MOTM

--- 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