Re: gEDA-user: Lead Free at home?

[Marvin Dickens <marvindickens@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Sunday 14 August 2005 12:00 pm, Mike Jarabek wrote:
> Hi,
>
> Bob Paddock wrote:
> > With the new European directives for being lead free, and to have
> > products easy to recycle etc. I was wondering how you where getting ready
> > for it?
> >
> > What should I be doing for the one-off toaster oven kind of projects I do
> > at home, to make them lead free?   Obviously I know don't use parts or
> > solder with lead.  :-)  What are the alternatives for low volume proto
> > work?

Lead free solder and sold pastes are available on line and from traditional
distribution channels. We do a lot of prototyping andrepair at work 
and have been using lead free for over a year - for both prototyping and 
repair. 

Now, lead free products have different physical properties than leaded 
products. Specifically, they require slightly higher temperatures and the 
flow characteristics are different. So, before you try to make a board, 
experiment with it first so you don't get any unexpected surprises.

Marvin