--- In
motm@yahoogroups.com, "Paul Schreiber" <synth1@...> wrote:
>
> As you know, July 1st is the day that RoHS takes effect in the EU.
If you don't
> know what I'm referring to, go to www.newark.com and read the RoHS
section.
>
> a) if you are in the EU, and you want to continue building MOTM
kits in the
> future, PLEASE ORDER TODAY at least 1 spool of Kester 331
(organic) and Kester
> 245 (no-clean) solder. 1 roll of each will be good for at ∗least∗
50 kits + misc
> DIY and synth repair. Both spools + shipping should run you ~34EU.
>
> b) I ∗cannot include∗ solder with kits shipped to the EU for the
time being
> after July 1.
>
> c) Eventually (but it would be later in the fall) I ∗may∗ be able
to use the new
> SnAgCu solder ∗if∗ all of the parts are RoHS. This would mean I
have to "flush
> out" and leaded resistors, caps, etc and build RoHS kits. I doubt
it would be
> worth it. Most, ∗but not all∗ parts shipped right now are RoHS.
It's not clear
> if the AD MAT02EH used in the VCOs will ever be. I still have many
pc boards
> that are leaded (although about 80% of kits shipped the last 8
months have been
> lead-free finishes).
>
> The problem is: using leaded solder on lead-free or leaded parts
is fine
> (everyone has been doing this for ~12 months anyway). What is ∗not
fine∗ is
> using lead-free solder on a leaded part. This can cause bad solder
joints. So,
> for the immediate future, the best solution is to require EU
customers to use
> leaded solder that they themselves provide (if you have a lot of
MOTM kits,
> chances are you have TONS of extra solder anyway).
>
> d) I am soldering like crazy to ship assembled modules to the EU
this week. I
> doubt I will be able to ship all of them. But it will be close :)
Unfortunately
> most of the modules left to ship are the most time-consuming
('480/'320/etc) but
> if you are expecting modules
> (Barnes/Grezelak/Bartz/Richardson/Artmeyer/Weisser/???) please∗ be
sure∗ I have
> up-to-date payment info.
>
> e) what about assembled modules to the EU after July 1st? Chances
are, for
> several months, I will not be able to. There is a possibility that
I can ship
> ∗some∗ models to the EU and some I can not (the MOTM-300 is
potentially
> 'black-listed'). The economic reality is: assembled module as a
∗whole∗ are ~ 8%
> of revenue, and EU customers are probably 35% of that. I can't
afford to
> replenish literally 10s of ∗thousands∗ of
resistors/caps/diodes/whatever AND
> toss of $2500 of pc boards.
>
> I think the RoHS is ∗foolish∗ not to exclude low volume shipments
(say <10pcs to
> a single address in a single shipment). The law is designed for
∗consumer∗
> things like cell phones, iPods, etc that when they break, get
tossed. Has anyone
> tossed a MOTM module in the dustbin?
>
> I don't want to cause widespread ∗P A N I C∗. If you are a EU
customer and want
> to email me off-line, please do so.
>
> Paul S.
>
I must check RoHS import regulations in european not EU countries
like Switzerland and Norway...any swiss customer there ?
Martin