How to make your own soldering flux
Flux is an auxiliary substance, the use of which is necessary for high-quality cleaning of various surfaces of parts made of metal from oxidation processes. If soldering is performed without using flux, then you should not count on the work being done correctly.
Therefore, it is recommended that before starting work on soldering various mechanical elements, using a soldering iron, select a high-quality flux that will help reliably connect the parts. Many radio amateurs use flux for soldering, which they make themselves.
This flux is highly efficient in use and reliably protects parts that have been connected by soldering.
Features of use
Special fluxes are first used for the high-quality removal of various contaminants on the metal of the parts to be joined. In addition, when soldering with a soldering iron, the flux reliably protects the metal from oxidation processes and the occurrence of corrosion over time. This allows for uniform spread of the solder used and a significant improvement in the overall quality of the soldering of various metal elements.
It is possible to select a high-quality flux taking into account the characteristics of the joints and the solder alloy used. It is recommended to remove any remaining fluxes used from the surface of the joints upon completion of soldering, because over time they can lead to undesirable corrosion of the metal.
Types of fluxes for soldering
Directly depending on the purpose, it is possible to divide fluxes into two types, such as:
➤ Oxidizing fluxes.
➤ Restorative fluxes.
Active fluxes, even though they are quite widespread, are not very well suited for soldering modern radio equipment, because their residues can very quickly corrode the places where various elements were connected using a soldering iron.
Rosin is considered an acid-free flux for soldering various parts and is very often used by radio amateurs to perform soldering work on various parts.
This substance is made based on the use of alcohol to which glycerin is added in the required amount.
How to make flux yourself?
One of the common and relatively simple ways to make soldering flux with your own hands is to use rosin-alcohol material.
Before preparing this flux, you will need to pour the required amount of rosin into a small container and fill it with a solution containing alcohol. After a certain time, the alcohol will completely evaporate and the resulting flux will obtain the required consistency.
This composition is very convenient for placing this substance on the elements of various parts that need to be connected.
will clearly help you make flux yourself:
Well, of course, if you don’t want to bother, you can buy soldering flux in our catalog!
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DIY flux for soldering aluminum
People learned to solder metal products back in ancient times, as soon as they learned to smelt tin and lead. Of course, the simplest way to fasten metal products to each other is to use a regular bolt with a nut, because this does not require their preliminary preparation, the use of various solders, fluxes, etc. However, metal soldering is widely used both on an industrial scale and at home.
Before you start soldering, the surface of the parts to be joined is cleaned with sandpaper or a file and lubricated with flux. The heated soldering iron is immersed in ammonia or rosin to clean it of metal oxides, after which the molten solder is transferred to the soldering site.
As for aluminum or its alloys, rapid oxidation of the soldered surface occurs here, and conventional soldering methods do not give the expected result. The fact is that the surface of aluminum products is covered on top with a very thin, elastic, but at the same time quite durable film of aluminum oxide.
After removing it mechanically, the newly cleaned surface from contact with air is instantly covered with an oxide film. Despite this, soldering aluminum at home is possible. If soldering is performed using tin-lead solders, you can use the following method.
Liquid mineral oil is applied to the place of the upcoming soldering, and already under the oil layer the surface is cleaned with a knife blade or scraper to remove the oxide film. After this, you need to apply solder with a very heated soldering iron. Usually a 50 W soldering iron is sufficient for this. For aluminum products with a thickness of more than 1 mm, it is better to use a tool of greater power.
Instead of mineral oil, you can use sewing machine oil or Vaseline oil, but gun oil is best suited for this purpose. The solder used must contain at least 50% tin. A good result is achieved by using low-melting solder POS-61. If you are soldering aluminum with a thickness of 2 mm or more, the surface must be thoroughly heated with a soldering iron before applying oil to the soldering area.
You can also apply rosin mixed with fine iron filings to the seam. A tinned file is used to wipe the seam area with added solder. Sawdust plays the role of an abrasive material, removing the oxide film from the surface of the product with sharp edges. As a result, tin adheres firmly to the surface, and aluminum is soldered more reliably.
In order for the work to be especially effective, the soldering iron should be slightly modernized. To do this, the working part of the copper rod is blunted so that a platform 4-5 mm wide is formed on it, after which a small longitudinal cut (7-8 mm) must be made with a hacksaw.
