Anyone purchased solder lately?

[Dave2000]

the single best thing that you can do for the planet is.. don't have children..

Given the wave of political correctness that is now out of control, I must say I feel sorry for my grandchildren with regards to the way the UK and in general world is going.

Regards

Dave

 

[Dave2000]

On the soldering front, I bought a reel of solder from a local electronics shop several years ago and the guy said he was down to his last few of 'the old stuff' with the higher lead content. Apparently the new solder alloy doesn't run as readily?

The roll purchased a few days back has a lead content of '30 - 60%', and is manufactured and sold by a reputable company, works/flows fine, and as per my post earlier, regarded as safe to use by the world............well except an area in Brussels.

@Towpack I guess your supplier was being forced to purchase from an EU country or face ridiculous import charges crushing his profit margin?

Regards

Dave

 

[Rob Cowell]

The roll purchased a few days back has a lead content of '30 - 60%', and is manufactured and sold by a reputable company, works/flows fine, and as per my post earlier, regarded as safe to use by the world............well except an area in Brussels.

@Towpack I guess your supplier was being forced to purchase from an EU country or face ridiculous import charges crushing his profit margin?

Regards

Dave

Ridiculous being 2.7%.

https://www.trade-tariff.service.gov.uk/trade-tariff/commodities/8311300000

 

[clivehorridge]

the single best thing that you can do for the planet is.. don't have children..

I think (as far as the planet is concerned) the longer-term solution, Mike

 

[clivehorridge]

There was a feature on the news the other night about plastic use and recycling in Norway. To avoid a large tax per bottle, drinks manufacturers are only allowed to use 2 types of plastic which is easily recyleable into new bottles, even the labels on them and the glue used to stick them on is controlled. The price of the drink also includes a refundable deposit which is claimed back at collection stations (a bit like vending machines) in shops etc. The result is a very high recycle rate and very little waste. I would guess that once in place such schemes probably cost relatively little to run, it's just the initial cost of getting the logistics in place that is the 'problem'.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/world-...ottle-scheme-that-could-help-clean-the-oceans

On the soldering front, I bought a reel of solder from a local electronics shop several years ago and the guy said he was down to his last few of 'the old stuff' with the higher lead content. Apparently the new solder alloy doesn't run as readily?

My experience is that it’s much more sensitive to “dirt” and it seems whenever I need to solder something, I’m lying on my back under the truck, it’s windy, probably raining, so its sensitive to not getting enough heat. I don’t have good tools, but I used to get away with it with the old stuff.

I use flux, often that brown paste, but I think the recommended flux for the new stuff may be different.

Who knows?.....

 

[Dave2000]

For outside use I have a Weller gas soldering iron, nifty bit of kit.

Regards

Dave

 

[Towpack]

I also have one of the gas powered irons which get so hot they're ideal for outside use as you say CG. We used to have them at work some time back but they fell out of favour for some reason. We had to take them for 'test' periodically, which comprised of gassing the thing up and submerging it in a bucket of water. No bubbles = a pass, bubbles = the scrap bin.

 

[clivehorridge]

I’ve got a fine flame blowtorch for bigger stuff, but for wiring I have a crappy trigger-switch electric thingy, near-on useless outside, you know the type...

 

[Bert]

This thread has been enjoyable. I'm lucky enough to still have the remnants of a roll of solder that I've had from working in the electronics industry way back in the late 80's. I think it's 60/40 mix. I don't have to use it often, but it still joins well.
I guess I'll have the European Swat Squad kicking down my door to save me from the stuff now.

 

[clivehorridge]

I’ve got the remains of a plumber’s triangular section bar somewhere, it was in my dad’s toolbox for as long as I can remember, heaven knows where that is now...

I’m guessing that would have been pure lead from the 30’s maybe?

 

[StarCruiser]

I’ve got the remains of a plumber’s triangular section bar somewhere, it was in my dad’s toolbox for as long as I can remember, heaven knows where that is now...

I’m guessing that would have been pure lead from the 30’s maybe?

I remember my dad having exactly the same bent round in a U shape.

Incidentally I did get used to your soldering iron and have always had difficulty with using solderingbirons outside, except for the huge Post Office one I have which used to be made for soldering big terminals until I filed a chisel point on it. About 1" diameter and gets stinking hot.

 

[Dave2000]

I’ve got the remains of a plumber’s triangular section bar somewhere, it was in my dad’s toolbox for as long as I can remember, heaven knows where that is now...

I’m guessing that would have been pure lead from the 30’s maybe?

Yep, taught to 'wipe' my first joint with a big blowlamp and lead stick by my father.......many moons back.

Regards

Dave

 

[clivehorridge]

That sounds like a bruiser of an iron Rich!

You make me wonder what happened to my old uncle Cyril’s tools now, he was an engineer with the GPO all his working life, up in Leek, he’s been gone from this world for the last maybe 30 years now.

I always seem to end up down memory lane in posts like this...

Must be my age..

 

[clivehorridge]

Yep, taught to 'wipe' my first joint with a big blowlamp and lead stick by my father.......many moons back.

Regards

Dave

Dad thought me to sweat copper Yokshire’s but I never had a go at lead pipe soldering. Dad was self thought at everything

 

[flint]

I got fairly good at using a blowtorch, solder and moleskin when I refurbed the plumbing in our old London house. Joining copper to lead using a turnpin to flare out the lead was a bit of a challenge, got there in the end though.

 

[Dave2000]

Dad thought me to sweat copper Yokshire’s but I never had a go at lead pipe soldering. Dad was self thought at everything

My father's trade dealt with a lot of pipework, he was a maintenance fitter on oil fed boilers, he looked after two huge very old versions that were side by side in a paint factory in East London. I remember the amount of times he was called out during the night if one was throwing a hissy fit. I found out later that if they went bang the authorities would have had to re draw the local maps!

Funny how you can draw knowledge from your parents, never learnt to cook though,........Dave signs off reminiscing about Mum's Kate and Sidney pie

Regards

Dave