Official Luthiers Forum!

Up until now I've used the 60%tin 40% lead solder for working on things and found it worked great, but I just ran out and walked down to canadian tire (I know first mistake ha) to pick up some more. Anyways the only stuff they had was the lead-free solder. I know its important for environmental and health reasons but how many of you use the lead free stuff?

Just from reading about it elsewhere online I'd say most hate it. Quite a few stated they did not like it due to the higher melting temp and that mixing lead free solder with the older stuff can result in a big mess.

So before deciding whether to return it or not and find the lead solder what is your opinion on the lead-free stuff?

Matt

I have some leaded solder that i still use. I have a few rolls of it. I have used the newer stuff and it does work ok. I feel it requires more heat and a little longer time. So use heatsink clips when soldering guitar or amp components to protect them. It certainly does not flow like the old stuff. It is also harder to reflow it to repair loose connections. Your better of removing the bad joint with a solder wick and redoing it all together. It does require different techniques the same as plumbing solder does now. In the states you cant get leaded solder for plumbing because its illegal to use now. At least it is in Pennsylvania. You might as well give it a shot since eventually you won't be able to get the old stuff.

thanks for the reply MRS, I think I may end up creating a little stock pile of the leaded stuff. I did end up trying the newer solder but it certainly wasn't quite as easy. I definetly noticed it taking longer to solder with and I would agree that it definetely didn't flow as easy. It gets the job done in the end I suppose and after a while I am sure I would get used to working with it. But for the limited amount of soldering I do I am sure I could get by fine for a couple years if i just stockpiled a couple of rolls of the old stuff.

I'll have to see what my thoughts are once I've used this one up!

Matt

Lead solder is definitely better. I've even heard that lead free solder is harder on the environment to manufacture. That being said we ship a lot to Europe & Japan so we're transitioning to lead free on everything so that we don't have to run two lines.

The biggest thing I dislike about the lead free solder I have used is that when it cools it does not cool shiney. In my view it's very possible to end up with a cold solder joint with lead free and not realise it. I chucked all the lead free in the trash.

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Mike

The only thing nescessary for evil to thrive is for good men to do nothing.

I know what you mean Mike. When i first learned how to solder back in the day a non shinny solder joint was a sign of a bad solder job. Now i can't tell the diference between good and bad with the new stuff.

60 / 40 rosin core solder still available at Acehardware.com, this is what I use. Probably not a bad idea to stock up a few packages. $4.79

Plumbers have no choice, it's been the law now 20 years for copper water supply tubing to use lead-free.

I don't think there is a law agains lead in electrical fittings, yet?

There is a lot of hullabaloo over electronic and computer components being recycled overseas, and entire communities of folks have polluted the water and soil there, and even during collection the air they breathe with lead. They noticed the cats and dogs dying first, then their children got sick and many were born with birth defects. Lead poisioning. Pretty sad.

Just down the street the Arkansas Game and Fish furnishes lead ammo for skeet shooting, about fifty high school kids being encouraged to hunt. I have to wonder about the lead concentrated in one area year after year? Even duck hunters had to resort to steel shot once lead was banned from duck hunting. I wonder if it was that lead killed the ducks or the hunters when they ate the ducks, or was it the ducks were eating the lead shot, or the shot was polluting the ground. It's confusing, can someone please explain?

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http://www.dickeyguitars.com

I recently seen on a cable channel where they are even switching from lead in the ammo on many police forces and at outdoor target ranges. I do see a time in the future where lead free ammo will be the norm.

Because bullets with lead in them might hurt people??

Sorry, that's too strange not to comment on.

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David Morris

The real reason is enviromental because many ranges are outdoors and most battlefields are too. The lead eventually seeps into the ground and can effect groundwater, plant life, animals and human population. The U.S millitary and some around the world has already started this.

This is very true, there has been alot of lead shot straight into lakes and ponds, from quail, pheasent,etc. hunting.
I have a 10ga. shotgun with X-full choke tube, (so I can onlyshoot lead shot) and they charge $20+ for ten shells.(way to expensive to hunt with)
Evenif they keep making lead solder, you can definitely expect to pay alot more for it. So stocking up now would be a very wise thing to do.