From a hacksaw blade, previously calcined over a fire, you need to cut out a small piece (1-2 mm), treat it to remove scale with a 20% mixture of sulfuric or hydrochloric acid, place it in the cut and compress it tightly in a vice.
Such a tip will more effectively remove the oxide film from the surface, and the aluminum will be better seized by solder.
In industrial conditions, soldering of aluminum and its alloys is also performed with a conventional soldering iron using a flux consisting of a mixture of oleic acid and lithium iodide.
How to solder aluminum at home
- Chemical stripping methods
- Application of fluxes and solders
Aluminum and its alloys are only slightly inferior in strength to steel, but they are very easy to process, have a decent appearance and have excellent qualities such as thermal and electrical conductivity. However, along with these properties there is the difficulty of soldering them. The question of how to solder aluminum is asked not only by novice amateurs, but also by those who do not have difficulty soldering copper, brass and steel.
Soldering aluminum is a complex process, so you need to know all its technology.
Working with aluminum is not easy because of its ability to instantly oxidize in air, as a result of which the surface is covered with a thin film of Al2O3 oxide, which has increased resistance to aggressive environments. Therefore, special mercury fluxes or replacement tips for soldering irons are used, or, depending on the soldering method, the oxide is removed in various ways.
Before soldering aluminum, they resort to mechanical removal of the film, cleaning the work area with a file, but contact of aluminum with water or air leads to the original state - the appearance of the same film.
For soldering aluminum, you can use a special flux.
Experts advise cleaning the soldering area with a brick or sand, without removing the dust, but applying molten rosin directly to it, then rubbing it with a soldering iron, pressing firmly with the tip. This will help break down the thin film that formed before applying the rosin.
Also, the stripped aluminum is filled with rosin and sprinkled with filings from an iron nail obtained during the filing process. Next, you need to tin the surface with a soldering iron, carefully rubbing it with the tip. Iron chips will destroy the film, while rosin will prevent the formation of a new film.
Chemical stripping methods
It is important not to allow the aluminum being stripped to come into contact with air; for this purpose, the soldering area is filled with flux or rosin, while heating it. Often small elements, such as wires, are dropped directly into rosin or flux poured into a container.
In addition to the mechanical method of removing oxide, there are several so-called chemical methods.
Cleaning aluminum before soldering can be done using copper sulfate.
Cleaning with copper sulfate. The point where solder needs to be made is cleaned with a file and moistened with two or three drops of copper sulfate solution.
The aluminum base is connected to the negative pole of the battery or accumulator; a small piece of copper wire, stripped and connected to the positive pole, is lowered into the solution without touching the base.
After turning on the 4.5 volt battery, a copper coating forms on the aluminum after a short period of time. The desired part is then soldered to the dried copper.
Use of abrasive powder. A liquid paste is prepared by mixing powder and transformer oil, which is applied to the cleaned surface and then rubbed in with a soldering iron until a layer of tin appears.
Another method is transformer. The product is connected to its negative side, a copper wire containing several cores is connected to its positive side. After closing the circuit, microwelding of aluminum and copper will occur. To speed up the process, soldering acid is used.
Do-it-yourself bumper repair soldering
Application of fluxes and solders
For soldering large parts, such as cooling radiators, soldering irons with high power (100-200 W) are used; soldering irons with a power of 60-100 W can handle small elements quite successfully. Of course, the solder area is not particularly strong, but this is not required.
At home, fluxes F-64, FTBf-A, and FIM are suitable for soldering aluminum. Of course, you can use aspirin, technical petroleum jelly, grease, solder fat, and stearin as a flux.
Using special active fluxes makes soldering easier; they cope well with the oxide film, provided that the heating temperature is 250-360°C.
The solder is distributed over the entire joint surface, resulting in a strong connection between the parts. Flux must be removed using solvents, alcohol or a special liquid. The convenience of using such fluxes is that they are also used for soldering nickel, copper and steel.
As a rule, alloys of 2 parts zinc and 8 parts tin, or 1 part copper and 99 parts tin, or 1 part bismuth and 30 parts tin are used for soldering aluminum. Conventional PIC solders. 40 and POS. 60 also copes with the task.
