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Comment by blkhawk | Hacker News Reader

its not hard at all - a 10EUR iron will do frankly if you aren't a complete spaz :)

the pin spacing is just as large as with the "grownup" RPI

just don't use lead-free solder - no good reason for it and it makes soldering harder than it need be.

10EUR irons are terrible! You have to be far more skilled to deliver the right amount of heat, and for some cases (small pad close to a chip without a shunt) it's hard to solder well without causing damage. They can also be pretty inconsistent temp-wise, making precise, skilled timings impossible.

Any electronics containing lead must be disposed on safely, meaning you can't just sell or distribute such items.

Why bother make disposal hard for the sake of easy soldering?

well, apart from not wanting lead poisoning

not a problem with lead solder. I prefer not getting cancer from the flux in the lead free solder.

How do you avoid it with lead solder? Common soldering tutorials don't mention the issue.

Because lead poisoning isn't a huge issue for hobbyists.

Common rules are: Work in a well-ventilated area, don't eat while working, don't use your soldering iron to heat your coffee. But those apply while using lead-free solder as well.

Why is it not an issues, the dosage is too low? Afaik lead enters through the skin, too - washing hands after soldering sufficient?

Real answer: you would have to be soldering for hours every day for months to be exposed to more lead than can be cleared naturally. Full-time component assembly workers do get that much exposure, so they need to take precautions to avoid poisoning. For hobbyists, you would have to eat quite a bit of solder at once before you would develop any poisoning symptoms.

edit: so, it's the frequent repeated exposure to lead (i.e. in paint and as a sugar added to wine[0]) which is harmful, not any single individual (non-acute) exposure.

[0]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lead(II)_acetate#Sweetener

heavy metal leaching in rubbish tips is an environmental issue, one being tackled by much of Europe, starting with regulations on lead-containing electronics.

And since almost all electronics are made in large quantities for sale, it makes sense that there can be different rules for one-offs.

Don't eat the solder? Warning: Pregnant women, the elderly, and children under 10 should avoid prolonged exposure to lead-based solder. Caution: lead-based solder may suddenly accelerate to dangerous speeds. Lead-based solder contains a liquid core, which, if exposed due to rupture, should not be touched, inhaled, or looked at. Do not use lead-based solder on concrete. Discontinue use of lead-based solder if any of the following occurs:

    itching
    vertigo
    dizziness
    tingling in extremities
    loss of balance or coordination
    slurred speech
    temporary blindness
    profuse sweating
    or heart palpitations.

If lead-based solder begins to smoke, get away immediately. Seek shelter and cover head. Lead-based solder may stick to certain types of skin. When not in use, lead-based solder should be returned to its special container and kept under refrigeration. Failure to do so relieves the makers of lead-based solder, Wacky Products Incorporated, and its parent company, Global Chemical Unlimited, of any and all liability. Ingredients of lead-based solder include an unknown glowing green substance which fell to Earth, presumably from outer space. Lead-based solder has been shipped to our troops in Saudi Arabia and is being dropped by our warplanes on Iraq. Do not taunt lead-based solder. Lead-based solder comes with a lifetime warranty.

What are you doing with it, eating it?

It so happens the lead-free solder needs more heat, more heat leads to longer solder times, killing more components, or damaging their lifespan, forcing you to breath more of the extra toxic lead-free flux fumes. Do not use lead-free solder for hobby work.

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