DIY soldering acid - Metalworker's Guide
When carrying out soldering, acidic fluxes are often used to pretreat the surface of parts. The degree of activity of the material is selected depending on the type of metal and the degree of its contamination.
There are various products on sale, the composition of which is selected taking into account the specifics of the work to be done. You can make soldering acid at home yourself.
This will require certain knowledge, basic ability to make chemical compositions and a small amount of money to purchase components.
Why is acid flux needed?
Metals include highly active substances. Many of them oxidize easily and quickly in the presence of air. The resulting oxides are converted into hydroxides under the influence of atmospheric moisture.
A mixture of oxidation products is clearly visible on iron products after storage in air. It's called rust. Other metals are also coated with an oxide layer, which prevents anything from being soldered to the product.
Acid fluxes help to cope with the problem, the simplest of which is soldering acid. Under this name, several different single-component or complex compositions are collected, many of which can be prepared with your own hands.
What can you do at home?
The degree of acidity of fluxes differs. Active mixtures include compositions with zinc chloride. From the school course, perhaps someone remembered the properties of saline solutions.
Salts tend to undergo hydrolysis in the presence of water. Zinc chloride, when exchanged with water, forms a strong acid and a weak alkali. Therefore, the solution has an active acidic character. Hydrochloric acid quickly removes oxide substances.
Typically, soldering acid is made by adding 412 g of zinc to 1 liter of concentrated hydrochloric (hydrochloride) acid. The procedure is not entirely pleasant and safe. During operation, volatile acidic vapors are released.
You should work with concentrated hodgepodge only under a hood or in a respirator, in a well-ventilated room.
With hydrochloric acid
Several formulations with zinc chloride are popular. Zinc compounds are used in the galvanizing process to protect metals from corrosion. This chemical element is known for its resistance to oxidation processes. Making soldering acids with your own hands is not difficult.
For products made of ferrous and non-ferrous metals, the following ratio is suitable:
- zinc chloride – minimum 25%, maximum – 30%;
- concentrated hydrochloric acid – 0.7%.
Both components must be quickly dissolved in water. It should be noted that hydrochloric acid is a highly volatile substance. It is advisable to work with it under a hood. The bottle with the starting reagent should only be kept closed.
With Vaseline and alcohol
For parts made of ferrous and non-ferrous metals, sometimes it is more convenient to use a paste with acidic properties instead of soldering acid.
To prepare it, you need to mix a saturated solution of zinc chloride - 3.7% and technical petroleum jelly - 85%. To give the required consistency, add a little water to the mixture.
To work with nickel, platinum and their alloys, you can make a soldering mixture with your own hands from zinc chloride - 1.4% and ethyl (wine) alcohol - 40%. Both components must be thoroughly dissolved in water and the finished soldering solution must be mixed.
After using all the above compounds, the soldering area should be rinsed well with plain water.
With rosin
For carrying out critical work with ferrous metals, soldering precious and non-ferrous metals, a paste mixture made by yourself from rosin - 24% and zinc chloride - 1% is suitable. All this must be dissolved in ethyl alcohol. At the end of the soldering procedure, you need to wash the work area with acetone.
To form a seam with increased strength characteristics, it is recommended to take:
- rosin – 16%,
- zinc chloride – 4%,
- technical petroleum jelly – 80%.
It is more difficult to rinse the soldering area after treating it with such homemade solder paste. You need to take acetone.
Experience shows that in some cases it makes sense to replace soldering acid with a corresponding acidic paste.
Homemade sour pastes
When working with aluminum parts, a flux with oleic acid is often used, the formula C17H33COOH gives an idea of the high molecular weight. Higher acid has a viscous consistency, similar to a slightly viscous liquid.
Soldering flux is made as follows: 20 ml of oleic acid, about 3 g of lithium iodide are dissolved in a glass container in a water bath. A homogeneous solution, made with your own hands, after cooling, is poured into a glass bottle for storage.
After soldering, the working area is washed with acetone, gasoline or alcohol.
To solder nichrome, you can make a composition with your own hands from 100 g of Vaseline, 7 g of powdered zinc chloride, 7 g of glycerin.
The whole mass must be mixed well. It is advisable to do this in a thick porcelain cup or a special mortar.
Other available options
Phosphoric acid is widely used for processing iron, steel, and nickel alloys. It is often called simply phosphorus. This acid can be used to treat the surface of pure copper.
