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Health Concerns with Soldering?

post #1 of 8
4/11/11 at 5:05pm
Thread Starter 

 

From the other day, I was in my general workplace, a basement, fixing a headphone cable that had a small break, nothing that a little bit of cutting, stripping, and soldering wouldn’t be able to fix.  My father (Asian Doctor) came downstairs and observed for a while before saying something along the lines (rough Korean translation), “You ignorant fool, you are really an ignorant fool.  Is it worth losing twenty years of your life doing that?  You should go die alone and make sure not to have any children...before leaving.

 

In total, I have only made four solder joints and when the wisps of evaporated flux rose I held my breath and blew them away from my immediate direction…

 

Out of all of the electrical engineers, electronics hobbyists, and industrial workers who I am sure surpass my hours making and breathing solder fumes, are there many who have a strong link to cancer?  There is a large number of evidence that shows a correlation between soldering and occupational asthma/throat irritations, but I’m not too sure if soldering releases carcinogens (besides silver solder).  In the discussion over dinner today, my father repeats what he said when I saw him before but adds that I should die early since Darwinism and nature dictates that the stupid should die first.

 

But I guess it doesn’t matter anymore now, the end of parental consent is the end to my own individual privileges and pursuits.  It marks an end to one of those things that cause excitement to things that give life some meaning through realizations of personal identity, and more specifically all the pleasures inherent to DIY electronics.  I guess I am limited to the purchasing of commercially made equipment (but the again, my audio purchases were mainly allowed due to their relations to DIY electronics so hm~). While I am at it, is anyone interested in purchasing:

 

Hakko Dash Soldering Iron 20Wx1, Pair of helping hands x1, an unopened bottle of liquid soldering flux, and a relatively new 5ft. role of desoldering braid? 

 

Thanks,

BOP 


Edited by Bop - 4/11/11 at 5:08pm
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post #2 of 8
4/11/11 at 5:14pm

You can't live for ever. Worrying about the inconsequential will kill you faster that solder fumes.

 

Put a fan next to you. Tell you dad have a beer and get out of your damn face. Show your dad this post and tell him I said he was a ninnying putz. 

 

This is the part to show your dad:

 

Hey dumbass, your son is doing something he enjoys. Keep your angst, your fear and your loathing to yourself.


Edited by Samgotit - 4/11/11 at 5:25pm
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post #3 of 8
4/12/11 at 2:49pm

Don't know about any long-term risks, but I get headaches from the fumes, so I run a fan nearby and wear a mask so I can breathe easier.  Don't give up on diy, it's a most rewarding pursuit.

 

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post #4 of 8
4/12/11 at 3:12pm
Rosin core fumes aren't really a big threat unless you're just sitting there holding the solder to the iron to breathe fumes afaik.

Doctors just want to say something is bad regardless of the fun of it.

There is inherent danger in everything. Eating, for example, poses the threat of disease and death as well. Painting is the same way. People wear high filtration respirators and take the risk because they want to. If you're worried, fans, respirators, etc can reduce the minute contact you have down to basically none.

So really, there is no reason not to. Worrying causes stress which supposedly shortens your lifespan as well. So tell him you're having fun and it relieves stress which is adding to your life. Then if he says it's still taking away, then argue it all balances out.

And the final argument is, "If I don't use this stuff, I'm wasting money"

I don't know what to tell you if none of the little arguments and precautions work except do it anyway, what's the worst that can happen other than somebody not approving of it?
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post #5 of 8
4/12/11 at 7:48pm

Asian parents are crazy, nothing new.  

Sort of reminds me of the time I did some engineering competition where I had to construct a little robot with really limited materials and you could only use thin sheets of balsa wood.  So my friends and I decided to reinforce the balsa wood by dipping it in some epoxy which we microwaved to make thinner.  It turns out that microwaving epoxy is a pretty bad idea, wouldn't be surprised if I actually did lose a few years off my life from that >.>

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post #6 of 8
4/12/11 at 7:53pm

No where near enough exposure to cause any problems.

 

People who sit at assembly lines soldering are the ones who would be at risk.

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post #7 of 8
4/13/11 at 11:09pm
Open a window and run a fan.

Hell, I've inhaled worse substances.
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post #8 of 8
4/13/11 at 11:14pm

I'd say the stress from having an ass---e of a father like that would cause much more damage to your overall health and well-being than inhaling a little bit of solder fumes will.

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