What is a good Pb-Free solder to use? - RF Cafe Forums

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Do you think Pb-Free solder is a pain in the arse?
Yes 100% [ 10 ]
No 0% [ 0 ]
Total votes : 10
Author Message
James King
Post subject: What is a good Pb-Free solder to use? Posted: Thu Feb 16, 2006 8:56 am

Lieutenant

Joined: Sun Aug 31, 2003 3:20 pm
Posts: 3
Location: Midwest
With the RoHS (Pb-Free) deadline quickly approaching in July, I still am wondering what is a good lead-free solder to use for general prototype and repair soldering? Some the the stuff I have used is really crappy. It does not flow well, especially without using a lot of flux. Reflowing is a real hemorrhoid.

Whay are you guys (and gals?) using?

http://www.kester.com/en-us/index.aspx
http://www.alphametals.com/main.asp
http://www.aimsolder.com/

Thanks to you.

J. King

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Curtis Crow
Post subject: Posted: Thu Feb 16, 2006 9:13 am

Captain

Joined: Wed Jan 07, 2004 1:27 pm
Posts: 7
I'm with you on this one James. Here is a link to an article on the Law of Unintended Consequences - very appropriate. I think that the whole thing is a boondoggle. Electronics lead constitutes maybe .1% of all lead in the world. Lead-acid batteris make up something like 40% of all lead waste. Let's get real here.

http://www.rtcmagazine.com/home/article.php?id=100455

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Ming
Post subject: Posted: Thu Feb 16, 2006 10:20 am

Lieutenant

Joined: Tue Jan 13, 2004 8:42 am
Posts: 4
Here are the number according to CMAP in Canada.

http://www.cmap.ca/open/Lead-Free%20May%201%202002A.pdf

Major Uses of Lead
Storage Batteries 80.81%
Paints, Ceramics, Pigments, Chemicals 4.78%
Ammunition 4.69%
Miscellaneous 2.77%
Sheet lead 1.79%
Cable covering 1.40%
Casting metals 1.13%
Brass,/bronze billets and ingots 0.72%
Pipes, traps, extruded products 0.72%
Solder (excluding electronics solder) 0.70%
Electronics solder 0.49%

Discards of Lead Products in Municipal Solid Waste
Lead Acid Batteries 48.1%
TV Pictures Tubes and CRTs 35.8%
Glass and Ceramics 5.5%
Other Consumer Electronics 4.4%
Plastics 2.5%
Other 2.3%
Cans/Shipping Containers 1.4%

Posted 11/12/2012