Hi
Building my still and have read up on lead in solder.
Just for the record I live in the UK and have leaded joints in my house water supply but just to be safe I am going to use lead free solder.
I have a real of solder which does not have a label on it, it does have a green spool.
Spools for lead free seem to have green or blue ?.
A test kit for lead is as expensive as solder so no go.
If no definite answer I will buy new just to be sure
Des
Solder
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Halfbaked
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Re: Solder
Hay Des I have a saying be safe or be sorry. I use Oatey 29024. It is fairly expensive ($10-$15)but you can get it in 1/2 lb rolls. A good water based flux is good to use also. When you solder anything on your still that touches water or vapor be sure to do your vineger run and water run and sac run
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bearriver
- Master of Distillation
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Re: Solder
Lead free. I wouldn't ever use solder just laying around unlabeled.
Edit language: If the flux is not water soluble and you use it anyways, I suggest giving your parts a nice strong acid bath before your cleaning runs. Consider a manual cleaning as well with something like a gun cleaning kit, which can scrub the inside of small pipes.
An email to and from the company in question would tell you everything you wanted to know. It sure seems like you UK guys have a hard time getting a hold of the necessary materials.
Edit language: If the flux is not water soluble and you use it anyways, I suggest giving your parts a nice strong acid bath before your cleaning runs. Consider a manual cleaning as well with something like a gun cleaning kit, which can scrub the inside of small pipes.
An email to and from the company in question would tell you everything you wanted to know. It sure seems like you UK guys have a hard time getting a hold of the necessary materials.
Last edited by bearriver on Sat Jul 19, 2014 8:04 am, edited 2 times in total.
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Dustydes
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Re: Solder
Thanks for reply
Will just buy some, as said safe not sorry.
And will do the cleaning runs etc no point taking a chance and ruining any runs
Des
Will just buy some, as said safe not sorry.
And will do the cleaning runs etc no point taking a chance and ruining any runs
Des
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shuggie159
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Re: Solder
I have been scouring the site to see if there is any scientific causal effect of hot alcohol vapor leaching toxic salts as opposed to water.
Knowledge is power. I seek to increase my understanding and make rational decisions based upon my understanding.
Good health advice is sensible.... let keep risks in perspective.
The irony makes me smile.
Only handful of people suffer some sort of lead poisoning toxicity every year (and that's not distillers).... more than likely, a health issue before it's in anyway life threatening. However, tens, maybe hundreds of thousands of people suffer long term alcohol poisoning issues every year, many die.
I have worked with and around lead for most of my working life. My house is still supplied by lead pipes. All of the copper pipe joints are soldered with lead. In my mind I have equated these as minimal risks. My life, my choice...... but I too will be using lead free solder.
Knowledge is power. I seek to increase my understanding and make rational decisions based upon my understanding.
Good health advice is sensible.... let keep risks in perspective.
The irony makes me smile.
Only handful of people suffer some sort of lead poisoning toxicity every year (and that's not distillers).... more than likely, a health issue before it's in anyway life threatening. However, tens, maybe hundreds of thousands of people suffer long term alcohol poisoning issues every year, many die.
I have worked with and around lead for most of my working life. My house is still supplied by lead pipes. All of the copper pipe joints are soldered with lead. In my mind I have equated these as minimal risks. My life, my choice...... but I too will be using lead free solder.