Steve, I'm not sure that mixing the two is absolutely taboo. The US military have researched this and come up with two potential 'mixing' failure scenarios: Pb (using this to signify diff between lead-Pb and lead-component connection - ie led and leed) comp thru Pb-free process may suffer overheating damage; Pb-free component thru conventional process may have a faulty solder bond as it didn't reach the required higher soldering temperature. I suspect this is why some component manufacturers are avoiding the Pb-free route - their devices simply can't/won't be made to stand the higher process temps.

Soldering is, by its nature, a means of joining different metals, so mixing the two methods in an appropriate way, SHOULD be okay.

In the meanwhile I'm:

1. Not going to buy any high tech electronic gadgetry for a couple of years after July '06.
2. Laying in a lifetimes worth of 60/40 (63/37 + Ag actually).
3. Looking for a way to make my Advance iron go above its current maximum 350C.
4. Getting constant emails from my buyer who can't find this or that device in Pb-free form...

Incidentally, our industrial control system type products are apparently exempt from the regs. Not that that matters - we won't be able to buy some components in Pb form, and our PCB assembers will want to totally convert, I'm sure. So we have to go with them...

Dave