IBM Corporation:

http://www.pcbrc.com/dev/PDFs/WhitePaper-SACfragility1.pdf

I'm as 'green' as the next guy but I'll stick with my leaded solder. After
all, I'm not planning to dump any of my Elecraft rigs in the land fill
anytime soon...

Ron AC7AC


----Original Message-----
Ron D'Eau Claire wrote:

> I wrote, "Lead-free solder melts at a higher temperature than leaded
> solder. Higher temperatures mean it's easier
> to lift a trace or damage a solder pad if you change a part."

This is certainly true. But it's worse than that. What I should have
said is that it's much harder to get parts off the board *at all* if
they were secured using unleaded solder. It's hard to get even one wire
out of a hole!

In 1999 I wrote about the joys of component removal:

    http://www.kkn.net/archives/html/QRP-L/1999-01/msg00445.html

Everything I said in this piece goes double for lead-free solder  :)

However, I must modify my original Technique #8. Rather than use a
component lead to clean out a solder-filled hole, I use a very thin
stainless-steel "pick" or a toothpick. The solder won't stick to such
tools -- a huge improvement over my original method.

73,
Wayne
N6KR


---

http://www.elecraft.com


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RE: Re: lead-free solder (plus bonus desoldering primer :)

Don Wilhelm-3
In reply to this post by wayne burdick
Wayne and all,

As you well know, de-soldering lead-free solder jobs is a chore.  My Hakko
808 is often unsuccessful.
My technique is to first suck out as much of the solder that I can, then
re-solder with leaded solder and suck it out again.

If I am not successful after 3 attempt at this, I give up and destroy the
component so it can be removed by heating one lead at a time and use the
stainless steel needle 'trick' to open the holes.  When destroying some
components such as relays, I take great care not to place stress on the
board - keep a clear head about where the pressure points are and use
whatever tools are available - a shortened hacksaw blade, large pliers,
small pliers, diagonal cutters and other similar devices may be used in
combination to get the bits of the device destroyed without damage to the
board.

I look for the straight stainless steel picks at hamfests and try to have at
least 2 of them handy at my workbench at all times, since they tend to get
lost under other items easily.

73,
Don W3FPR

> -----Original Message-----
> From: [hidden email]
> [mailto:[hidden email]]On Behalf Of wayne burdick
> Sent: Friday, December 22, 2006 12:46 AM
> To: Ron D'Eau Claire
> Cc: [hidden email]
> Subject: [Elecraft] Re: lead-free solder (plus bonus desoldering primer :)
>
>
> Ron D'Eau Claire wrote:
>
> > I wrote, "Lead-free solder melts at a higher temperature than leaded
> > solder. Higher temperatures mean it's easier
> > to lift a trace or damage a solder pad if you change a part."
>
> This is certainly true. But it's worse than that. What I should have
> said is that it's much harder to get parts off the board *at all* if
> they were secured using unleaded solder. It's hard to get even one wire
> out of a hole!
>
> In 1999 I wrote about the joys of component removal:
>
>     http://www.kkn.net/archives/html/QRP-L/1999-01/msg00445.html
>
> Everything I said in this piece goes double for lead-free solder  :)
>
> However, I must modify my original Technique #8. Rather than use a
> component lead to clean out a solder-filled hole, I use a very thin
> stainless-steel "pick" or a toothpick. The solder won't stick to such
> tools -- a huge improvement over my original method.
>
> 73,
> Wayne
> N6KR
>
--
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Checked by AVG Free Edition.
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3:54 PM

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RE: RE: lead-free solder (plus bonus desoldering primer :)

Don Wilhelm-3
In reply to this post by Ron D'Eau Claire-2
Ron,

Thanks for sharing that link.

The points of most interest to me in that white paper is that our methods of
adding components to a board (especially where we cannot place the component
onto a properly plated pad - i.e, a trace scraped cleared of solder masking)
are at greater risk for vibration and aging failure when bonded with
lead-free solder.

