Lead-free solder, tin whiskers and bald-faced lies

The health hazards of leaded solder are probably exaggerated. Other than that, there is absolutely nothing wrong with RoHS-compliant (Restriction of Hazardous Substances) solder.

Persons who are experienced soldering by hand with leaded solder may not want to change. Also, silver costs more than lead, bosses are not the ones doing that kind of work, and they don’t want to pay for silver. So hand solder jobs in the electronics industry are only for prototyping and make-work.

"… In this case, a thorough post-solder cleaning should be done to prevent flux-related problems such as corrosion, dendritic growth, poor adhesion of the conformity coatings, and electromigration, which can cause short circuits between circuit traces. … A good lead-based solder joint will be smooth and shiny, while the lead-free joints are usually duller and grainy.…"

No. A composition of 99% tin, 0.7% copper and 0.3% silver is fine. An alloy of 96.5% tin, 0.5% copper and 3% silver is also popular. Very nice and shiny. If the guys at work don't steal it and use it at home to solder jewelry for their wives and girlfriends. Actually, do not use jewelry solder for electronics. Even so-called "extra easy" silver solder is much too hot and hard. Silver happens to be an excellent electrical conductor, and a little bit goes a long way, while lead is a rather poor conductor of electricity, but used because of its resistance to acids.

\"Tin whiskers\" is not an imaginative, fanciful term for some aspect of electronics manufacturing. Tin whiskers are real. They are microscopic conductive fibers emanating from pure tin surfaces, and they pose a serious problem to electronics of all types. These whiskers can form electrical paths, which affect the operation of the subject device. This article discusses the problems caused by the removal of lead from electronics and describes some techniques to mitigate tin whiskers .

No. No. Just no. Absolutely not. Straight honest men shave and dress for work without talking about "tin whiskers." Nothing is wrong with silver solder.

Get serious. Cost is a consideration, but leaded solder suffers from cold solder joints and poor electrical conductivity, and ultimately those guys should have shaved for work and not robbed the jewelry store.