[Milsurplus] Lead solder banned?

[Don Davis]

The aerospace industry is under a lot of pressure to change from SnPb solder
to Indium/Silver/Paladium/etceterum substitiutes.  Some work OK, but we
don't have a lot of extended test data that says it'll survive space for 20
years.  We're seeing a lot of new components with no lead in the
terminations.

Lead is causing most consumer electronics to be branded as hazardous waste,
and now cost effort & money to get rid of them (at least in CA in the big
city).  One day soon, your old BA is going to be looked upon as society does
Asbestos, and PCBs, and guns.  Beware....

Also, lead based solder is outlawed, per building codes everywhere, for
water delivery as far as I know.  The new lead free solder works well with a
good hot torch tip.  A lazy flame won't touch it.  None of the hardware
stores in LA Conty can legally sell lead solder for plumbing use.  BTW:  Use
the thick (good) copper piping; works fine in low-moderate freezing areas.
The thin stuff splits.

73s

Don  AD6PB



Michael syas:>
> Come to think of it, copper water piping is a good place not to use lead
> based solder.  But anyone who uses copper water piping more than 10
degrees north
> or south of the Equator is asking for trouble anyway.