Solder is not just solder....

[Digital_Plasma]

When soldering or brazing, make sure that it is 100% lead free. Lead is among the most dangerous metals you'd properly come in contact with. Or rather stay out of contact with. Lead leeches into your drink and into your body where it stays and does damage to your nervous system. Cases with severe lead poisoning has been seen many times. Make sure you, your family and friends wont be another number in those statistics. Also, silver brazing sometimes contain cadmium, which is also dangerous to your health. So be smart, don't skip the research.

[Deerhunter]

Is the solder used for sweating your water pipes in your home safe for use on stills? This is a silver "Based" lead free solder so they say. Example, made by Oatey. I'm sure a lot of still makers use this type. But I also read a lot about brazing. Brazing will give you a stronger joint as well. I'm sure each has its pros and cons, but which of these is recommended? I know when I solder a copper joint that it does leave a nasty residue in the pipe. Even when using a water based flux. When doing your cleaning runs with vinegar does this also remove the oxidation which has built up on the inside of the pipe? Will it give you that nice polished look on the inside as well? I have an old piece of 2" copper tubing type "L" which I'm considering using. Just wondering if anyone has any suggestions on how to clean the inside of the pipe? I'm hesitant on buying a still online being that you don't know what there using!

[thatguy1313]

Good point about the Cadmium when brazing. Soldered all my joints and didn't think about that.
Deerhunter, you should be hesitant about buying a still for more than one reason. So much easier, cheaper and more satisfying to build your own. Soldering usually works great, I've never brazed so I don't know if it would be better or not. The vinegar run cleans a lot but you HAVE to do a sacrificial alcohol run (sacrificial meaning you do NOT drink). Ethanol is a great solvent and will get rid of a whole lot of crap the vinegar leaves behind. Some people even do multiple sac runs to make sure everything is clean.

[Deerhunter]

Came across this silver solder...............Tin 60-100%
Copper 1-5%
Silver 1-5%
Bismuth 1-5%

This is made by Oatey
Anyone ever hear of Bismuth?

[rad14701]

Came across this silver solder...............Tin 60-100%
Copper 1-5%
Silver 1-5%
Bismuth 1-5%

This is made by Oatey
Anyone ever hear of Bismuth?

Bismuth is used in place of lead for plumbing grade solder... It also lowers the melting temperature compared to lead based solder... Pretty sure I have some that I've used for plumbing and stills... Bismuth would be a better choice than Antimony...

[ben stiller]

Just out of curiosity has anyone seen solder with lead for sale lately? I would think it would be almost impossible to find, but maybe it is still used in some industries.

[Deerhunter]

Thanks Rad, I guess I'll go with that...Hey, Thanks for posting that tip about using wire as a spacer for the coil.

[Hound Dog]

Just out of curiosity has anyone seen solder with lead for sale lately? I would think it would be almost impossible to find, but maybe it is still used in some industries.

Electrical solder still has lead.

[Hound Dog]

Anyone ever hear of Bismuth?

Bismuth.....

" Bismuth has long been considered as the element with the highest atomic mass that is stable. However, in 2003 it was discovered to be slightly radioactive: its only primordial isotope, bismuth-209, decays via alpha decay with a half life more than a billion times the estimated age of the universe.

Bismuth compounds account for about half the production of bismuth. They are used in cosmetics, pigments, and a few pharmaceuticals, notably Pepto-Bismol, used to treat diarrhea. Bismuth's unusual propensity to expand upon freezing is responsible for some of its uses, such as in casting of printing type. Bismuth has unusually low toxicity for a heavy metal. As the toxicity of lead has become more apparent in recent years, there is an increasing use of bismuth alloys (presently about a third of bismuth production) as a replacement for lead."

A bit of Pepto hasn't hurt me yet......

[Mgnt]

Just out of curiosity has anyone seen solder with lead for sale lately? I would think it would be almost impossible to find, but maybe it is still used in some industries.

50/50 solder 50% tin 50% lead it's used on heating systems you can still get it and it looked the same as regular solder you would uses for plumbing or stills

[Bushman]

Just out of curiosity has anyone seen solder with lead for sale lately? I would think it would be almost impossible to find, but maybe it is still used in some industries.

Electrical solder still has lead.

And as far as I am concerned works better than lead free for electrical work.

[jb-texshine]

Anyone ever hear of Bismuth?

Bismuth.....

" Bismuth has long been considered as the element with the highest atomic mass that is stable. However, in 2003 it was discovered to be slightly radioactive: its only primordial isotope, bismuth-209, decays via alpha decay with a half life more than a billion times the estimated age of the universe.

Bismuth compounds account for about half the production of bismuth. They are used in cosmetics, pigments, and a few pharmaceuticals, notably Pepto-Bismol, used to treat diarrhea. Bismuth's unusual propensity to expand upon freezing is responsible for some of its uses, such as in casting of printing type. Bismuth has unusually low toxicity for a heavy metal. As the toxicity of lead has become more apparent in recent years, there is an increasing use of bismuth alloys (presently about a third of bismuth production) as a replacement for lead."

A bit of Pepto hasn't hurt me yet......

No-tox hevi shot used in waterfowl hunting loads is bismuth...
It might hurt a bit in this form...