ROHS and irons and desoldering tools

[Tom Del Rosso]

Is there an iron and a desolder tool that makes ROHS as easy as SnPb used to
be?


--

Reply in group, but if emailing, add a zero and remove the last word.

 

[Martin Riddle]

On Sat, 19 Apr 2014 20:53:03 -0400, "Tom Del Rosso"
<td_03@verizon.net.invalid> wrote:

Is there an iron and a desolder tool that makes ROHS as easy as SnPb used to
be?

Tin copper solder does not seem to wet as fast as SnPb.
I've found that using Hot air is the best for rework.
Otherwise you'll be lifitng pads.


Cheers

 

[Tom Del Rosso]

Martin Riddle wrote:

On Sat, 19 Apr 2014 20:53:03 -0400, "Tom Del Rosso"
td_03@verizon.net.invalid> wrote:


Is there an iron and a desolder tool that makes ROHS as easy as
SnPb used to be?

Tin copper solder does not seem to wet as fast as SnPb.
I've found that using Hot air is the best for rework.
Otherwise you'll be lifitng pads.

Then it has to be hot, hot air. The air from my Atmoscope isn't hot enough.


--

Reply in group, but if emailing, add a zero and remove the last word.

 

On Sat, 19 Apr 2014 20:53:03 -0400, "Tom Del Rosso"
<td_03@verizon.net.invalid> wrote:

Is there an iron and a desolder tool that makes ROHS as easy as SnPb used to
be?

RoHS joints just look different than PbSn solder joints. With PbSn,
it's easy to see the quality of the joints. Good joints are shiny and
the solder flows smoothly. RoHs solder doesn't flow as well and you
can't see a big difference between good and bad. You *really* need
the proper flux for RoHS. I tend to use a hotter than recommended
iron so my dwell time is a lot less. I also replace parts with PbSn
solder (I do work on customer hardware).

Short answer: No. ;-)

 

[N_Cook]

On 20/04/2014 01:53, Tom Del Rosso wrote:

Is there an iron and a desolder tool that makes ROHS as easy as SnPb used to
be?

I doubt it as its the extra heat and lack of lead that make it awkward,
by definition almost.

 

[c4urs11]

On Sat, 19 Apr 2014 22:00:11 -0400, krw wrote:

> Short answer: No. ;-)

I fully agree.

We do a lot of SMD prototyping and occasional repair work.
You need the assistance of a few aids to make it workable.
Google for "solder tinner cleaner" and look at the images.
These tiny metal "cleaner" cans are essential.
Poke an iron in it and the tip will shine as if there was
lead in the solder.
Before poking you will want to rub the tip off in a metal sponge.
You need to get used to do this more often than with lead solder.

I confess we keep a spool of dark age solder.
Patience has its limits.

Cheers!

 

On 20 Apr 2014 11:18:35 GMT, c4urs11 <c4urs11@domain.hidden> wrote:

On Sat, 19 Apr 2014 22:00:11 -0400, krw wrote:

Short answer: No. ;-)

I fully agree.

We do a lot of SMD prototyping and occasional repair work.
You need the assistance of a few aids to make it workable.
Google for "solder tinner cleaner" and look at the images.
These tiny metal "cleaner" cans are essential.

Interesting. I've never used it. I do keep a damp sponge and a
solder cleaning blob (plastic wool?) on my solder station. I wipe the
tip on the sponge every time I pick up the iron. It's automatic.

Poke an iron in it and the tip will shine as if there was
lead in the solder.
Before poking you will want to rub the tip off in a metal sponge.
You need to get used to do this more often than with lead solder.

I confess we keep a spool of dark age solder.
Patience has its limits.

I don't even have a roll of socialist solder near my solder station.
;-)

 

[Phil Hobbs]

On 4/19/2014 8:53 PM, Tom Del Rosso wrote:

Is there an iron and a desolder tool that makes ROHS as easy as SnPb used to
be?

Kester 44.