On all metals, phosphoric acid not only removes oxides, but also forms a protective layer.
During soldering work, the top layer of phosphates is easily destroyed by a heated soldering iron tip. The solder mass is evenly distributed on the processed parts. The result is a strong connection.
There is ready-made VTS flux on sale, which, in fact, is also soldering acid. You can make a similar product yourself.
You need to take salicylic acid, Vaseline, triethanolamine. Dissolve all components in alcohol. Flux is successfully used to work with copper, platinum, silver and their alloys.
Source: https://ssk2121.com/payalnaya-kislota-svoimi-rukami/
DIY soldering acid
Soldering acid is a flux that can be classified as a separate category, because it has an aggressive effect on materials that are needed during work. This flux mainly spreads in a liquid state, and this does not depend on its concentration. Sometimes you can purchase a concentrated substance and then dilute it, or perhaps buy a ready-made, diluted one. In addition, everyone can easily make soldering acid on their own.
The properties of materials must be selected according to those factors that are necessary for their use.
Soldering acid is intended for those metals that are heavily contaminated, because oxidation occurs on them, and a large amount of rust remains on the surface.
The material is very active, so it is necessary to work with it carefully and avoid contact with human skin and mucous membranes. You must first carefully familiarize yourself with the rules and methods of using acid, and only then begin to use it for its intended purpose.
In the process of producing soldering acid yourself, it is necessary to use special technology. In the end, the result should be a material that will have the properties prescribed by GOST. This is what will make the flux high-quality and reliable so that the connections are strong.
It is necessary to ensure that the properties and functions of the acid work even after soldering the metals, because the material removes films and rust from the surface, and also prevents their reappearance.
You should also take into account the spreadability of the materials being soldered over the surface and the adhesion to metals and products.
Characteristics, composition and properties
It is necessary to know exactly what the material should consist of, and only then begin its production. Soldering acid includes:
- wetting additive;
- ammonium chloride;
- deionized water;
- zinc chloride;
- hydrochloric acid.
Soldering acid, created independently, may consist of other components. You just need to do everything to ensure that the flux has all the necessary properties. It is necessary to ensure high activity of this material.
It must interact with the necessary materials in a minimum amount of time, and also destroy all substances that prevent normal soldering. However, it is worth considering that small parts may be damaged and deteriorated when exposed to acid.
Solder active fat has the same properties.
The acid has a rather unpleasant odor, so when a person inhales it, his health may suffer. That is why it is recommended to use a respirator when working with this material. Well, the work area must be constantly ventilated. It is necessary to protect your hands, skin and mucous membranes from acid; it is necessary that the workpiece gets only into the places necessary for soldering.
Materials and tools for making acid
You need to know that the soldering acid you make yourself will have a slightly different composition than the purchased one. However, it will be simpler. To prepare such acid, you need to use some equipment:
- Glass container or jar for mixing and preparing the material.
- Zinc granules or cups from used batteries containing this element.
- Tap clean water.
- Concentrated hydrochloric acid, which is capable of dissolving unnecessary impurities and substances.
Making acid yourself
First you need to take a container or jar for mixing the acid. This is where the zinc or batteries and their remains are placed. Only after all of the above can hydrochloric acid be poured into the container. The main thing is to act with great caution, because if it comes into contact with the skin, you can get a serious burn. The acid in the container should not be more than 3/4 of the volume of the entire composition.
As a result, it turns out that the proportions should be like this. For 1 liter of hydrochloric acid, 412 grams of zinc are needed, but this can only be measured using special tools. Therefore, it is worth knowing that there will be some deviations in one direction or another.
When further preparing soldering acid, you must wait for the reaction of the chemicals to finish. Zinc and acid come into contact with each other, the metal gradually dissolves. During this process, active hydrogen evolution occurs, so many bubbles can be seen in the liquid.
The liquid gradually becomes clearer and cleaner. When all processes are completed, it is necessary to pour the liquid into a tightly closed container. All these materials can be easily purchased in stores specializing in the sale of chemicals and reagents. When using batteries, you can see that almost any of them will do.
If you need to make a material with weaker properties, then you should slightly reduce the aggressiveness. In this case, it is recommended to add a little water to make the solution more liquid and with weaker properties. However, you need to be careful, because the liquid can splash and get on the skin and mucous membranes of a person. In this case, you should choose the proportions yourself, adhering to the specifics of the required soldering.
