Letter 42076

Removing lead based solder from copper? [England] 

August 29, 2006

Dear Sir,
I'm writing to ask you how to remove lead based solder from a copper vessel
and replacing it with lead free solder. is there a solvent or acid that can do this without harming copper, brass, or tin in any way?. if not perhaps you can suggest a way that it can be done, and with what tools specifically will I need to carry out the work?

Jonathan Andrew Abraham
hobbyist - Northampton in England

I'd probably start by thoroughly desoldering with a solder sucker and solder wick. Depending on the construction method, this may disassemble the vessel so the remnants can be sanded away.

 
Ted Mooney, P.E.
finishing.com Inc. - Brick, NJ

You can remove it with very fine sandpaper or with scalpel. It can be removed with acid solution too:
33o gm acetic acid
50 gm hydrogen peroxide(30%)
1 lit destiled water

Goran Budija
- Zagreb, Croatia

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