Cheers

Phil Hobbs


--
Dr Philip C D Hobbs
Principal Consultant
ElectroOptical Innovations LLC
Optics, Electro-optics, Photonics, Analog Electronics

160 North State Road #203
Briarcliff Manor NY 10510

hobbs at electrooptical dot net
http://electrooptical.net

 

[Jeff Liebermann]

On 20 Apr 2014 11:18:35 GMT, c4urs11 <c4urs11@domain.hidden> wrote:

On Sat, 19 Apr 2014 22:00:11 -0400, krw wrote:

Short answer: No. ;-)

I fully agree.

Agreed. Unleaded solder is difficult to work with. I have up long
ago and use 63/37 Pb/Sn for rework. The only catch is that I have
suck up the Unleaded solder before applying the Pb/Sn solder. It's an
antique, but it does the job:
<http://802.11junk.com/jeffl/crud/pace-desoldering-station.jpg>

We do a lot of SMD prototyping and occasional repair work.
You need the assistance of a few aids to make it workable.
Google for "solder tinner cleaner" and look at the images.

I think you mean "solder tip tinner cleaner".
<https://www.google.com/search?q=solder+tip+tinner+cleaner&tbm=isch>

>These tiny metal "cleaner" cans are essential.

Agreed. Even Radio Shack carries them.

Poke an iron in it and the tip will shine as if there was
lead in the solder.
Before poking you will want to rub the tip off in a metal sponge.
You need to get used to do this more often than with lead solder.

I've been doing that for years and have noticed that my tip life is
less. The higher temperature of the 850F Weller tips that I use for
unleaded, which are hotter than the 750F tips I use for Pb/Sn, might
explain the shorter life. Also, I formerly had two different
soldering irons for each type of solder. However, cleaning the tip
with the "cleaner" has let me use only one soldering iron.

I confess we keep a spool of dark age solder.
Patience has its limits.

When RoHS appeared, I expected to have Pb/Sn solder declared a
controlled or hazardous substance, making availability difficult. So,
I stocked up with four 1 lb rolls of various sizes of 63/37 activated
rosin core solder, which would be about a 10 year supply at my minimal
use level. The disappearance never happened, but at least I have good
solder when I need it.


--
Jeff Liebermann jeffl@cruzio.com
150 Felker St #D http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
Santa Cruz CA 95060 http://802.11junk.com
Skype: JeffLiebermann AE6KS 831-336-2558

 

[Tom Del Rosso]

Jeff Liebermann wrote:

Agreed. Unleaded solder is difficult to work with. I have up long
ago and use 63/37 Pb/Sn for rework. The only catch is that I have
suck up the Unleaded solder before applying the Pb/Sn solder. It's an
antique, but it does the job:
http://802.11junk.com/jeffl/crud/pace-desoldering-station.jpg

I have almost the same model, but it isn't hot enough for ROHS even at full
power. I thought that was just because of the metal. The tip hasn't seen
much use so maybe something else is going.


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Reply in group, but if emailing, add a zero and remove the last word.

 

[Jeff Liebermann]

On Mon, 21 Apr 2014 01:33:50 -0400, "Tom Del Rosso"
<td_03@verizon.net.invalid> wrote:

Jeff Liebermann wrote:
Agreed. Unleaded solder is difficult to work with. I have up long
ago and use 63/37 Pb/Sn for rework. The only catch is that I have
suck up the Unleaded solder before applying the Pb/Sn solder. It's an
antique, but it does the job:
http://802.11junk.com/jeffl/crud/pace-desoldering-station.jpg

I have almost the same model, but it isn't hot enough for ROHS even at full
power. I thought that was just because of the metal. The tip hasn't seen
much use so maybe something else is going.

Well, I must confess that for leaded components, I usually remove the
bulk of the unleaded solder with a solder sucker:
<https://www.google.com/search?tbm=isch&q=solder+sucker>
and then clean out the holes with the Pace desoldering station. I have
to turn up the heat control to maximum, and use fairly low vacuum to
prevent the air flow from cooling the tip. Maybe you're moving too
much air?

For SMT, I can't easily use the Pace desoldering station, so I use a
hot air SMT desoldering station (with an aluminum foil shield) to
remove the parts and accumulated solder.

--
Jeff Liebermann jeffl@cruzio.com
150 Felker St #D http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
Santa Cruz CA 95060 http://802.11junk.com
Skype: JeffLiebermann AE6KS 831-336-2558

 

[Robert Baer]

Tom Del Rosso wrote:

Is there an iron and a desolder tool that makes ROHS as easy as SnPb used to
be?

