brian47
Well-Known Member
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There are basically two types of solder, what used to be called "soft solder", not to be confused with "hard solder", used in brazing and silver soldering. I'm talking about the stuff we all think of as what's used for fixing wires and things.
First there's plumbing solder, can be supplied in big sticks or on more useful, easy to handle reels. This solder is most often "worked" with a flame, and these days does not contain lead. Working this solder with a flame could have resulted in the solder being heated above a level where any lead content could have produced harmful levels of vapour containing lead particles, which might have presented a lead poisoning hazard to the operator, the main reason for the removal of lead, and since it's primarily used on copper pipes, I can agree with the decision to remove any source of lead, no matter how small from the drinking water supply infrastructure.
The second type of solder is often used in the electrical and electronics industry and is what we normally refer to as 60/40. It's most easily used with a rozin flux which is usually contained in the cores in the middle. Tests were carried out way back in the 70's as to whether the vapour given off by multicore solder (the little puff of smoke) contained any lead products which might be harmful to users and it was found that at the normal temperatures used during soldering iron type operations contained very little or none at all.
The smoke was mainly a result of the flux being heated and it was thought that while it wasn't harmful in normal operations, lengthy exposure might cause irritation to eyes and throat.
The main risks from multicore solder is the possible ingestion of lead, tin and antimoney (another toxic heavy metal) due to the residue on the hands. Wash your hands with soap and water after soldering operations.
Multicore solder is still quite easily available, there's loads of it on "the bay" if you actually search for "multicore solder". If you just search for solder then you get more of the plumbing variety.
First there's plumbing solder, can be supplied in big sticks or on more useful, easy to handle reels. This solder is most often "worked" with a flame, and these days does not contain lead. Working this solder with a flame could have resulted in the solder being heated above a level where any lead content could have produced harmful levels of vapour containing lead particles, which might have presented a lead poisoning hazard to the operator, the main reason for the removal of lead, and since it's primarily used on copper pipes, I can agree with the decision to remove any source of lead, no matter how small from the drinking water supply infrastructure.
The second type of solder is often used in the electrical and electronics industry and is what we normally refer to as 60/40. It's most easily used with a rozin flux which is usually contained in the cores in the middle. Tests were carried out way back in the 70's as to whether the vapour given off by multicore solder (the little puff of smoke) contained any lead products which might be harmful to users and it was found that at the normal temperatures used during soldering iron type operations contained very little or none at all.
The smoke was mainly a result of the flux being heated and it was thought that while it wasn't harmful in normal operations, lengthy exposure might cause irritation to eyes and throat.
The main risks from multicore solder is the possible ingestion of lead, tin and antimoney (another toxic heavy metal) due to the residue on the hands. Wash your hands with soap and water after soldering operations.
Multicore solder is still quite easily available, there's loads of it on "the bay" if you actually search for "multicore solder". If you just search for solder then you get more of the plumbing variety.