Small holes (no more than 7 mm in diameter) in aluminum cookware can be soldered without a soldering iron. The existing enamel around the hole should be beaten 5 mm by lightly tapping with a hammer.
Now you need to use a file or sandpaper to clean the metal until it shines, using rosin crumbs or soldering acid, put a piece of tin in the pan on the hole and heat it over an alcohol lamp, which provides spot heating without destroying the remaining enamel. The metal, melting, will completely close the hole.
So, if you have the desire, you can solder aluminum at home.
Kirill Nikolaevich Andreichenko
Before tinning a soldering iron, you should find out what this procedure is and why it needs to be carried out. The bottom line is that as a result of soldering, due to overheating, the soldering iron tip oxidizes and, accordingly, loses the ability to normally melt the solder.
Source: https://rem-serv.com/flyus-dlya-payki-alyuminiya-svoimi-rukami/
How to make flux with your own hands
Flux is nothing more than a compound of organic or inorganic origin, which is designed to eliminate oxides on the surface of the materials being soldered, reduce the force of surface tension, and increase the uniformity of distribution of fused solder.
Solder is a metal alloy that is used to join two materials together. This low-melting alloy can be prepared independently, knowing the principles of bonding various materials through temperature exposure.
Varieties
It is possible to join materials by exposing the seam area to a specific temperature. Depending on the type of material, this indicator ranges from 50°C to 500°C or more. The melting temperature of the flux must be higher than the melting temperature of the metals that need to be soldered.
The choice of flux is determined by such parameters as:
✒ Characteristics of the materials that need to be connected;
✒ Melting temperatures of solder and joined metals;
✒ Surface dimensions;
✒ Durability and corrosion resistance.
Fluxes are classified into 2 groups - hard, with a high melting point, and soft, with a low temperature threshold.
Fluxes also differ in their physical state. They come in various forms: liquid, paste or powder. There are also specialized pastes that contain particles of solder along with flux, and modern low-melting alloys are a tube of solder that is filled with flux.
Fluxes also differ in composition: they are water-based and water-free. Depending on the chemical properties, they are divided into: acidic and non-acidic. In addition, there are activated fluxes, as well as compounds with anti-corrosion properties.
How to make your own soldering flux
The easiest way to make flux yourself is to use a rosin-alcohol base. Rosin powder is poured into the vessel, then it is filled with an alcohol solution. After a while, the alcohol will evaporate, and the flux will acquire a viscous consistency, which will be convenient for use when soldering metal elements.
To prepare a flux that can be used for soldering steel and copper components, acetylsalicylic acid is used, mixed in a limited volume of water, acetone or alcohol. The result is a liquid flux. It is better to store it in a nail polish bottle and use a brush when applying it.
As a rule, for soldering radio wires, small rods, the diameter of which does not exceed 2 mm, are used as solder.
To make such solder, take a container and make a micro-hole at the bottom. Next, you need to melt the tin-lead alloy and pour it into the vessel. The container at this moment should be located above the metal sheet. Then you need to wait for the twigs to harden. After this, you can cut them into pieces of the desired size.
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DIY liquid flux for soldering
Fluxes are substances of organic or inorganic composition used in soldering metals.
Their purpose is to reduce the surface tension forces of the molten solder and ensure better uniform spreading.
In addition, the flux protects the soldering surface from exposure to oxygen, and thereby prevents oxidation.
In many cases, homemade flux can replace liquid or powder prepared in production.
You just need to know what materials to use for it.
Main types
Fluxes are active (acidic) and passive (acid-free).
The former actively influence the top layer of metal during the soldering process, partially changing its chemical structure, the latter simply wash away oxides from the surface and create a thin film that prevents the access of oxygen.
After use, active fluxes must be washed off from the surfaces of brazed parts, as residual substances can cause corrosion. You can wash it off with water with a little added alkali.
Soldering acid, rosin, solder fat, and flux pastes are used as fluxes. The quality of soldering of various metals depends on the type of material and its characteristics.
After all, for each specific case, ideally, you need to select the most suitable composition.
The flux can be included in the solder paste or sealed into a hollow solder tube to improve soldering ease.
There are many ready-made soldering fluxes available in solid, liquid and gel form.
