Rosin core solder choices

[WA9SVD]

Ersin "Multicore" and Kester "44" are he two major brands herew in the U.S. Both are (still) available in the standard 60/40 Tin/Lead mix, although other formulations are being phased in. The flux can be removed with regular denatured alcohol as well as more toxic compounds. (Just don't drink any of them&#33 For many purposes, the flux doesn't have to be removed. (IMHO, of course; others will disagree, I'm sure.) It's non-conductive, and usually doesn't show signs of corrosion over the useful life of equipment. (Old HeathKits don't usually show signs of corrosion unless acid-core solder was used, and that shows up quite rapidly&#33 The only time defluxing may really be necessary is in extremely high impedance circuits (it may absorb some moisture or otherwise uposet circuitry) or UHF and microwave circuits, where it may display additional capacitance not accounted for in the original design.


K0RGR:

Don't make light of the hazards of lead (or any other heavy metal) exposure. The effects can be subtle, but particularly in young children, heavy metals (such as Lead, Arsenic, Chromium, Cadmium, and Mercury) can cause significant harm, and the effects are cumulative; the longer the exposure occurs, the greater the ultimate effect. And sometimes rather than presenting as frank toxicity, high levels can lead to serious health problems later in life including cancer or liver and kidney damage. Such damage is often misdiagnosed or diagnosed as "unknown origin."

I know in the past, we all were more careless with toxic materials, but now we know better, and we should protect ourselves and future generations as much as possible.

[AG3Y]

Don, you can still build and repair your 1950s style equipment. Not a single law in the land to prevent you from doing so!

All ya gotta do is FIND the parts in the first place. THAT'S the kicker !

Good luck, 73, Jim

[WA9SVD]

Doesn't the adhesive in duct tape cause cancer?
Anything THAT sticky HAS to be considered a hazardous material.

[N0WVA]

Quote[/b] (wa9svd @ May 10 2007,09:00)]

Quote[/b] (ve2nsm @ May 10 2007,08:26)]Now, lead, is it bad? Yes, but where do we stop? Where do we start?

Another problem with lead is that it doesn't disappear; it doesn't decay (well, maybe in a few billion years,) it doesn't disintegrate, it doesn't break down into harmless products. #It just sits there in landfills, slowly leaching into the water supply in many areas. #And it accumulates with levels getting higher and higher as time passes.

Yeah, kinda like those mercury filled cfl's the gov is gonna be forcing down our throats?

Wonder where all that mercury is gonna go from the millions of spent bulbs? Hmm

[KG6TOP]

When I was in the navy I was TAD to the HAZMAT div. for a few months on the kitty hawk. The way we disposed of the flourecent bulbs is we had a machine that had broke them in to little pieces. It had a long tube where you would feed the bulbs in and at the bottom of the tube there was a spinning metal bar that would smash the bulbs. The pieces of the bulbs would then fall into a 55 gallon drum for later disposal.

[W8ZNX]

Quote[/b] (k5mke @ May 11 2007,12:05)]Give me my old aluminum chassis back to work on and a thousand pounds of Kester 44, LOL! #Oh for the Good Ol' Days, when a ham could build and repair his OWN gear!!

Respectfully submitted,
73,
Don/K5-MKE

hear this far too often

still thousands of tons
of used and nos parts out there

see AM ops web sites
ops still building rack and panel jobs

the glow bug sites
ops building small rigs on metal chassis
and bread board

qrp ops building all kinds
of scratch build home brew gear

its easy simple and great fun

in last few years
built glow bug transmitters
from junk

# # ( just like Lew McCoy taught us many years ago )

found siting out for the garbage man
yes
much of the modern junk
is just junk

BUT
now and then
there is a gem to be found
last winter found a tube tube tuner amp
in the trash

MAN
a gold mine of parts

can still buy brand new aluminum chassis
see listings for Bud and Hammond
in the Mouser catalog

there is
NOTHING to stop a op from building
old style tube gear or new style solid state

Mac