Trouble finding Leaded Solder

[Tubetec]

I was talking to a few people in the trade who tried ordering up leaded solder from Uk souces to Ireland ,it seems like some kind of EU regulation has come into place thats preventing the export of lead based soldering products , Im just wondering if anyone knows more on the subject . Reworking old gear with new unleaded solder is a waste of time ,and I dont like the elevated tempratures required either. There is some suppliers with existing stock here ,but I wonder are the EU cronies are planning to do away with leaded solder altogether.

I'm also wondering about this Brexit thing ,and how it could affect trade both between Ireland ,the Uk and the rest of europe. I'd imagine alot of Irish exports to the continent go via the Uk as things stand now ,but post brexit it might no longer make sense to do that. The Uk is Irelands biggest trading partner as far as exports ,and theres a large degree of co-reliance between the two economies that the whole brexit thing threatens .It could very easily become a situation where there are shortages of food on supermarket shelves here in Ireland and theres absolutely no  doubt that smuggling on a large scale would return to the border counties of the Republic and Northern Ireland . Somebody really messed up asking the people the brexit question without even fully considering the implications  and the whole thing was swept  through on a wave of nationalism and self interest,Its a big  bloody mess waiting to happen.

 

[abbey road d enfer]

Have you tried Aliexpress?
https://fr.aliexpress.com/item/0-8mm-75g-Tin-Wire-Melt-Rosin-Core-Solder-Soldering-Wire-Roll/32333325581.html?spm=a2g0w.10010108.1000014.2.5e644aefEkmxpW&scm=1007.13338.98644.000000000000000&scm_id=1007.13338.98644.000000000000000&scm-url=1007.13338.98644.000000000000000&pvid=332f62f8-de96-41b8-99e4-11741eed76e4&_t=pvid%3A332f62f8-de96-41b8-99e4-11741eed76e4%2Cscm-url%3A1007.13338.98644.000000000000000
In France, businesses cannot use leaded solder, but individuals are free to contaminate their lungs, or whatever. I've used leaded solder for 55+years and my lungs are clean as a baby's.

 

[Tubetec]

Thanks Abbey ,
thats looks like a pretty good deal , I saw a 250gram roll at a local suppliers here was more than 40 euros .
Have you have you had a chance to verify the quality of that particular brand yourself? , Ive had mixed luck with chineese solders in the past ,some good ,some absolutely worthless crud/slag that oxidises as soon as you put the iron to it.
Of course Im a cynic and say this whole lead free thing is just a handy way to make bad electronics that wont last and will need replacing sooner rather than later , Still though mass production solder wave with lead just isnt really possible in factories anymore ,different ball game completely for the small  volume hand made stuff like we do here .

 

[abbey road d enfer]

Thanks Abbey ,
thats looks like a pretty good deal , I saw a 250gram roll at a local suppliers here was more than 40 euros .
Have you have you had a chance to verify the quality of that particular brand yourself?

No; last time I bought solder wire, I bought that
https://www.amazon.fr/ESO14-Soudure-AG2-250g-CR2/dp/B004TNBCAQ/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1529167252&sr=8-2&keywords=soudure+bmj
Next time I'll try Aliexpress. I recently bought several things from them and I was amazed by the excellent service and the quality of the products. It seems the Chinese have understood what the Japanese found out 70 years ago, while we are trying to protect miserably our industries by creating artificial barriers that we ourselves do not know how to cross.

 

[JohnRoberts]

I have both old school and lead free solder on my bench, for sales into CE market I try to make everything lead free, (the SMD pcb already is). For domestic sales I use real solder for finish work.  8)

JR

 

[madswitcher]

Hi Tubetec,

You can still get 60/40 solder from RS. I use P/N 185-0109  as it melts at about 185 C  and has a water-based flux so cleaning is down to a toothbrush and a dab of water.

For that extra shine, use a drop of washing up liquid to a cup full of de-ionised water, then repeat with just water and dry it off with a vacuum cleaner set to 'Blow' 

Cheers

Mike

 

[Tubetec]

Theres nothing beats the 'shiney joint' , I havent done any low resistance measurements  ,but I strongly suspect unoxidised tin lead outperforms crud anyday .

 

[Gene Pink]

, I saw a 250gram roll at a local suppliers here was more than 40 euros .

Somebody is profiteering over there.

Last time I bought a pound a few years ago, it was about $20. It went up some since, but at $30 / pound (about 454g), a bunch cheaper.

https://www.frys.com/product/5842343?site=sr:SEARCH:MAIN_RSLT_PG

Gene

 

[abbey road d enfer]

Somebody is profiteering over there.

You don't know the cost of living in western Europe!  :-[

 

[madswitcher]

RS are not too bad. £20 +vat, but you always know what you are getting with RS.  Never had a bum component from them in (must be) 45 odd years. 

I still remember them as Radio Spares and when their printed catalogue used to be a goldmine of information.

Cheers

Mike

 

[ruffrecords]

I bought 10 reels about 10 years ago as a lifetime supply. So far I have used two. At that rate they will last me until I am 107.

Cheers

Ian

 

[abbey road d enfer]

I still remember them as Radio Spares and when their printed catalogue used to be a goldmine of information.

That was a time when you could tell boffin's bogs because they had the RS catalogue instead of Playboy. ;D

 

[Tubetec]

Always good to plan ahead Ian ,

The techy bog reading thing was funny Abbey, a big book like the Rs catalogue would mean you'd always have back up pages to spare in case you were low on regular bog roll too  ;D

 

[ruffrecords]

Always good to plan ahead Ian ,

The techy bog reading thing was funny Abbey, a big book like the Rs catalogue would mean you'd always have back up pages to spare in case you were low on regular bog roll too  ;D

When I started my apprenticeship in 1969, Radio Spares was well known but it was only available to professionals like TV repair men and companies. You could not buy direct from them. Instead, ordinary folk used to get their parts from the likes of Maplin which in those days was really good. The only problem was you had to pay for the Maplin catalogue so you would not be using it  as back up bog paper!

Cheers

Ian

 

[abbey road d enfer]

Instead, ordinary folk used to get their parts from the likes of Maplin which in those days was really good. The only problem was you had to pay for the Maplin catalogue so you would not be using it  as back up bog paper!

That's right! I remember bringing back my first Maplin catalogue and drooling over it. That and Lasky's...

 

[Tubetec]

Maplin wasnt in Cork that long ,about 12 years Id say , In the earlier days I had the local repair guys plagued for bits n pieces . There is one  place left ,years ago he supplied components and contracted to the Apple and other electronics production facillities,its still going , so thats handy for local source .Peats electronics in dublin was the big one,thats gone but the wholesale division still exists.  Theres very little consumer electronics produced here any longer ,Sennheiser does a bit still ,but my guess is its mostly assembly and packaging nowadays.

 

[ruffrecords]

That's right! I remember bringing back my first Maplin catalogue and drooling over it. That and Lasky's...

And Henry's Radio and Eversham Components and of course Bentley Acoustic Corporation for valves.

Happy days.

Cheers

Ian

 

[Holger]

Found at reichelt.de
https://www.reichelt.de/Loetzinn/LZ-FE-1-0-1000/3/index.html?ACTION=3&GROUPID=557&ARTICLE=10990&START=0&OFFSET=16&SID=96Wyf2HawQAT8AABhYIwg1012884319d1257b41173c4ca5d56e42&LANGUAGE=EN

 

[Tubetec]

Thanks for that Holger ,