If you urgently need to carry out soldering work, but there are no consumables at hand, you can prepare such a composition yourself, using improvised means.
Of course, a homemade, hastily prepared flux will be inferior in quality and characteristics to that produced in a factory, but it will be able to ensure high-quality soldering.
Aspirin and citric acid
To make flux, you can use any substances that have good solvent and antioxidant properties.
It can be:
- alcohols;
- acids;
- vegetable and animal oils.
The simplest flux is prepared by dissolving a tablet or powder of acetylsalicylic acid in water.
Acetylsalicylic acid is in the medicine cabinet in almost every home (this is the most common cheap aspirin).
It is necessary to dissolve the tablets or powder until the sediment disappears.
Citric acid powder (white granules) is also used.
There are tips to use lemon juice, but it is quite weak, so the effect of its use will be subtle.
When soldering with aspirin or lemon juice, a lot of gas is released, so the room in which they are worked must be equipped with an exhaust hood or well ventilated.
Alcohol, glycerin, rosin
You can get a good alcohol-rosin flux by dissolving rosin in ethyl alcohol. First you need to crush the rosin in a mortar as finely as possible.
Rosin dissolves very slowly in alcohol, and the speed of flux preparation will depend on its thorough grinding. After mixing the alcohol with rosin, it is better to leave the future flux for several hours to complete the dissolution.
Ethyl alcohol can be successfully replaced with glycerin. This glycerin flux will be thicker than alcohol rosin and will be more convenient to use. In this case, the dissolution of rosin will slow down.
It will be much more effective to first dissolve it in alcohol and then mix it with glycerin. In this case, the activity of the composition will significantly increase, but you will have to wash off the residue from the soldered workpieces.
It’s even possible to make rosin yourself, although it will take time. It is necessary to collect resin from pine trunks in warm, dry weather and melt it.
Can be used for soldering as a flux or its component, rosin for bowed string instruments. It is of very high quality and well cleaned. But its price is much higher than that of soldering rosin.
Hydrochloric and phosphoric acid
A very effective flux is obtained by dissolving zinc granules in hydrochloric acid.
To do this, concentrated acid must be diluted in equal parts with water and the granules placed in a glass container should be poured with this solution.
For complete dissolution, zinc will be required at the rate of 412 g per 1 liter of hydrochloric acid.
The dissolution process will be accompanied by a rapid release of hydrogen from the acid, so it is better to prepare in rooms with very good ventilation and away from open fire.
Using flux obtained from hydrochloric acid, steel workpieces are successfully soldered. If you add ammonia to the solution (the same amount as zinc), then this composition can be used when soldering absolutely any metals and alloys.
A good flux is phosphoric acid. It is used when soldering nichrome and stainless steel.
Liquid fluxes are best applied with a thin brush, and should be stored in a tightly sealed glass container with a narrow neck.
Application of fat
Soldering flux can be made from fat with a fairly high melting point. Then at room temperature it will not soften on its own, which will make it easier to work with.
To obtain such a flux, the fat must be melted and mixed with crushed rosin and ammonia in a certain proportion. For three parts of fat by volume you will need the same amount of ammonia and one part of rosin.
For ease of use, the finished flux can be placed in the body of a medical disposable syringe and, if necessary, squeeze out the required amount.
If you are not sure whether a homemade flux is suitable for soldering a part, then you can do a little research. It is necessary to distribute the prepared substance over the surface of a piece of the same metal that is to be soldered.
If, when heated, the flux is evenly distributed over the surface, then it is considered suitable for soldering. If it collects in balls and flows down, then it will be able to provide satisfactory wettability of the part.
The ability to dissolve the oxide film on the metal surface is checked by washing off the applied flux.
If the surface remains clean after washing, then the flux dissolves oxides well.
On the contrary, if traces of an oxide film or rust remain, then soldering with this flux cannot be performed.
Source: https://steelfactoryrus.com/zhidkiy-flyus-dlya-payki-svoimi-rukami/
How to make your own solder paste
A soldering iron is the main tool for people who are interested in radio electronics. But to mount SMD elements on a printed circuit board, one soldering iron is not enough. It is necessary to purchase solder paste for it, which will not only hold small parts on the surface of the board, but will also increase the reliability of their fastening. You can buy it ready-made, or you can prepare it yourself. Solder paste is easy to prepare with your own hands, and its properties are not inferior to expensive analogues.
