[royalcrown]

So here I am looking at an eBay auction for 10 mil 63/37 solder (about 20 bucks shipped for a pound - no idea if that's cheap or not because I can't look to the new stock product pages =/). I've looked at Mouser and Digi-Key, and none of them sell normal (and by that I mean non-lead-free, which is massive redundancy) solder. Have the manufacturers stopped selling lead solder, and should I start hoarding the eBay stock while it's still around? If not, how much time is there left before they stop selling the good solder? I really don't care for the lead-free stuff, and I want to make sure I have enough of the good solder before it's all gone forever.

BTW, this question concerning the US.

 

[osu1277]

RadioShack.com - Cables, Parts & Connectors: Tools & soldering equipment: Soldering tools & supplies: Rosin Core Solder (8.0 oz.)

 

[royalcrown]

So that's 18 bucks for a pound, right? I'm deliberating whether or not that's worth the extra 2 bucks shipped for the smaller diameter. I quickly scrolled through their stock, but couldn't find a 1lb spool of the stuff. Then again, I tend to miss stuff that's right under my nose. I found 1lb spools of .062, but I would like something thinner personally. Another thing is that it's 60/40, and I'm really not a fan of 60/40, and have had nightmare experiences with it. Well, I guess once all of the stock dries up RadioShack will be the last resort - then again, they'll probably have completely undergone transformation by then into a cell phone store.

 

[Pars]

Doesn't this qualify?

533-24-6337-61
Page 1938 Mouser catalog? Don't freak me out like that

 

[royalcrown]

Well, this doesn't make me feel too sad about the future. .062 is a pretty thick diameter for me, but at least it's still there if I need it in the future. I'll go with the eBay thing for now because it's gonna come out to the same price as the AIM shipped (plus I hate Apple and their horrendous computers

), but my fear was that it'd be gone forever. I really don't understand the point of RoHS for electronics, especially when such little solder is used away from anything potable, and at temperatures low enough so that the lead isn't that much of an issue. But hey, at least there's still some around. I'm assuming that Kester and AIM will continue to produce this solder in the future?

 

[JackH]

Parts Express sells several different types of solder containing lead.

 

[Pars]

Quote:

Originally Posted by royalcrown /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'm assuming that Kester and AIM will continue to produce this solder in the future?

The military (even in Europe) isn't RoHS, so yes, it still should be available. BTW, they had the full line of Kester 44, not just that diameter, at Mouser. See that catalog page.

 

[Rescue Toaster]

I also just bought a pound of 25 ga normal Kester 44... I've had no trouble finding normal stuff. Although IC manufacturers are switching over, my understanding is the RoHS has no actual meaning in the U.S.

Except for California everyone I've heard from says RoHS is unlikely in the U.S. anytime soon.

 

[vYu223]

What?! Have I missed something? Is lead solder being outlawed?! Sorry, haven't been in the diy section for a while.

 

[Jambo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by royalcrown /img/forum/go_quote.gif ...I really don't understand the point of RoHS for electronics, especially when such little solder is used away from anything potable, and at temperatures low enough so that the lead isn't that much of an issue...

The problem comes when electronic goods are disposed of into landfill.

Much as the environmental reasoning is sound, I agree that leaded solder is much easier to work with by hand, but I visited a local wave soldering place recently and they had lead free soldering figured out, so it seems fine for production. For the hobbyist, it's getting hard to find here in the UK apart from ebay.

Not sure what RoHS means in the US, but I'd imagine that since it means sacrificing something for sake of the environment that it means bugger all... The previous point about the military not being bound by this is true, but hey they've only recently started trusting PCBs over wire wrap!

 

[tangent]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pars /img/forum/go_quote.gif The military (even in Europe) isn't RoHS

Yes, but it's probably just a matter of time in all practicality. You used to be able to buy "milspec" everything in the 80's. Now...

Quote:

Originally Posted by vYu223 What?! Have I missed something? Is lead solder being outlawed?!

RoHS is a European Union directive that went into effect about a year and a half ago banning the sale of items containing many hazardous substances, including lead. On the face of it, this only affects the EU, but since the EU is the second-largest consumer market in the world, that means that almost everything being made for international sale is now RoHS-compliant. That in turn means the market for leaded solders has all but evaporated, making it increasingly hard for DIYers in the rest of the world to actually find leaded solder.

Now, the electronics industry tends to overcome obstacles like the ones posed by lead-free solder given time. Maybe they'll succeed, maybe they won't, but in the meantime, yes, hoard the good stuff. If it goes away, it won't come back again. Governments tend not to give up acquired power.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jambo Not sure what RoHS means in the US, but I'd imagine that since it means sacrificing something for sake of the environment that it means bugger all...

This is funny.... People accuse the US of cultural imperialism, but here's a clear case of some other country (okay, political agglomeration, then) jerking the rest of the world around by throwing their economic clout around.

Everyone would do it if they could. It just happens that the US is one of the few that can.

 

[SoapSeller]

Maybe I am missing something, But am I the only one that doesn't find lead-free solder so hard to work with?

Lately I've been using Cardas Tri Eutectic lead-free solder, working with a simple 10$ 30W iron I have no problems at all(didn't did any smd works tough).

I'm not an environmentalist, but if I can do something to not hurt this plant more then the minimum necessary, I'm doing it(keeping my amps off when I'm not using them, for example).

 

[fortney]

Soapseller,

I think the main issue with the new solder is the question of long term failure due to the growing of "whiskers" from the solder surface that may short out a nearby component in surface mount circuits mainly. I don't know if there are other issues too.

Regarding doing what is good for the planet, please note that critical thinking is sometimes ignored and political willfulness sometimes is the basis of environmental decision making and propagndizing.

I think much of this flows from the radical environmentalist construct that man is the fundamental threat to the planet.

F

 

[SoapSeller]

Quote:

Originally Posted by fortney /img/forum/go_quote.gif Soapseller, I think the main issue with the new solder is the question of long term failure due to the growing of "whiskers" from the solder surface that may short out a nearby component in surface mount circuits mainly. I don't know if there are other issues too.

Thank you for the information,
After reading your post I've done some research and learned that tin whiskers can grow up to 10mm, which can do harm for every circuit I've built lately.

But, Most of the articles I've found are more on the scary side then on the helpful side(I guess that because no one fully understand the phenomenon yet), I'll look into ways to minimize the risk anyway.

Quote:

Originally Posted by fortney /img/forum/go_quote.gif Regarding doing what is good for the planet, please note that critical thinking is sometimes ignored and political willfulness sometimes is the basis of environmental decision making and propagndizing. I think much of this flows from the radical environmentalist construct that man is the fundamental threat to the planet. F

I tend to agree with that, I don't really know if lead is bad or not(actually bought the lead-free solder by mistake).
My intention was that sometimes we should spare a moment and think about our actions(but not without thinking, as I did this time

). I didn't meant only this particular issue.

 

[Sovkiller]

Parts Express carry several kinds of it, MCM as well, Markertek and many other dealers still have stocks of lead solder, Kester, and other brands, I recently got a lb of Kester 44