I find that lots of times, I will use a length of rather thick Solder to secure
items together mechanically. I'm not talking about melting or heating or
actually soldering it, then. The beauty of Solder (used as a tie or rope) is
that it can easily be bent or looped in any direction, it will retain that
shape and not try to uncoil.

For instance, say you want to create a 3 foot long suspended rope with a hook
to connect something, or you want to hold a door open or closed. Just tie it or
make it with a length of Solder (wire). This will do the job temporarily, you
then position and hold the items in place, then you remove the (securing)
Solder.

I find that lots of times, I will use a length of rather thick Solder to
secure items together mechanically

Many commercial shops will use mechanics wire, soft iron, available in two
guages to suit the task at hand. Casual use of lead around the home or work
place isn't a very good thing. There is a health hazard, so why risk it?
My nickel's worth.

Joe

osspam (Joe Bobst) wrote in message ...
I find that lots of times, I will use a length of rather thick Solder to
secure items together mechanically

Many commercial shops will use mechanics wire, soft iron, available in two
guages to suit the task at hand. Casual use of lead around the home or work
place isn't a very good thing. There is a health hazard, so why risk it?
My nickel's worth.

Joe

It is also a whole bunch cheaper. Solder isn't cheap the last time I
had to buy some. I keep a coil of cocrete form tie wire to do that
job. Is that the same stuff as the 'mechanics wire'?

Harry K

Lead solder is neigh impossible to get, and ususally you have to get it at a
supply house as many common hardware stores don't or won't carry it anymore,
I've had the same small roll of lead-based solder for about 12 years now in
my toolbin, and only used it twice for non-water applications.

While most solder does contain a small amount of lead this IS the same
solder used in welding copper pipe, that you drink out of. So i would not be
too concerned about dry lengths of solder lying around. Most plumbers find
all sorts of uses for dry solder as the parent poster stated and they are
not dropping like flies. At least not from lead poisioning anyways.

-Rip, who speaks only of plumbing solder and not electronic fluxcore solder.

"RipTides" wrote:

While most solder does contain a small amount of lead this IS the same
solder used in welding copper pipe, that you drink out of.

Not no more, lead free antimony and silver solder is used. And soldering
is different from welding, one doesn't weld copper pipe used for
plumbing.

Lead solder is neigh impossible to get, and ususally you have to get it at a
supply house as many common hardware stores don't

As always, I buy such stuff at yard sales for no more than a dime. There'll be
20 feet of solder on each old roll. A lot of times, too, when I am going to
fabricate something with very rigid steel wire, I will first form and shape it
into the right shape with super pliable solder, then I will use that template
and bend the steel wire to match that shape.

"RipTides" wrote in
:

Lead solder is neigh impossible to get, and ususally you have to get
it at a supply house as many common hardware stores don't or won't
carry it anymore, I've had the same small roll of lead-based solder
for about 12 years now in my toolbin, and only used it twice for
non-water applications.

While most solder does contain a small amount of lead this IS the same
solder used in welding copper pipe, that you drink out of. So i would
not be too concerned about dry lengths of solder lying around. Most
plumbers find all sorts of uses for dry solder as the parent poster
stated and they are not dropping like flies. At least not from lead
poisioning anyways.

-Rip, who speaks only of plumbing solder and not electronic fluxcore
solder.

Lead poisoning isn't obvious in adults who are generally dumb anyway.

If you have kids around that's a different matter.

If they are still using lead in pipe solder, then that must have been an
economic decision and not a health decision.

"RipTides" wrote in message
.. .
Lead solder is neigh impossible to get, and ususally you have to get it at
a supply house as many common hardware stores don't or won't carry it
anymore, I've had the same small roll of lead-based solder for about 12
years now in my toolbin, and only used it twice for non-water
applications.

i'm not quite sure where you are, but it's dead easy to get tons of it. take
a trip down to home depot.

"Charles Spitzer" wrote in message
...

"RipTides" wrote in message
.. .
Lead solder is neigh impossible to get, and ususally you have to get it
at a supply house as many common hardware stores don't or won't carry it
anymore, I've had the same small roll of lead-based solder for about 12
years now in my toolbin, and only used it twice for non-water
applications.

i'm not quite sure where you are, but it's dead easy to get tons of it.
take a trip down to home depot.

Must be a local/state regulation. My HD only has tons of lead free solder.

"calhoun" wrote in message
...

"Charles Spitzer" wrote in message
...

"RipTides" wrote in message
.. .
Lead solder is neigh impossible to get, and ususally you have to get it
at a supply house as many common hardware stores don't or won't carry it
anymore, I've had the same small roll of lead-based solder for about 12
years now in my toolbin, and only used it twice for non-water
applications.

i'm not quite sure where you are, but it's dead easy to get tons of it.
take a trip down to home depot.

Must be a local/state regulation. My HD only has tons of lead free solder.

home depot sells it on their web site. furthermore, it's used in the stained
glass industry, and you can buy it that way.