Solder Paste Application
Solder or solder paste is used in the electronics industry for mounting SMD components on printed circuit boards. This substance is used in the installation of water supply systems. It is used to connect pipes and fittings made of copper and brass alloys.
Using homemade solder paste
If the installation of water supply systems requires a special paste, which is difficult to make yourself, radio engineering parts are less finicky. But in order to get a quality product that meets all the necessary requirements, homemade solder paste must meet the following criteria:
- it should not oxidize or quickly delaminate;
- the product must maintain viscosity and deformability for a long time;
- the applied dose of the prepared mass should not spread beyond the application site;
- After soldering there should be no solid residues that cannot be removed.
It is important to pay attention to the adhesive properties of the finished product, since this quality will allow you to securely attach small parts to the board. When heated, metal tends to spatter. The use of high-quality paste is designed to minimize this property.
It is important that applying a paste-like composition to the board does not reduce the technical characteristics of the latter. And product residues could be easily removed using standard solvents.
To understand how to make solder paste at home, you need to know what it contains. This substance is based on solder powder. It is mixed with a binder and some other components.
Advantages of a homemade product
Knowing how to make solder paste is not enough. It is also important to evaluate the merits of a product prepared with your own hands. The use of paste-like substances in radio electronics makes it possible to produce micro-boards with very fine details. In this case, there is no need to use a soldering iron and a set of other standard tools.
Homemade solder paste
However, instead of a traditional soldering iron, you will have to use a special hair dryer, which melts the components of the paste and secures the parts in place.
The main disadvantage of purchased products is their high cost. Making homemade pasta will save you a lot of money. By purchasing all the components of the product separately, you will be able to obtain a similar substance, the final cost of which will be several times lower.
Varieties of compositions for soldering work
To connect elements using soldering, compounds that have a lower melting point are used. Previously, solder was used for these purposes in combination with flux - a substance that helps remove oxides from soldered surfaces and improves the spreading of solder.
Modern electronics manufacturers use special formulations that contain both of these components, as well as various additives that speed up the soldering process.
DIY solder paste for soldering SMD components is prepared from the following components:
- solder (made from lead, tin or silver);
- flux;
- connecting components.
Solder pastes are divided into several types:
- washing;
- no-wash;
- water soluble;
- halogen-containing;
- halogen-free.
The change in composition is influenced by flux. Pastes that cannot be washed off with water are prepared by adding rosin. To wash the composition off the board, you will have to use solvents.
Preparing the base for homemade solder paste
Description of cooking technology
Making solder paste for SMD with your own hands is not difficult at all. Depending on the type of work performed, you can use one of three methods to prepare the composition.
For fine soldering. This composition contains the following components:
- refined vegetable oil – 100 g;
- beef fat (melted and strained) – 300 g;
- rosin – 500 g;
- ammonium chloride – 100 g.
All components except ammonium chloride are placed in a porcelain container and heated in a water bath. During the heating process, they must be carefully mixed until a homogeneous consistency is obtained. Ammonium chloride is poured into the resulting composition and mixed. The paste is transferred to a jar and sealed tightly.
For very fine soldering. This composition is indispensable when performing very delicate work. Palm oil is used for these purposes. It itself has a paste-like consistency.
Its effectiveness can be increased by adding ammonium chloride. In DIY solder paste, the proportions of this substance should be about 5-10%. Instead of ammonium chloride, you can use aniline hydrochloride. The substances are placed in glass containers and ground until a homogeneous consistency is obtained. The jar must be stored tightly closed.
Adding Flux to Homemade Solder Paste
DIY solder paste for copper soldering and tinning. To prepare such a composition you will need the following components:
- tin-lead solder rod;
- solder fat.
Using a file, a needle file and a mechanical attachment on a drill, you need to grind the rod into fine crumbs and mix it in equal proportions with solder fat, heating it in a water bath. When the mixture reaches a uniform consistency, it is transferred to a large medical syringe.
Conclusion
Any thrifty owner will have the ingredients to prepare solder paste with his own hands. And with a little effort, you can prepare a product whose characteristics are superior to expensive analogues.
Do-it-yourself quality solder paste (subtitles available)
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