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tooki:

--- Quote from: ArthurDent on October 02, 2019, 02:00:02 pm ---[...] I certainly would use this over lead free solder with all the problems that could bring. 



--- End quote ---
While nobody is ever going to claim that lead-free is superior to leaded solder, that video is useless. He's comparing a vaguely decent leaded solder to crappy Chinese lead-free. And as it happens, people who've compared tons of different solders, both leaded and lead-free, both Chinese and high quality, find that Chinese solder usually sucks, no matter what its (claimed) composition. So in that video, the problems he's attributing to lead-free are actually just the issues with Chinese solder. (That and questionable technique.)

If one compares high-quality lead-free to high-quality leaded, the lead-free is really only minimally harder to work with, aside from needing a few degrees higher temperature.




As for old solder, I have a roll of Kester bought sometime around 1990. It went unused from probably 1995-2015, and in that time the outer layers tarnished a bit. This didn't seem to obviously affect its performance, though, and one option was simply to use a tissue with IPA to clean off the surface a bit before use. Inner layers are shiny like new, and perform great.

nctnico:

--- Quote from: tooki on October 02, 2019, 04:52:14 pm ---If one compares high-quality lead-free to high-quality leaded, the lead-free is really only minimally harder to work with, aside from needing a few degrees higher temperature.

--- End quote ---
I agree with that. Always get high quality lead-free solder from a reputable brand. I'd like to add that lead free solder seems to have a much narrower temperature range over which it leads to good results so the temperature of the soldering iron is much more critical.

Addicted2AnalogTek:
I just landed a Tek 485 with options 4 and 78 for under $100 USD including shipping and taxes!  Option 4 is EMI shielding and Option 78 is P11 phosphor.

Now I wait to see what condition it is really in... it's shown powered up with a trace, but broken V/div knobs and the channel 2 impedance selector switch is not lit like it should be. I'm not too concerned, though, as I have a parts unit sitting on the shelf.

Dek:
My Racal 1998 was delivered the other day, I'm happy with its 'bangonieness'...need to fire up the ole GPSDO for a better test.

Illusionist:
I got an Agilent 34410A two days ago, and just got chance to get inside and check it out. Was due for recalibration in Jan 2018, so not too far away. I've nothing as accurate to check it against unfortunately; my next best multimeters are a GW Instek 8251A and an ancient but still working Thurlby 1905A. My only calibration sources (if I can call them that) are some Maxim MAX6126A references. As far as I can tell everything is good though.

The VFD display is as close to as new as I can tell and inside the unit was almost spotless. Mostly just a build up of dust on the fan. It all got a dusting anyway. The meter has clearly had a cozy life. The warranty stickers were intact until I peeled them to open it up. The advert photo (below) makes the marks on the rubber look much worse than they actually are, and the main body is almost flawless.

That fan though... it almost drowns out the vacuum cleaner! Well, it did. It now has a 100Ω resistor inline with it and is much quieter. My lab (repurposed bedroom) is kept quite cool so I doubt it's an issue. I might still change it out for a 15mm thick Sunon maglev though, and run that slower too.

Anyway, I'm chuffed to bits as they say, and here are some pictures:

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