lead free solder

[G4IDL]

I am about to start building and Elecraft kit and note that lead free solder is NOT recommended.
In the UK it is virtually all lead free, does anyone have any experience of using it?

73's Tom - G4IDL
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[David Pratt]

I used lead-free solder (99.3/0.7 Sn/Cu) when I built one of the
Elecraft mini-modules and it worked out fine, but I would not wish to
tackle building a full K1, K1X or K2 kit with it.

There was an excellent article on pp78/79 in January 2005 RadCom which
explains some of the pitfalls of Pb-free solder.  One is that it needs a
bit temperature of at least 232C (450F) in order to avoid the "pasty"
stage. The question is: would components or the PCB be damaged at those
temperatures?

73 de David G4DMP

>I am about to start building and Elecraft kit and note that lead free
>solder is NOT recommended.
>In the UK it is virtually all lead free, does anyone have any
>experience of using it?
>
>73's Tom - G4IDL


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[Andy Pevy]

Hi Tom and the list

On Friday 21 October 2005 08:14, ext G4IDL wrote:
> I am about to start building and Elecraft kit and note that lead free
> solder is NOT recommended. In the UK it is virtually all lead free, does
> anyone have any experience of using it?
>
> 73's Tom - G4IDL

        Rapid electronics 'http://www.rapidelectronics.co.uk' have supplies of 18 and
22 swg 60/40 tin lead solder.

18g  part number 85-0610 @ £5.40 per 500g
22g  part number 85-0595 @ £6.00 per 500g

I have no connection with rapid apart from using them for the supply of
components occasionally.

Andy G4XYW

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[Don Wilhelm-3]

Tom,

If you can obtain the leaded solder, you will find it easier to work with
than the lead free stuff.  63/37 alloy is preferred, but 60/40 is good too.
The melting temperature of the leaded solders is lower and the 63/37 mix has
no paste stage - it goes directly from liquid to solid with no pasty stage
between, so no cold solder joints resulting from movement while cooling.

I have repaired/upgraded a couple K2 kits soldered with the lead free stuff
and found it was difficult to impossible the remove components even with my
Hakko desoldering gun.  The lead free solder requires a higher temperature
and seems to not conduct heat through itself and flow readily - the result
is that only some of the solder is sucked out but then the component must be
removed by other means and the holes cleared with a stainless steel needle.

All in all, the lead free solder works, but I don't like to work with it, so
I have stocked up on the leaded variety.

Environmentalists should not worry because I have yet to commit any of my
soldered projects to the landfill and likely never will!!!

73,
Don W3FPR

> -----Original Message-----
>
> I am about to start building and Elecraft kit and note that lead
> free solder is NOT recommended.
> In the UK it is virtually all lead free, does anyone have any
> experience of using it?
>
> 73's Tom - G4IDL
>

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