I have also used the Metcal 1XX tips. They worked quite well, and seemed to last as long as regular tips in spite of the higher heat sometimes needed. However, I found that we did not really have to increase the tip temperature by more than 10-20 degrees or so to get identical wetting with the SAC305 Kester alloy for water wash wire solder. There was not any noticeable slowdown in the hand solder process. This was at a CEM where I worked previously, and they stated that if anything, there has been an improvement in time required to hand solder. I do recall that we went to a higher percentage of flux content, I think from 1.5% to 2.5% when we switched from 63/37 to SAC305. This may have helped. I have no experience with the Pb-free no-clean wire solder, but based on the 63/37 no-clean wire solder's tendency to burn of the plating on the soldering iron tips much faster, I would expect difficulty when changing over to a Pb-free no-clean. -----Original Message----- From: TechNet [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Richard Kraszewski Sent: Monday, August 08, 2005 10:24 PM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: [TN] LeadFree Solder Iron MetCal. Use the special higher temp tip. I think they are designated as their "1XX" tips. Rich K/ KEDS ________________________________ From: TechNet on behalf of Poh Kong Hui Sent: Sun 8/7/2005 9:20 PM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: [TN] LeadFree Solder Iron Hi, Can anyone who is doing lead free soldering, make recommendation of which brand of solder iron you are using, which you find good. I evaluate couple of brands, it seems none of them that I try seems OK. The lead free soldering is difficult & slow as compared to tin-lead solder. In fact, every lead free processes need more heat energy. Thanks. KH Poh --------------------------------------------------- Technet Mail List provided as a service by IPC using LISTSERV 1.8e To unsubscribe, send a message to [log in to unmask] with following text in the BODY (NOT the subject field): SIGNOFF Technet To temporarily halt or (re-start) delivery of Technet send e-mail to [log in to unmask]: SET Technet NOMAIL or (MAIL) To receive ONE mailing per day of all the posts: send e-mail to [log in to unmask]: SET Technet Digest Search the archives of previous posts at: http://listserv.ipc.org/archives Please visit IPC web site http://www.ipc.org/contentpage.asp?Pageid=4.3.16 for additional information, or contact Keach Sasamori at [log in to unmask] or 847-615-7100 ext.2815 ----------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------- Technet Mail List provided as a service by IPC using LISTSERV 1.8e To unsubscribe, send a message to [log in to unmask] with following text in the BODY (NOT the subject field): SIGNOFF Technet To temporarily halt or (re-start) delivery of Technet send e-mail to [log in to unmask]: SET Technet NOMAIL or (MAIL) To receive ONE mailing per day of all the posts: send e-mail to [log in to unmask]: SET Technet Digest Search the archives of previous posts at: http://listserv.ipc.org/archives Please visit IPC web site http://www.ipc.org/contentpage.asp?Pageid=4.3.16 for additional information, or contact Keach Sasamori at [log in to unmask] or 847-615-7100 ext.2815 ----------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------- Technet Mail List provided as a service by IPC using LISTSERV 1.8e To unsubscribe, send a message to [log in to unmask] with following text in the BODY (NOT the subject field): SIGNOFF Technet To temporarily halt or (re-start) delivery of Technet send e-mail to [log in to unmask]: SET Technet NOMAIL or (MAIL) To receive ONE mailing per day of all the posts: send e-mail to [log in to unmask]: SET Technet Digest Search the archives of previous posts at: http://listserv.ipc.org/archives Please visit IPC web site http://www.ipc.org/contentpage.asp?Pageid=4.3.16 for additional information, or contact Keach Sasamori at [log in to unmask] or 847-615-7100 ext.2815 -----------------------------------------------------