A reasonable soldering approach

The fumes blow through the window outside into the wafting breeze ... blown away to make the Angels cough perhaps.

 

yeah I’d imagine it was the flux (among other stuff like the other substances you said before) that did you in. A bit of rosin core is probably not going to hurt a hobbyist.

 

I wasn't saying that my experience was relatable to soldering a few pickups in a guitar. I do that still with no ventilation, and it doesn't affect my breathing at all. The amount of flux smoke from soldering a pickup to switches and pots is nearly non-existent.

 

I like it!

But... it's winter....

I think your idea is the least expensive.

 

I don't have a degree in Physics, but I believe the mechanics of particulate and gas flow operates under loosely similar laws down under. Perhaps, since high and low pressure systems work in reverse down here, the fan should spin in the opposite direction.

 

Winter in London, not Aberdeen. Wear a bloody sweater. Use a space heater.

 

I thought your fans already turned in the opposite direction. And clocks, do they turn anti-clockwise there?

 

We have to put up with a lot of weird stuff imported from the northern hemisphere: fans and clocks running the wrong way, shoes without velcro on the soles. Somehow we have learnt to adjust to these anomalies.

This one will blow your mind: It's Summer down here!!

 

The fumes are far from my biggest issue... I'm not even in my mid-50's yet... I have a TON of experience soldering (If you have a Suhr Amp...there is a small chance I soldered it up) But lately, I dread soldering... My distance vision is still perfect, but I can't see anything a foot or closer to my face....
I have reading glasses, but they are about 2-3 years out of date ( I finally went to the Optometrist last week, so new glasses should be here any day.)

If that's not bad enough, I shake like a dog crapping acorns as soon as the iron is in my hands.
I don't have Parkinson's... And my hands are fairly stable, at least till I need them to be still.

Good thing I'm not a Surgeon.

 

Both Haako and Weller make small fans with carbon filters that will take care of the fumes that can be had for under $100. OK for small, occasional jobs.

 

Yeah, uh huh, sure. We've heard about those "theories" before.

But I'm from America, where everything I believe is true.

It can't be summer, it's snowing !!!

.

 

Here's something you could try for the shaking:
Look around for some of those big rubber bands, like about 10" or 12" in diameter, not too thick rubber. Maybe you can find them on line.
Put the iron through the band so the band rests where your fingertips grasp the iron ... wrap the other end around a heavy or immovable object (a heavy steel vice, for example). Just pull against the band enough to keep it taught, not enough to stretch it too far. Often, the tension lets you control the iron. The hard part is always finding an anchor point convenient to your work. You can anchor the band on the cabinet or chassis, or with a strong clip like a binder clip. Worth a try maybe.
You can try this with a larger band if you find some.

 

Ah yes ... 'The wind rustles the leaves.'
Your cerebellum is starting to go crapola. May be dehydrating: do you drink enough water??
It may help to ground your wrist when working (by ground I mean physically).

Edit: anchor is a better word (as per 'strat a various')
If you can't anchor your wrist use your forearm: even anchoring with just your little finger may help.

 

Having spent a lot of years welding all kinds of stuff, I've tried to hold my breath when I go in for a weld.. or in this case a solder join....

quick in, quick out,,,,, don't breath in.... step away to catch a new breath... and use ventilation if you can....


we grew up sucking in lead fumes from car exhaust, don't forget......

 

I learned this technique painting fine areas in the middle of a still wet oil canvas. Got to be dead solid to touch up wet oil painting with nowhere to rest your hand. Most guys/gals use a stick, but I like a rubber band.

 

Never worried about it, but a tiny fan extracting near the work with a hose to a window or hepa filter should do it.

 

https://makezine.com/2008/03/30/diy-fume-extractor-1/



A friend had one of these once. You could scale this up and be lazy by taping a filter to a box fan. Using a fan out a window is preferable but anything that blows the fumes away from you is good.

 

Surplus gas mask?

 

If I had a medical condition (COPD, asthma, etc.), I'd build me a little booth or hood.

It would have a front opening about 14" wide and 8" to 10" tall, and it would sit on the workbench. Attached to the back would be a hose with a muffin fan and a filter. Solder at the front opening of this thing and with the fan running it would pull all the fumes away from you.


Looky! This!

 

I don’t think there’s any problem with worrying about that stuff and I always enjoy it with my girl worries about me. I’ve got my old dual coal filtered painting mask but I couldn’t think of putting that on while at home soldering even though I can do that a lot. I think a fan blowing to the outdoors or maybe better exhausting would be fine. A couple other things to think of our eyes are open to absorb fumes, Besides needing covering to foil any Rosin splatter, And wearing disposable surgical gloves can help, To also make a clean finished product besides if there’s any chance of you absorbing lead through your open pores.