I don't think there is a flux of any sort that won't EVENTUALLY cause issues if not cleaned up. How long "eventually" is varies. Fast Tracks recommends assembling turnouts with acid flux - because you cna take the completelted turnout and give it a thorough rinsing and scrubbing with an old toothbrush, which is one of the assembly steps. That's a little tough with a decoder in a loco, so I'll stick with my water soluable Super Safe brand flux. Even this, the excess residue should be cleaned off joints. A damp cloth works, but isopropyl alcohol swabs work even better. Prep pads also work well.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
riogrande5761 Rather than "paste", I bought some Tix solder flux. It works great, the bottle is small and lasts a long long time - it has a brush applicator in the lid which allows you to conveniently apply the liquid flux to the surface that will be soldered. This stuff is great. I bought it at my hobby shop some years ago but I see MicroMark sells it. Here is a link: http://www.micromark.com/tix-soldering-flux-1-fl-oz-two-1and2-oz-bottles,11816.html
Rather than "paste", I bought some Tix solder flux. It works great, the bottle is small and lasts a long long time - it has a brush applicator in the lid which allows you to conveniently apply the liquid flux to the surface that will be soldered. This stuff is great. I bought it at my hobby shop some years ago but I see MicroMark sells it. Here is a link:
http://www.micromark.com/tix-soldering-flux-1-fl-oz-two-1and2-oz-bottles,11816.html
riogrande5761 I brush the Tix flux on before I start, no hand needed with flux while soldering. - that stuff works great. Cheers.
I brush the Tix flux on before I start, no hand needed with flux while soldering. - that stuff works great. Cheers.
Interesting looking heat sinks. Source?
I can see where a hot air gun would work very well, especially for something like that metalwork Frank showed. The solder pates is stick enough to hold the parts in place once you line everything up, and nothing is more frustrating than misjudging and knocking a part out of alignment with the soldering iron tip. With a hot air gun there's no contact to disturb the position.
And if it is capable of being set at a low enough temperature, it makes a good tool to shrink heta shrink, compared to a typically hair dryer sized heat gun. Though my soldering station on the lowest setting is enough to shrink without melting, so I usually just make the solder joints, turn the temperature down, slide the heat shrink into place while letting the iron cool down, then go back and shrink it all.
Some are also using hot air rework guns. Saw the discussion at the MRH forums and then Googled the subject. Quite nice.
Rich
If you ever fall over in public, pick yourself up and say “sorry it’s been a while since I inhabited a body.” And just walk away.
riogrande5761I brush the Tix flux on before I start,
Is the Tix just flux, or does it have solder in it like the solder paste?
Rio Grande. The Action Road - Focus 1977-1983
Randy:
Interesting information! I am intrigued by how things are made.
By the way, going on my threads doesn't bother me a bit. The off topic posts are almost always interesting too.
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
Randy,
I've watched a few of those type info video's on all sorts of subjects on ''How It's Made'' on cable. It's amazing how they can synchronize those robotic's to place all those components in the tiny holes and at such speed. Which brings up an interesting subject....Robotics. Years ago they had some advanced build Your own robotic machines that You could build with their components. I had got some for one of My Son's who appeared to want to get involved in those kind of toys.....long story short.....I played with it more than He did and built quite a few interesting machines, with them.... That's probably why I spent four yrs. in Machine Design.....I wanted to be a Toy designer. But I guess it wasn't in the cards, could not make enough starting at ground level, or health insurance for My family to live.....so stayed in the Transportation business.....no regrets, though, I get a great pension.
That's why I guess You like using servos and so do I.
Take Care!
Frank
The paste is how they solder those tiny surface mount components these days. It's a bit like screen printing, if you've ever done that. In addition to the pc board, a mask is made (metal, for high volume, though other materials are used for low production) with holes where the solder pads are on the board. This is laid over each board as it passes the assembly line and solder paste is squeegeed on, and the mask lifted, leaving little squares of paste on each solder point of the board. The components are then set on the pads (in volume production - amazing automated machines that pull the parts from reels and automatically orient and place them, at very high speed). Then the whole assembly is subject to a reflow oven which heats the board in a very specific profile - it doesn;t just start at room temperature and go to solder melting and then cool off, there are very specific curves that must be followed depending on the board, the components, and the characteristics of the solder paste being used. The whole process is pretty amazing, especially watching the oven process when it hits the solder melting point and the components seem to just suck down onto the board.
Riogrande5761,
The Solder-It Silver bearing paste..it has the flux and silver bearing solder all in one paste...You don't need anything else and You only need one hand to hold the soldering iron. Your other hand is free, to use as You wish....You don't have to hold the solder to the work. The paste stays put on what ever You put it on. I usually hold a small flat blade screw driver in My free hand to hold some pieces tightly together until I apply the iron. Works great on soldering feeders to the side of the rail, cause Your one hand is free to use and not holding the solder to the piece You are soldering......no need for a "third" hand....that's the main thing I like about using it..plus it is stronger.
Bilbo:
bagalI hope you can remember what you needed it for!
