Kids and soldering irons

[Kate Fights, I Cry]

bruce varley wrote:

Hi, My nephew is 10, mad keen on electronics. What minimum age do people
think is appropriate for owning a soldering iron?

I started at 13

Did a few kits but most of them were a bloody mess
with bad solder joints but practice did make things
better.

Despite bad eyesight and the fact things take longer
for me to do I still occasionally do a small project
here and there when I can.

But like other people have said why is lead used in solder?

Why haven't they come up with something else?

 

[Alex Gibson]

"Kate Fights, I Cry" <sittinginthepool@internode.on.net> wrote in message
news:4294546D.D0B1E70D@internode.on.net...

bruce varley wrote:

Hi, My nephew is 10, mad keen on electronics. What minimum age do people
think is appropriate for owning a soldering iron?




I started at 13

Did a few kits but most of them were a bloody mess
with bad solder joints but practice did make things
better.

Despite bad eyesight and the fact things take longer
for me to do I still occasionally do a small project
here and there when I can.

But like other people have said why is lead used in solder?

Why haven't they come up with something else?

They have , but some are a lot more toxic than lead.
You won't get lead poisoning but other possibly worse health effects.
I prefer to risk the lead poisoning.

Also lead free has a higher melting point.

Same with non rosin flux , lot more likely to cause asthma
the ones with halogens

http://www.impell.com/binary/articles/Fume%20ex%20reduces%20LF%20risks.pdf
http://www.emtonthenet.net/techfeatures/200407/technicalarticle_Technology_02.htm


Similar to replacing lead in petrol. The replacements are a lot more toxic
and cause cancer
but don't cause lead poisoning.

A few manufacturers are starting to use conductive adhesives
especially in Europe with the tougher environmental and safety regs.
More non-repairable equipment.

Also helping with the push for distributed passives.
PCB has the passive components built-in as part of the pcb.
Only for massive runs.


Alex

 

[budgie]

On Wed, 25 May 2005 23:15:11 -0800, Mark Harriss <billy@blartco.co.uk> wrote:

Kate Fights, I Cry wrote:

But like other people have said why is lead used in solder?

Why haven't they come up with something else?


Seriously there is an alloy with identical crystal
structure to tin/lead in the way it solidifies etc,
but it's 40% platinum. It's not marketed as solder though
more of a lab curiosity and it has a nasty tendency to
shatter like glass with mechanical shock.

not to mention the shock from the price ...

 

[Mark Harriss]

Kate Fights, I Cry wrote:

But like other people have said why is lead used in solder?

Why haven't they come up with something else?

Seriously there is an alloy with identical crystal
structure to tin/lead in the way it solidifies etc,
but it's 40% platinum. It's not marketed as solder though
more of a lab curiosity and it has a nasty tendency to
shatter like glass with mechanical shock.

 

[bruce varley]

Guys, Many thanks to all who responded to this thread. It's provided me
with all I needed to know, plus a good deal more. This is a really good ng.

 

[quietguy]

I think most of us who replied are glad to see a kid learn to build stuff, and
acquire useful skills instead of just watchin tv and gameboying etc.

And it is great to see a kid being given support and encouragement -
goodonyamate

David

bruce varley wrote:

Guys, Many thanks to all who responded to this thread. It's provided me
with all I needed to know, plus a good deal more. This is a really good ng.