Making soldering acid yourself
First, you should take care of your own safety, because using acid is very dangerous and can cause irreparable harm to your health. If acid production is carried out in enterprises and industrial areas, then everything must be done in special-purpose cabinets. The reagents are reliably protected from outsiders, and they are poured strictly under special hoods.
At home, it is recommended to use protection, gloves, goggles, respirators and other devices. Dissolving the acid should only be done in a well-ventilated area or even outside. Indeed, in the process of creating acid for soldering, hydrogen is constantly released into the air in large quantities. It is also necessary to take care, just in case, of water, with which you can quickly rinse the area of skin on which the substance has come into contact.
It is best to use cold tap water because in the event of an accident, it will reduce pain and quickly clean the wound.
If this substance is spilled on the surface, it is best to wash it off with a special mixture of water and alkali.
You must also remember that this material must be stored correctly, the container must be closed and sealed, storage is carried out in a dark and cool place.
It is recommended to prevent unauthorized people from accessing the soldering acid to avoid danger to others. Flux is sometimes made from pure hydrochloric acid without zinc and water. However, it is mostly used only for iron products.
Source: https://svarkagid.com/pajalnaja-kislota-svoimi-rukami/
What to use instead of soldering acid?
Soldering acid is a flux that can be classified as a separate category, because it has an aggressive effect on materials that are needed during work.
This flux mainly spreads in a liquid state, and this does not depend on its concentration. Sometimes you can purchase a concentrated substance and then dilute it, or perhaps buy a ready-made, diluted one.
In addition, everyone can easily make soldering acid on their own.
The properties of materials must be selected according to those factors that are necessary for their use.
Soldering acid is intended for those metals that are heavily contaminated, because oxidation occurs on them, and a large amount of rust remains on the surface.
The material is very active, so it is necessary to work with it carefully and avoid contact with human skin and mucous membranes. You must first carefully familiarize yourself with the rules and methods of using acid, and only then begin to use it for its intended purpose.
In the process of producing soldering acid yourself, it is necessary to use special technology. In the end, the result should be a material that will have the properties prescribed by GOST. This is what will make the flux high-quality and reliable so that the connections are strong.
It is necessary to ensure that the properties and functions of the acid work even after soldering the metals, because the material removes films and rust from the surface, and also prevents their reappearance.
You should also take into account the spreadability of the materials being soldered over the surface and the adhesion to metals and products.
How to make horseradish at home using a meat grinder recipe?
Hot and piquant horseradish, prepared at home, is an excellent seasoning for any meat dish. Homemade horseradish does not contain preservatives or flavor enhancers, unlike store-bought products. Only benefits, incredible taste and spiciness. There are a huge number of options for preparing homemade horseradish. Today we will talk about how to make horseradish at home using a meat grinder recipe.
Composition of horseradish
Horseradish is a vegetable of the cabbage genus, which can reach 1.5 meters in height.
As a rule, to prepare homemade horseradish, they use its root, which is a real storehouse of useful vitamins and microelements - fiber, phytoncides, essential compounds, vitamins B, C and E.
Horseradish contains a large amount of salts - magnesium, calcium, potassium, phosphorus, etc. Horseradish root contains almost five times more ascorbic acid than healthy citrus fruits.
Useful properties of horseradish
We can talk about the benefits of horseradish root for a very long time. We invite you to study the most basic beneficial properties that this unique plant has:
- An effective way to prevent and treat viral and infectious diseases;
- Horseradish has an expectorant effect, so it is often used in the treatment of colds;
- Has a choleretic effect;
- Stimulates gastrointestinal secretion;
- Has an anti-inflammatory effect;
- Has a tonic and cardiotonic effect.
Using horseradish root, you can treat rheumatism, dental diseases and various types of intestinal infections. The beneficial properties of horseradish boost the immune system and stimulate hair and nail growth. Microelements contained in horseradish improve metabolism and metabolic processes in the body. Daily consumption of horseradish in small quantities helps eliminate waste and toxins.
Particular attention should be paid to the male half of the population using this unique product in their diet. The beneficial substances of horseradish enhance potency and are also a powerful natural aphrodisiac.
IMPORTANT! Horseradish root contains a large amount of essential oils, so this product is not recommended for use for pancreatitis, ulcers and gastritis. Women during lactation should also abstain.