Needed what for?
Hi Dave
I hope you can remember what you needed it for!
Bilbo
Thanks everybody!
Frank:
Thanks (again). That gate is sweet!
Wayne:
I don't know why I didn't think to check Crappy Tire (as we Canadians affectionately call it - their tires are crap!). Home Hardware probably has it too. Oh well, for the price I have paid I will have to cherish it dearly.
Geared Steam:
Let's start a club! Of course every eligible member would forget that they had joined so nothing would ever happen.....
Regards,
hon30critter- I threw out a perfectly good, unopened, brand new tube of solder paste. - I can't remember where I got it, nor can I remember who recommended it. - I have lost all of my electronic receipts (heaven help me if somebody disputes a payment). - I'm about to cry in my soup, except that would probably short out the keyboard so I will resist the temptation.
Holy smoke thank heaven, I thought I was the only one that did that stuff.
"The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge but imagination."-Albert Einstein
http://gearedsteam.blogspot.com/
Dave, I got silver bearing, lead free solder paste, with non-corrosive flux from Canadian Tire. It came in a 1.5oz. tube, and is from KESTER bearing an AQUABOND name....white plastic tube with green lettering. I don't recall why I bought it, or what I've used it for, or how it worked, but you should be able to get it locally.
Wayne
Yes, I have used silver solder paste in PC board jobs at one time. Works great using toaster oven for solder to flow.
I use Google and Amazon to find stuff. Google many times points to Amazon.
At seventy five, I order a lot from Amazon.
It's $4.00 cheaper and free shipping from Amazon.
Dave,
What I had recommended, the Silver bearing solder paste from Solder-It....I have been using that specific brand for going on 2 yrs. now and have not experienced any problems with it going bad or whatever. It has an air tight snap fit cap and I don't use the applicator to put the paste on. I instead squirt some on a piece of cardboard and use a used Micro-brush with the brush part cut off and dip that in the paste, then put it on every piece I want to solder. Then touch iron to all pieces that have paste on them, let bubble, take away heat and it's done. Fast and easy, compared to holding solder in one hand, iron in other. One hand is always free, with the paste. Conducts electricity better than 60-40 and is stronger.....I know that for a fact, after using it for awhile. They also have Solder paste for Aluminum, Pot metal, (what Atlas frogs are made of) Stainless steel and Copper. I'm on My ninth tube of it.
Wal-Mart carries it now also.....I don't know if they have any in CN.
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Solder-It-SP-7-Silver-Bearing-Solder-Paste-7.1-Gram-Syringe/48345692
PS. Like I believe I said in that thread, this sliding gate out of brass was soldered with the paste and I did not have to dress/file any of the joints and it works like a charm. You don't need a big globe for it to hold, then try to file away any excess. Easy to use. Just make sure You use a clean tip. I use a variable temp. controlled pencil iron, made by Mudder.
That stuff should work. Good thing it comes in a small size - there is one downside to solder paste, it goes bad after being opened. So if you open that tube to do two solder pads on a decoder and then don't need it for another month - no good. And like CA - keep it refrigerated between use.
They don't tell you what kind of flux it contains, for electrical work you would want a water soluable (cleans with isopropyl alcohol) or no-clean. For a metal structure sort of thing you can use the rosin flux kind which needs a solvent to clean, but still best to stick with water soluable or the no clean. You can also get solder paste from most any electronic supply place. I'd be wary of ebay, you never know what you might get there.
Rich:
Thanks! I'm pretty sure that the stuff Frank is referring to is what I ordered. I'm going to give it another try.
Dave, was it in this thread?
http://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/11/p/257934/2892387.aspx#2892387
Alton Junction
Help!!
I seem to be having a senior's moment. Actually, a bunch of seniors moments!
Not too long ago somebody recommended a solder/flux paste that comes in a dispenser. That's where the senior moments began:
- I ordered a tube of said solder paste and it arrived in the mail. So far, so good.
- The day it arrived I happened to receive a rather large volume of mail and in the process of sorting out the pile I believe the unopened package of solder paste mistakenly got put into the scrap paper pile and was then dutifully thrown into the recycling, which of course went to the curb that evening.
- OK, I told myself, I'll just have to order another tube.
- That sent me searching through my electronic receipts to find the source so I could order it again.
- While searching through the receipts I decided that there where a bunch that didn't need to be kept anymore, so I dutifully started to clear the older ones out.
- I'm not sure what happened next, but all of a sudden all of my recent receipts vanished.
- I started to go through the electronic recycle bin but there were so many files in it that I just gave up. Obviously I hadn't cleaned it out for a while too.
So here is where I stand (actually, right about now I figure I'm safer sitting).
- I threw out a perfectly good, unopened, brand new tube of solder paste.
- I can't remember where I got it, nor can I remember who recommended it.
- I have lost all of my electronic receipts (heaven help me if somebody disputes a payment).
- I'm about to cry in my soup, except that would probably short out the keyboard so I will resist the temptation.
SO, who recommended the solder paste and where do I get it?
Thanks guys!