73,
Don W3FPR

> -----Original Message-----
>
> Mike S brought up an interesting issue about the strength of lead-free
> solder joints referencing a paper by Borgesen of Universal Instruments
> Corporation and Henderson of IBM Corporation:
>
> http://www.pcbrc.com/dev/PDFs/WhitePaper-SACfragility1.pdf
>
> I'm as 'green' as the next guy but I'll stick with my leaded solder. After
> all, I'm not planning to dump any of my Elecraft rigs in the land fill
> anytime soon...
>
> Ron AC7AC
>
>
--
No virus found in this outgoing message.
Checked by AVG Free Edition.
Version: 7.5.432 / Virus Database: 268.15.26/594 - Release Date: 12/20/2006
3:54 PM

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Re: Re: lead-free solder (plus bonus desoldering primer :)

N8LP
In reply to this post by Don Wilhelm-3

Good points and nice tricks Wayne and Don. In my case I don't even try
to save the part. Parts are cheap, relatively speaking. It is much
easier to remove most parts one pin at a time.

Larry N8LP



Don Wilhelm wrote:

> Wayne and all,
>
> As you well know, de-soldering lead-free solder jobs is a chore.  My Hakko
> 808 is often unsuccessful.
> My technique is to first suck out as much of the solder that I can, then
> re-solder with leaded solder and suck it out again.
>
> If I am not successful after 3 attempt at this, I give up and destroy the
> component so it can be removed by heating one lead at a time and use the
> stainless steel needle 'trick' to open the holes.  When destroying some
> components such as relays, I take great care not to place stress on the
> board - keep a clear head about where the pressure points are and use
> whatever tools are available - a shortened hacksaw blade, large pliers,
> small pliers, diagonal cutters and other similar devices may be used in
> combination to get the bits of the device destroyed without damage to the
> board.
>
> I look for the straight stainless steel picks at hamfests and try to have at
> least 2 of them handy at my workbench at all times, since they tend to get
> lost under other items easily.
>
> 73,
> Don W3FPR
>
>  
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: [hidden email]
>> [mailto:[hidden email]]On Behalf Of wayne burdick
>> Sent: Friday, December 22, 2006 12:46 AM
>> To: Ron D'Eau Claire
>> Cc: [hidden email]
>> Subject: [Elecraft] Re: lead-free solder (plus bonus desoldering primer :)
>>
>>
>> Ron D'Eau Claire wrote:
>>
>>    
>>> I wrote, "Lead-free solder melts at a higher temperature than leaded
>>> solder. Higher temperatures mean it's easier
>>> to lift a trace or damage a solder pad if you change a part."
>>>      
>> This is certainly true. But it's worse than that. What I should have
>> said is that it's much harder to get parts off the board *at all* if
>> they were secured using unleaded solder. It's hard to get even one wire
>> out of a hole!
>>
>> In 1999 I wrote about the joys of component removal:
>>
>>     http://www.kkn.net/archives/html/QRP-L/1999-01/msg00445.html
>>
>> Everything I said in this piece goes double for lead-free solder  :)
>>
>> However, I must modify my original Technique #8. Rather than use a
>> component lead to clean out a solder-filled hole, I use a very thin
>> stainless-steel "pick" or a toothpick. The solder won't stick to such
>> tools -- a huge improvement over my original method.
>>
>> 73,
>> Wayne
>> N6KR
>>
>>    
> --
> No virus found in this outgoing message.
> Checked by AVG Free Edition.
> Version: 7.5.432 / Virus Database: 268.15.26/594 - Release Date: 12/20/2006
> 3:54 PM
>
> _______________________________________________
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> You must be a subscriber to post to the list.
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>
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> Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
>
>
>  
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Re: RE: lead-free solder (plus bonus desoldering primer :)

Mario Lorenz
In reply to this post by Ron D'Eau Claire-2
Ron,

> I've used your "toothpick" approach, but I found it needs have very small
> mass. I have some dental picks (donated by my dentist). Although the pointed
> tip is small enough, with the metal handle they have way too much mass and
> instantly solidify the solder when it's touched.