How to make horseradish at home, recipe using a meat grinder
In order to prepare healthy and aromatic horseradish at home, the housewife will need to acquire a minimum amount of ingredients, and also take out a meat grinder from the cabinet. So, we need the following set of ingredients:
- 400 g horseradish root;
- 2 small beets;
- 1 teaspoon salt;
- 4 tablespoons vinegar;
- 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar.
First you need to prepare the beets by boiling them until half cooked. Horseradish roots should be thoroughly washed in water and peeled. For the convenience of further grinding in a meat grinder, the root can be cut into rings or medium-sized strips.
In the process of grinding horseradish in a meat grinder, or in any other way, oils that discharge the mucous membrane, which are contained in large quantities in the product, are released into the air. Therefore, before you begin the process of working with horseradish, you should open the windows, or even better, create a draft.
This will prevent excessive tearing during grinding.
SECRET! In order to minimize the evaporation of essential oils into the air, you can use one small trick. Place a bag over the neck of the meat grinder and tie it tightly with thread. Thus, the horseradish pulp will pour out of the meat grinder directly into the bag.
The beets must be peeled and grated on the finest grater. The prepared chopped horseradish must be placed in a deep bowl, then add the rest of the ingredients, including grated beets. Note that the amount of salt and sugar can be slightly changed depending on your taste preferences.
All ingredients must be mixed thoroughly. If the mixture is dry enough, add a few tablespoons of purified water to it. This way the gruel will turn out to be more delicate in structure. The main thing is not to overdo it, because otherwise our horseradish will become too liquid. Our product is ready.
Now all that remains is to place the horseradish into clean, sterilized jars with tight-fitting lids. Horseradish must be stored in the refrigerator. The shelf life of the product, if properly stored, reaches 2 - 3 months.
Horseradish without beets
We bring to your attention another simple, but quite popular recipe for preparing horseradish, which can be served as a classic seasoning or as a spicy sauce, adding a little sour cream to it.
To prepare horseradish we need to take:
- 150 g horseradish root;
- 1 tablespoon natural lemon juice;
- A pinch of sugar and salt.
We thoroughly wash the root crop under water to remove any remaining soil, peel it and pass it through a meat grinder twice. This is necessary in order to achieve the most uniform consistency. We add lemon juice, salt and sugar to the finished gruel.
Mix all ingredients thoroughly and transfer to a clean jar. In order for all components to begin to actively interact with each other, which will ensure their maximum benefit. Before serving, you can mix the prepared horseradish with sour cream in a 1:1 ratio.
This sauce can be an excellent addition to any everyday and festive dish - steak, manti, jellied meat, etc.
We hope that after reading today’s article you have no questions about how to make horseradish at home using a meat grinder recipe.
Source: https://ochprosto.com/kak-sdelat-xren-v-domashnix-usloviyax-recept-na-myasorubke/
Soldering acid recipes
When carrying out soldering, acidic fluxes are often used to pretreat the surface of parts. The degree of activity of the material is selected depending on the type of metal and the degree of its contamination.
There are various products on sale, the composition of which is selected taking into account the specifics of the work to be done. You can make soldering acid at home yourself.
This will require certain knowledge, basic ability to make chemical compositions and a small amount of money to purchase components.
How to replace solder
Solder at home can be replaced with:
| Solder option | Description |
| Aspirin | Probably the most affordable option, since it can be found in every first aid kit. To carry out high-quality soldering, be sure to use only a highly concentrated solution. It is also important to consider that soldering with acetylsalicylic acid is accompanied by an unpleasant odor. Therefore, it is important to ensure good ventilation; the room should be well ventilated. |
| Fat | An affordable product with low cost. The main disadvantages of fat are its consistency and unpleasant odor. However, it melts easily and spreads across solder joints. When considering options for replacing solder for soldering, fat cannot be ignored. |
| Resin | It is better to use tree resin, especially coniferous ones. It is a non-aggressive substance that is easy to melt and spread over the surface. Can be used for various soldering and tinning applications. |
| Amber | Exotic and expensive option. However, due to its similar characteristics to rosin, it is the best option for soldering at home. The main disadvantage is low availability. Finding amber is not so easy. |
| Rosin for instruments | Used for rubbing the bows of musical instruments. However, it can be used for soldering, since it has characteristics similar to ordinary rosin. |
Sometimes it happens that you need to find a way to replace solder for soldering, since you don’t have regular rosin at home. At home, you can use many fairly relevant options, some are more affordable, others, on the contrary, will be more difficult to find.
