Hello time-nuts, Sorry for the off-topic post, but reading my mail this morning I've seen a few messages go by on this list about bad solder joints due to the RoHS stupidity, and I have a question about that.
My interest in the matter is from the perspective of a hobbyist hardware builder -- of the non-commercial, anarchist, screw-all-f***ing-laws kind. To me the RoHS problem is really two separate problems, of which only one really matters: Part one is the lead-free solder. *I think* this one is easily solved -- just use normal tin-lead solder in everything I build. Part two is the lead-free *parts*. This is the real problem. While some manufacturers still offer both leaded and lead-free parts at least on paper, in many cases the leaded part is discontinued or much more difficult to obtain than the lead-free version. So here are my questions for those who seem to have more experience with this whole mess than I do: 1. Are the crappy RoHS solder joints due to the lead-free solder or the lead-free parts? If it's the solder, will using traditional tin-lead solder give me traditional good solder joints even if the parts are lead-free, or are we doomed to live with crappy solder joints until we can raise an army to march on the part factories and force them to restart the production of leaded parts? 2. What problems should I be on the lookout for when soldering lead-free parts with the traditional tin-lead solder? Or does this not work and I would have to use the goddamn lead-free solder if I'm forced to use lead-free parts? 3. Since I want to use leaded parts whenever I can get them and use lead-free ones only if there is no choice, I'll have a mix of leaded and lead-free parts on my boards. I've heard that such mixing gives problems with reflow soldering because the two melt at different temperatures. What if I use the traditional tin-lead solder throughout? Any advice? TIA a lot for any insight. MS _______________________________________________ time-nuts mailing list time-nuts@febo.com https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts
