Soldering and other skills (was Re: QL-Quality (Was: ZX-81 Question))

On Mon, 1 Apr 2002, Chad Fernandez wrote: I think you have it backward. Solder for water pipes is supposed to be lead free (I believe there are strict laws regulating that). Solder for non-water pipes can still use lead based solders. Electronics solder can be one of many different alloys, most consisting of between 40% and 60% lead, the remaining component, tin. Generic solder sold for electronics today is usually a 60/40 (tin/lead) alloy. Most of the solder used in the 1960s was a 50/50 alloy. Surface mount and other exotic solder alloys made today also contain 2% to 5% silver. IIRC, the tin content is also bad for health. I too would be interested in knowing what the chemical content of the burning flux is. Of course, some of the solvents and cleaners also used for electronics work are probably worse than soldering. I do remember having muscle cramps in my fingers when my workload of soldering work would decrease. I tended to blame muscle conditioning, but now I think it may have been all the lead/tin I was handling. -Toth