Even acetic and citric acids provide a weak effect, so they can also be used for soldering.
Distinctive characteristics of rosin
The main properties of the material include:
- a budget option;
- availability is not the highest;
- The melting temperature is considered the most optimal - 150 degrees;
- suitable for any type of soldering;
- when mixed with water, alcohol, acetone, the chemical properties do not change, which is important for soldering;
- there is no negative effect on the body.
Making liquid rosin
To make it you will need an alcohol solution of salicylic acid. Rosin should be crushed. You can use a regular mortar for this. Mix rosin powder with alcohol (1:1.15), close the container and place in hot water at a temperature of no more than +80 degrees.
The composition must be constantly shaken, this promotes the formation of a homogeneous mass. The resulting rosin should be poured into syringes (the most convenient option for further use).
Soldering technique
To get quality contact you must adhere to certain recommendations:
- the workplace must have good lighting;
- remove foreign objects from the workplace;
- the room should be well ventilated;
- contact surfaces must be cleaned with sandpaper to eliminate oxidation;
- Cover the soldering iron tip with prepared solder;
- The connection must be made immediately after tinning.
Using Alternative Soldering Media
Soldering work is standard for any chosen product; differences can only be observed at the preparatory stage:
- the fat must be melted or heated;
- prepare a solution from aspirin;
- No preparation is required for resin, amber, and bow rosin.
The use of analogues cannot be a complete replacement for soldering rosin, however, when you don’t have it at hand, they will be an ideal way to achieve the desired result.
You also need to take into account that home methods are not suitable for production purposes. The quality of soldering will be significantly worse than when using standard soldering.
Source: https://Chem-zamenit.ru/texnika-i-avto/pripoj.html
How to solder without acid
For professionals, the title of the article may cause a condescending smile. It would seem, what’s so complicated here? I cleaned the contacts, scooped up some solder with the nose of the soldering iron, and applied it to the connection point. For an experienced radio amateur, this process really does not cause problems. But if everyone (including professionals) knows how to solder correctly with a soldering iron, where do unsoldered boards, short circuits between adjacent contacts, and parts that fail due to overheating come from?
Our material will tell novice craftsmen how to learn to solder using traditional and non-standard methods, and for those who consider themselves professionals, it will help improve their skills.
What is soldering
Without referring to Wikipedia, we will explain in our own words. Soldering is the joining of metal contacts using a conductive melt, followed by its solidification. In this case, unlike welding, none of the parts being connected should melt during the process. Of course, after the conductive melt (solder) has solidified, reliable electrical conductivity of the connection must be ensured. Contact resistance cannot affect the characteristics of the electrical circuit.
General rules for working with a soldering iron (we will consider all these points in detail in the review)
- The connection point must be mechanically cleaned of dirt, protective coating and oxides (if the dimensions and design of the parts and conductors allow). What you can focus on: some metals, in principle, cannot be cleaned of the oxide film, at least in air. Only under a continuous layer of special fluxes (we are talking about aluminum and alloys based on it). The fact is that the “winged metal” oxidizes instantly.
- To degrease the connection point, special cleaners are used: fluxes. They should not have a destructive effect on the metal you are working with. Even if the joint seems perfectly clean, soldering without flux is almost impossible. When you touch the heated tip of a soldering iron, thermal oxidation occurs.
Important: metals used in electrical engineering (aluminum, copper, silver, gold) in their pure form have good adhesion.
Standard solders seem to stick to the surface, securely fixing after hardening. The oxide film layer not only prevents “sticking”, it is also a dielectric.
And when heated, fluxes activate their cleaning properties, and not only remove invisible contaminants, but also prevent oxidation.
Special fluxes have been developed for various materials. Even acids are used.
Let us repeat, these are only theoretical principles, from which it is not yet clear how to solder with a soldering iron. You will see detailed instructions below.
Selecting a soldering iron
If you are not involved in radio work professionally (most likely this is the case, otherwise you would not have studied this material), you have in your arsenal an ordinary soldering iron in one copy. We are not talking about a soldering station at all, since it is quite expensive (albeit a very convenient kit). But for a novice master this is overkill.
