Ask HN: What is better to use lead-free/leaded solder?
What is better to use lead-free/leaded solder, Considering safety and effectiveness, different sites give different answers, some say lead-free is better, others they are equally harmful. I want to hear your opinion.
Leaded is easier to solder with, lead-free is less bad for you, but inhaling any fumes from burning stuff isn’t good for you, so use an extractor/filter no matter what.
Good advice, although I feel it's important to point out that the fumes from leaded solder don't actually contain lead. They're the same as with lead-free solder: they come from the flux.
I'm a fan of leaded solder. The lead risk can be mitigated by ensuring that after you handle the solder, you don't touch any mucous membranes, cuts, eyes, or anything you're going to put in your mouth until you've thoroughly washed your hands (or removed your gloves, if you're a glove person).
Leaded solder's real downside is environmental: odds are, what you've made will eventually end up in a landfill, where the lead will leach out and potentially contaminate the local environment.
So it doesn't matter which one to use, the main thing is to have a good hood?
Use a good hood/ventilatation system, and lead free solder.
Personally, I learned on lead-free solder and the rosin core is almost always enough flux for me aside from rework. Always use an extractor/filter either way.
The choice of flux used is probably more important. Aggressive fluxes are easier to solder with, but leave behind a acid residue which can be problematic for electronic circuits. Fluxes preferred for electronic applications are the least acid, but not as easy to to get the liquid solder to bond.
Lead-free. Lead isn't worth it, especially if you're doing this at home.