Suggestions for VT103?

[Jerome H. Fine]

 >Ethan Dicks wrote:

>>On Sun, Dec 28, 2008 at 5:20 PM, Josh Dersch <derschjo at mail.msu.edu> wrote:
>  
>
>>Also, just to satisfy my curiosity -- it's been mentioned by several people
>>that lead-based solder is necessary -- why is this?
>>    
>>
>
>Because the equipment was made with lead-based solder (being many,
>many years older than the RoHS directives), and mixing lead-free and
>lead-based solder is not a good idea.  I'm sure someone here can quote
>chapter and verse, but AFAIK, you'll get unreliable solder joints if
>you try.
>
>  
>
>>(I think I have a spool
>>of it somewhere that I liberated from my grandfather's basement some years
>>back, but I'll have to dig it up...)
>>    
>>
>
>If that's plumbing solder, you are unlikely to get good results.
>Really, really old plumbing solder _is_ lead-based, but most of what
>you are likely to find is not (so that it's safe to use on supply
>lines).  Plumbing solder is also frequently acid-cored or fluxless.  I
>don't recall running into any plumbing solder that is compatible with
>electronic circuits.
>
>Now...if your grandfather was a Ham or did electronic repairs, what
>you have might be just perfect, but be sure you have the right stuff
>before you get started.
>
>What you are after is rosin-core lead-based solder around 60/40 or
>63/37 tin/lead, with a diameter around 0.5mm (.020") to 0.8mm (.032").
> The exact ratio of lead to tin is not critical, nor is the exact
>diameter, but since you aren't doing ultra-fine work or trying to
>solder down something huge and heavy, like bundles of power-supply
>leads or RF cages, I'd recommend something "medium" weight, like the
>0.8mm (.032").
>
>There should be a label on one end of the spool (if it's still on the
>original spool) describing the various characteristics.  If you aren't
>practiced at making good joints, I'd recommend getting an inexpensive
>electronic hobby kit to practice on.  My earliest efforts from when I
>was in Jr. High are rather ugly - by the time I was adding blue wires
>to $2000 boards at work five years later, I'd gotten much, much better
>from the early practice.
>  
>
Very helpful - thank you!

Sincerely yours,

Jerome Fine

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