[Elecraft] Re: lead-free solder (plus bonus desoldering primer :)

[wayne burdick]

Ron D'Eau Claire wrote:

> I wrote, "Lead-free solder melts at a higher temperature than leaded 
> solder. Higher temperatures mean it's easier
> to lift a trace or damage a solder pad if you change a part."

This is certainly true. But it's worse than that. What I should have 
said is that it's much harder to get parts off the board *at all* if 
they were secured using unleaded solder. It's hard to get even one wire 
out of a hole!

In 1999 I wrote about the joys of component removal:

    http://www.kkn.net/archives/html/QRP-L/1999-01/msg00445.html

Everything I said in this piece goes double for lead-free solder  :)

However, I must modify my original Technique #8. Rather than use a 
component lead to clean out a solder-filled hole, I use a very thin 
stainless-steel "pick" or a toothpick. The solder won't stick to such 
tools -- a huge improvement over my original method.

73,
Wayne
N6KR


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