I believe Wayne was talking about wooden toothpicks. They dont conduct
heat. I've used these, or wood splinters from  snapped-in-half wooden
matches. Good for one or two holes only, but easily replaced.

Mario

--
Mario Lorenz                            Internet:    <[hidden email]>
                                        Ham Radio:   DL5MLO@DB0ERF.#THR.DEU.EU
Trust the computer industry to shorten "Year 2000" to Y2K.  It was this kind
of thinking that caused the problem in the first place.
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Re: RE: lead-free solder (plus bonus desoldering primer :)

Geoffrey Mackenzie-Kennedy-2
FWIW I use very thin domestic sewing needles to clear holes, the melted
solder does not stick to the needle. The main problem is in 'borrowing'
them.

My apology if this has already been suggested, we have many visitors staying
making it difficult for me to keep up with the mail.

73,
Geoff
GM4ESD

----- Original Message -----
From: "Mario Lorenz" <[hidden email]>
To: <[hidden email]>
Sent: Saturday, December 23, 2006 2:55 PM
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] RE: lead-free solder (plus bonus desoldering primer
:)


> Ron,
>
>> I've used your "toothpick" approach, but I found it needs have very small
>> mass. I have some dental picks (donated by my dentist). Although the
>> pointed
>> tip is small enough, with the metal handle they have way too much mass
>> and
>> instantly solidify the solder when it's touched.
>
> I believe Wayne was talking about wooden toothpicks. They dont conduct
> heat. I've used these, or wood splinters from  snapped-in-half wooden
> matches. Good for one or two holes only, but easily replaced.
>
> Mario



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Re: RE: lead-free solder (plus bonus desoldering primer :)

Bob Nielsen
In reply to this post by Mario Lorenz

On Dec 23, 2006, at 6:55 AM, Mario Lorenz wrote:

> Ron,
>
>> I've used your "toothpick" approach, but I found it needs have  
>> very small
>> mass. I have some dental picks (donated by my dentist). Although  
>> the pointed
>> tip is small enough, with the metal handle they have way too much  
>> mass and
>> instantly solidify the solder when it's touched.
>
> I believe Wayne was talking about wooden toothpicks. They dont conduct
> heat. I've used these, or wood splinters from  snapped-in-half wooden
> matches. Good for one or two holes only, but easily replaced.
>
> Mario

I've seen tools similar to dental picks with a small metal tip and  
plastic handle (less thermal mass).  They can be helpful at times.  
Getting as much of the solder as possible removed first makes things  
much easier.

Bob, N7XY

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RE: RE: lead-free solder (plus bonus desoldering primer :)

Ron D'Eau Claire-2
In reply to this post by Mario Lorenz
Good point Mario!

I haven't tried wood out of concern for leaving carbonized debris behind in
the solder. So it works eh? I'll have a go at it next time. Maybe it'd help
to dip the tooth pick in the beer first to get it wet.

Ron AC7AC

-----Original Message-----
Ron,

> I've used your "toothpick" approach, but I found it needs have very
> small mass. I have some dental picks (donated by my dentist). Although
> the pointed tip is small enough, with the metal handle they have way
> too much mass and instantly solidify the solder when it's touched.

I believe Wayne was talking about wooden toothpicks. They dont conduct heat.
I've used these, or wood splinters from  snapped-in-half wooden matches.
Good for one or two holes only, but easily replaced.

Mario

--
Mario Lorenz                            Internet:    <[hidden email]>
                                        Ham Radio:
DL5MLO@DB0ERF.#THR.DEU.EU
Trust the computer industry to shorten "Year 2000" to Y2K.  It was this kind
of thinking that caused the problem in the first place. _

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