Lead solder safety and small children? (Late NBD)

[harryklippton]

My daughter was born a little over 2 weeks ago. She was 6 weeks early and spent 2 weeks in NICU, but she's home with us now. She's doing well and everything is ok, aside from my wife and I adjusting to being new parents.

I want to get back to working on pedals as time permits. I've always tried to maintain some basic level of safety with lead solder, so i wash my hands after stopping working, don't eat at the bench, and use a fume extractor.

Is wiping my hands with a wet wipe sufficient before handling my child? Is washing my hands in the sink preferable? Anybody know specifically more than "I did ____ and my kid is fine?" Particularly if any of you have a background in this area. Thanks

[matmosphere]

I don't know the answers to your questions but I have finally found a lead free solder I like after trying several different ones. It's not quite as good as the lead stuff but it is much easier than others I've tried.

Keep in mind the fumes are still problematic but no lead is better than some lead.

It has been a while but I think I bought it on Amazon. I'll check later and get back tod you.

[matmosphere]

Ah, and super big congrats. Kids are one of the few things cooler than pedals.

[peccary]

First off: congratulations on your kid! We had our first about 19 months ago and you are in for an entirely new world. But you know that already!

I just want to be clear that I'm a concerns dad and not an expert in handling lead. I have done some Google research but that's about it, so I'm all for new info and am happy to learn something new if I've got anything wrong.

My understanding is that handling lead is pretty safe, that it doesn't absorb through your skin. Soldering typically won't get lead hot enough to vaporize, so you're not really breathing it in (the flux is what's so terrible to breathe in). The issues with handling lead happen when you then grab a sandwich or pick your nose or rub your eyes with your lead covered fingers.

I don't believe that washing your hands with soap and water gets the lead out (heh) all that well from what I've read. I use a product called D-Wipes which are designed to remove lead specifically. I use them on my hands, arms, and face once I'm done. I also use it to wipe down my phone and keys or anything else I plan to bring back in to the house. I actually think that I need to get out of the habit of using my phone while working on pedals. You should be able to get D wipes from Amazon, or, if there's a gun store nearby you can likely find them there as well. I also wear an apron when working and change my clothes after.

Do your own research, though, and if you find anything new please share. I was still alive when leaded gas was a thing and who knows how that'll mess me up in my brain down the line. Don't trust all those old loons who talk about how they soldered for 40 hours a day without a fan while holding molten lead in their mouths and munching on paint chips and they're all okay. The less lead a person is exposed to the better.

[alanp]

Lead is a concern, but so is the flux, if not more so. Rosin is an organic compound that when burnt (say, when soldering!) turns into a hundred different chemicals, nearly all nasty. It's based on refined and purified tree sap. As always, check out the data sheet!

http://www.farnell.com/datasheets/43151.pdf

[Bio77]

Congrats!

I think your work area is of prime concern.  Are you working in the garage or on the kitchen table?  Eating little bits of solder would be my biggest concern for a baby/toddler, analogous to lead paint chips.  I'm pretty diligent about washing my hands when I leave my work area.  I also wipe down my bench with a damp cloth at the end of my  sessions.  If you are building in a common area, maybe buy a foldable table that you can contaminate and put it away when you aren't building. That table is never for food.  That's what I used to do before I built a bench in my garage.

[Betty Wont]

Thank you for posting this. All of my babies are grown now, but I have pet rats that I keep away from my soldering. Protect those pets too!

[mattc]

It has been a while but I think I bought it on Amazon. I'll check later and get back tod you.

I'd be interested in this too!

[Thewintersoldier]

Congratulations! Mine are ten and 7 now and it makes me feel sad they are growing up lol. Part of my job is microbiology and knowing how that all works and transmission of contaminates I will say wash your hands first and foremost. Kids especially new borns don't have a fully formed immune system yet so keep that in mind. Also until they are passed the toddler stage they stick everything in their mouth, and everything they touch winds up in the mouth, eyes and sometimes ears so keep your work area away from them. You might wanna get a lab coat cause flux can solder can splatter and just caused you washed your hands doesn't mean your clothes are clean. I remember feeding my kids as babies and it's a very intimate close and personal thing and they will chew on shirts, clean or dirty. I would also like to echo the pet thing too, don't let them lick)chew your rosin and solder. When do we get the build report of the baby?

[matmosphere]

It has been a while but I think I bought it on Amazon. I'll check later and get back tod you.

I'd be interested in this too!

The brand called is Austor. I found it on Amazon and it had a lot of good reviews so I gave it a shot. It isn't perfect but I see no reason to ever go back to lead solder.

[peccary]

It has been a while but I think I bought it on Amazon. I'll check later and get back tod you.

I'd be interested in this too!

The brand called is Austor. I found it on Amazon and it had a lot of good reviews so I gave it a shot. It isn't perfect but I see no reason to ever go back to lead solder.

What temperature do you use with it?

[G.G.]

was it this one?
Alloy: Sn / Ag / Cu: 99% / 0.3% / 0.7%; Flux: 2%
Lead Free Alloy;
Diameter: 0.8 mm (0.032 In)
Weight of Solder Wire: 100g (0.22lb)
Melting point range: 215°C - 220°C (419°F – 428°F), recommended point: 217°C(422.6°F)
https://www.amazon.com/AUSTOR-0-8mm-Lead-Solder-Rosin/dp/B01M071WEE/ref=sr_1_5?dchild=1&keywords=austor+lead+free+solder&qid=1620853319&sr=8-5

[peccary]

You might wanna get a lab coat...

Holy shit now I need a lab coat.

[mjg]

If Brian starts to offer Madbean branded lab coats, I know I'd buy one. 

[harryklippton]

Thanks everybody. I ordered some d wipes, and a spool of the lead free solder to try out. Now to look into lab coats...