Author Topic: Why do solder fumes always go toward your face?  (Read 1500 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline BrianHGTopic starter

  • Super Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 8275
  • Country: ca
    • LinkedIn
Why do solder fumes always go toward your face?
« on: July 12, 2021, 07:45:39 pm »
Well, here is one guy who found the answer...



 
The following users thanked this post: BillyD, LateLesley, Labrat101, Just_another_Dave

Offline TimFox

  • Super Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 8998
  • Country: us
  • Retired, now restoring antique test equipment
Re: Why do solder fumes always go toward your face?
« Reply #1 on: July 12, 2021, 08:30:15 pm »
For the same reason that smoke from a barbecue grill goes towards the observer.
 

Online SiliconWizard

  • Super Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 15797
  • Country: fr
Re: Why do solder fumes always go toward your face?
« Reply #2 on: July 13, 2021, 12:05:29 am »
Ah, finally!
Yes we have all been bothered by this. I've never done much experiment myself to understand it, but the little I did also showed this was not due to breathing, which I had assumed first. (But holding your breath quickly shows it almost makes no difference!) But I had indeed noticed fumes tended to go towards my face when my arms would get closer to the iron. Never really analyzed the cause.

Of course the solution for me was to use a fume extractor. Now if you used only one arm for holding the iron, and hold the part you're soldering/or solder wire with a tool and put your other arm away, I guess this should also do. A fan or fume extractor is less trouble, though. ;D
 

Offline artag

  • Super Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 1281
  • Country: gb
Re: Why do solder fumes always go toward your face?
« Reply #3 on: July 13, 2021, 12:52:08 am »
Same reason bonfire smoke chases you, toast lands butter-side-down, and dropped screws crawl under a bench.

Sod's law.
 

Offline bob91343

  • Super Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 2675
  • Country: us
Re: Why do solder fumes always go toward your face?
« Reply #4 on: July 13, 2021, 04:26:10 am »
The best way to find something you have misplaced is to buy a new one.
 
The following users thanked this post: EPAIII

Offline EPAIII

  • Super Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 1165
  • Country: us
Re: Why do solder fumes always go toward your face?
« Reply #5 on: July 16, 2021, 07:33:34 am »
Dropped screws don't crawl, they JUMP under the bench. And then RUN behind a bench leg in the darkest corner.



Same reason bonfire smoke chases you, toast lands butter-side-down, and dropped screws crawl under a bench.

Sod's law.
Paul A.  -   SE Texas
And if you look REAL close at an analog signal,
You will find that it has discrete steps.
 

Offline EPAIII

  • Super Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 1165
  • Country: us
Re: Why do solder fumes always go toward your face?
« Reply #6 on: July 16, 2021, 07:45:43 am »
Great explanation. I have wondered about that for many years. Thanks for the video.
Paul A.  -   SE Texas
And if you look REAL close at an analog signal,
You will find that it has discrete steps.
 

Offline BillyD

  • Regular Contributor
  • *
  • Posts: 218
  • Country: ie
Re: Why do solder fumes always go toward your face?
« Reply #7 on: July 16, 2021, 08:11:47 am »
Great video! And looks like a very interesting channel too.

 

Offline GlennSprigg

  • Super Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 1259
  • Country: au
  • Medically retired Tech. Old School / re-learning !
Re: Why do solder fumes always go toward your face?
« Reply #8 on: July 16, 2021, 11:33:02 am »
Same reason bonfire smoke chases you, toast lands butter-side-down, and dropped screws crawl under a bench.

Sod's law.

Now strap buttered toast to the back of a Cat and drop it!!!!  8)
Diagonal of 1x1 square = Root-2. Ok.
Diagonal of 1x1x1 cube = Root-3 !!!  Beautiful !!
 


Share me

Digg  Facebook  SlashDot  Delicious  Technorati  Twitter  Google  Yahoo
Smf