Let's return to soldering irons. The classic is a nichrome heater and a copper tip. In fact, this is the best combination, but for manual control. No temperature control, smooth slow heating. At the same time, the copper tip holds the temperature perfectly, and often compensates for the heat dissipation at the soldering site. Another advantage is that the soft material allows you to mold any tip configuration. You can literally rivet and cut out a tip for a specific type of soldering.
The only drawback is that copper burns out quickly, and this type of tip is actually a consumable item. It constantly has to be sharpened with a file.
Tip: Be sure to use a hammer before shaping the tip with a file. Once the copper rod is sealed, it will last longer. A little lost time is more than compensated for by ease of use.
The illustration shows the classic “screwdriver” shape. A universal tip for most amateur jobs.
If your “heating device” is equipped with a temperature controller, you must take into account the inertness of copper. It dials the set number slowly and also slowly cools down.
The ceramic tip with silver plating is a modern accessory. If the question is how to work with SMD format parts, or how to desolder a chip from a double-sided board, this is your option. However, they are not so convenient for soldering powerful heat-intensive wires and contacts.
Such a soldering iron heats up instantly, and you can precisely control the degrees on it (if there is a regulator).
The heating method can be any. The same ceramic heater as the tip, or nichrome. Induction heaters are also used on copper soldering irons, but these are rather exotic.
How to desolder a microcircuit with a soldering iron
By picking up the microcircuit with a screwdriver and applying slight pressure on it, while simultaneously warming up the legs of the microcircuit located on one side with a soldering iron, you can gradually desolder it. How to do this is shown in more detail in the video at the bottom of the article (watch starting at 15 minutes 15 seconds).
How to solder or desolder a microcircuit without a soldering iron
You already understand that successful soldering requires heating the part to the melting temperature of the solder. It can be melted using a heat gun or soldering hair dryer. This is an analogue of a construction hair dryer, only it is compact and often equipped with special molded nozzles.
With its help, the working area is heated, while the solder melts not at a certain point, but over a relatively large area. This is an effective method, especially if it is necessary to desolder the microcircuit (all legs heat up at the same time). But with this method there is a risk of damaging the part itself from overheating.
Source: https://MyTooling.ru/instrumenty/kak-pajat-bez-kisloty
How to prepare soldering acid at home
All existing metals, as well as their alloys, can be combined with each other using two different technological processes. We are talking about welding and soldering. Welding of metals means short-term heating of two metal surfaces at the point of contact to extremely high temperatures.
At these temperatures, the surfaces to be joined undergo complete melting. As a result, a connection of two metals occurs at the level of interatomic bonds of the crystal lattice.
The consequence of this process is a monolithic welding seam, whose strength sometimes even exceeds the strength of the metal products being welded themselves.
Acid fluxes
Why are fluxes used? The task of any flux is to:
- Dissolve the surface oxide film on the metal.
- Clean the surface from mechanical contamination.
- Prevent oxidation and the formation of a new oxide film.
- Reduce the surface tension of the molten solder, thereby facilitating its free flow over the metal.
Rosin
Among radio technicians, the most common flux is rosin. It is essentially pine tree resin from which the turpentine has been removed through an evaporation process.
It is widely used due to its low cost, ease of storage and chemical inertness. Rosin is used as a flux for soldering products made of copper, brass, silver, and nickel.
That is, those metals on the surface of which the oxide film is not very strong and is quite easily destroyed by the weak influence of molten rosin.
But when it comes to metals such as aluminum, cast iron, all kinds of steel alloys or iron, rosin stops working and its use in these cases turns out to be extremely ineffective. The rosin needs to be replaced and the flux made more aggressive to make the soldering process easier.
Soldering acid
chemically active acid fluxes were invented . There are several types of acid fluxes due to the fact that different metals form oxide compounds of different strengths on their surface.
The so-called soldering acid can be easily purchased at a specialized store and is inexpensive. But there is a small problem.
Most often, manufacturers do not indicate the exact composition of the chemical they sell under the name “soldering acid.” But, as you know, soldering different metals requires acid fluxes of different compositions.
Therefore, sometimes it will be much more rational to make one or another flux for a specific metal at home than to buy a pig in a poke.
Zinc chloride flux
For soldering, so-called pickling acid is used. This is one of the most common acid fluxes. This is the same soldering acid that is most often sold in specialized stores. This flux is mainly used for soldering iron. For example, pure hydrochloric acid can be used to solder roofing iron. Usually this is a solution of zinc in hydrochloric acid, in other words, zinc chloride.