I use an old GE iron; transformer has 4 terminals in a square: 35W,
29W, 26W, 32W (reading from top clockwise); "sec 6V35VA max" p/n
unreadable. Various screw-in bits "G.E. 6A215 V8 W25 L2" medium cone
which i use most of the time; "G.E. 6A211 V6 W23 CC" (large, chisel; and
"(G) 6A213 W25 V6 AL" small cone. [the (G) is a tiny version of the
circled GE symbol; all letters, numbers,symbols stamped into shaft of iron].
I use the 32W terminals, and a light dimmer set to 75 percent of full
for almost all work.
No setting change needed between tin/lead and tin/silver solder.
Tin/silver solder works easier and (obviously) shiner surface.

 

[Robert Baer]

Martin Riddle wrote:

On Sat, 19 Apr 2014 20:53:03 -0400, "Tom Del Rosso"
td_03@verizon.net.invalid> wrote:


Is there an iron and a desolder tool that makes ROHS as easy as SnPb used to
be?

Tin copper solder does not seem to wet as fast as SnPb.
I've found that using Hot air is the best for rework.
Otherwise you'll be lifitng pads.


Cheers
So you also hate suckie SAC.

 

[Robert Baer]

krw@attt.bizz wrote:

On Sat, 19 Apr 2014 20:53:03 -0400, "Tom Del Rosso"
td_03@verizon.net.invalid> wrote:


Is there an iron and a desolder tool that makes ROHS as easy as SnPb used to
be?

RoHS joints just look different than PbSn solder joints. With PbSn,
it's easy to see the quality of the joints. Good joints are shiny and
the solder flows smoothly. RoHs solder doesn't flow as well and you
can't see a big difference between good and bad. You *really* need
the proper flux for RoHS. I tend to use a hotter than recommended
iron so my dwell time is a lot less. I also replace parts with PbSn
solder (I do work on customer hardware).

Short answer: No. ;-)
Hmm..I have no flow problems with Sn96.3Ag3.7 solder.

 

[Martin Riddle]

On Mon, 21 Apr 2014 04:09:06 -0700, Robert Baer
<robertbaer@localnet.com> wrote:

Martin Riddle wrote:
On Sat, 19 Apr 2014 20:53:03 -0400, "Tom Del Rosso"
td_03@verizon.net.invalid> wrote:


Is there an iron and a desolder tool that makes ROHS as easy as SnPb used to
be?

Tin copper solder does not seem to wet as fast as SnPb.
I've found that using Hot air is the best for rework.
Otherwise you'll be lifitng pads.


Cheers
So you also hate suckie SAC.

They say SAC 350 is best for hand soldering, which appears to be true.
Removing it, is a different story.

Cheers

 

[Robert Baer]

Martin Riddle wrote:

On Mon, 21 Apr 2014 04:09:06 -0700, Robert Baer
robertbaer@localnet.com> wrote:

Martin Riddle wrote:
On Sat, 19 Apr 2014 20:53:03 -0400, "Tom Del Rosso"
td_03@verizon.net.invalid> wrote:


Is there an iron and a desolder tool that makes ROHS as easy as SnPb used to
be?

Tin copper solder does not seem to wet as fast as SnPb.
I've found that using Hot air is the best for rework.
Otherwise you'll be lifitng pads.


Cheers
So you also hate suckie SAC.

They say SAC 350 is best for hand soldering, which appears to be true.
Removing it, is a different story.

Cheers

1) There is absolutely NO reason to have copper in the alloy; the PCB
solder pads ARE treated with immersion SILVER.
2) Since soldering is onto SILVER, then the ideal additive is SILVER.
3) Remember Savbit,where copper was added to prevent leaching of
copper from the bits (copper tip solder iron)?
4) NO reason to ADD copper to the immersion silver; there is NO gain
- all loss: increased MP,increased brittleness, etc.

 

[Arfa Daily]

"Tom Del Rosso" <td_03@verizon.net.invalid> wrote in message
news:liv5pb$q8$1@dont-email.me...

Is there an iron and a desolder tool that makes ROHS as easy as SnPb used
to be?

Simple answer ? No ...

Arfa