All the necessary reagents for this reaction can be freely purchased at a chemical store, namely: granulated zinc and chemically pure hydrochloric acid. This is the composition of soldering acid.
The proportions are as follows:
- Concentrated HCl: 1000 ml.
- Pure zinc: 400 gr.
For mixing, you must have an appropriate glass, porcelain or ceramic container.
- The zinc is first placed in the container, and only then hydrochloric acid is slowly added to the zinc in a thin stream.
- In no case should you do the opposite and add zinc to hydrochloric acid. This can lead to very sad consequences, namely the splashing of acid in all directions.
- During the chemical reaction, hydrogen will be released. This gas, when combined with oxygen in the air, forms an extremely dangerous gas mixture called detonating gas. This gas explodes at any opportunity. Therefore, before you start dissolving zinc in hydrochloric acid, think about good ventilation. It would be ideal to carry out the reaction outside, in the fresh air.
Olein flux
The basis of this flux is oleic acid, which is found in olive oil or any fat. To prepare the flux, technical olein is used, which is mixed with lithium iodide.
It is used for soldering both pure aluminum and aluminum-based alloys. This is the only flux that can dissolve the extremely durable aluminum oxide film, while the protective flux layer remains until the end of the soldering process.
It is impossible to make oleic flux at home. Yes, this is not necessary. It is freely sold and inexpensive.
Orthophosphoric acid
The chemical formula is H3PO4. For soldering alloys based on chromium or nickel, flux is prepared in the following proportion:
- Ethyl alcohol: 62%;
- Phosphoric acid H3PO4: 32%;
- Rosin: 6%.
Sometimes the acid is mixed with zinc chloride in a 50/50 ratio to prepare a flux for soldering iron products.
The composition consisting of H3PO4 25% and diethylamine hydrochloride 75% is called active flux F-38N, which is used for soldering copper alloys, as well as medium-carbon and low-carbon steel. Solders pure copper well, as well as iron, steel and nickel-containing alloys.
Based on this acid, you can make any fluxes for soldering almost all types of metals, except aluminum, at home. The only problem is that acquiring pure acid is quite problematic.
Salicylic acid
Or the well-known aspirin. Purchased in tablet form at your nearest pharmacy. It costs a penny.
It belongs to the so-called inactive fluxes, that is, after soldering is completed, salicylic acid does not affect the contact point in any way and therefore no additional treatment is required after soldering to remove flux residues. Moreover, after hardening, salicylic flux protects the soldering area from corrosion.
You can solder with pure acid , using it in the form of a powder or a whole aspirin tablet. But it is much more effective to use aspirin as part of a multicomponent flux, which is called VTS.
VTS flux is used for soldering copper conductors, as well as products made of silver and platinum. The flux contains technical petroleum jelly as a filler, ethyl alcohol and acetylsalicylic acid.
This flux can be used to solder almost any metal, with the exception of aluminum.
The only disadvantage of aspirin: during soldering, extremely caustic smoke is released, which can damage the respiratory tract with frequent contact. Therefore, good exhaust is a prerequisite for productive work with this flux.
How to solder correctly
How to use soldering acid? The key to successful soldering is not only the correctly selected flux, but also the correct preparation for soldering. To do this you need to know the following:
- Before soldering, metal surfaces must be cleaned of rust and other contaminants using a file and sandpaper.
- All liquid fluxes are best applied to the surface using a special brush. In this case, maximum application accuracy and uniformity of distribution are achieved.
- The acid flux should cover the surfaces to be soldered with an even, uniform layer, without gaps. Otherwise, uniform distribution of solder over the metal surface will not be achieved.
- The tip of a well-heated soldering iron picks up a small amount of solder and transfers it to the metal surface pre-treated with flux. The solder is distributed in an even layer over the entire surface of the metal. This is called "tinning". The second metal surface is tinned in the same way. After this, both tinned surfaces are soldered.
- After completing the soldering process, it is necessary to remove any remaining acid solder. Otherwise, the acid will begin to destroy the metal and a corrosion center will arise, which can lead to destruction of the soldering area.
- Acid is neutralized by alkali. For the latter, it is best to use baking soda. The soldering area is sprinkled with soda and then washed with water.
Source: https://respect-kovka.com/kak-prigotovit-payalnuyu-kislotu-v-domashnih-usloviyah/
