Soldering acid is one of the most popular types of fluxes when it comes to using it in complex work, that is, when soldering metals that are difficult to process.
It is characterized by a high degree of aggressiveness, due to which it does an excellent job of removing fatty films, oxides and other types of contaminants from the surface before soldering. In addition, the acid ensures the formation of a protective film that prevents the negative effects of environmental factors on the metal. However, when working with simple connections, especially in cases where thin metal elements are used, it is better to avoid using soldering acid. The danger is that it can simply corrode the metal, so sometimes it is better to look for another flux option.
It is extremely important to pay attention to the concentration of soldering acid, since it can be sold in concentrated and diluted forms. For each specific case there must be a solution of suitable strength so that there are no negative consequences.
The use of excessively concentrated acid for soldering is strictly prohibited. If you do not have a solution of the required concentration on hand, you should take care to bring it to the required parameters, or use another substance that has similar properties.
How to replace soldering acid at home?
Author:
Igor
Date of:
15.11.2016
- Article
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Soldering acid for soldering aluminum, stainless steel and other metals that are difficult to process is a very common flux among specialists. Almost all complex types of work can be carried out with it, since it belongs to aggressive environments and provides reliable protection against the formation of oxides, and also easily removes them, fatty films and other types of contaminants from the surface before soldering. The question of how to replace soldering acid at home arises for many people when it runs out or there is nothing suitable with a similar level of action.
Appearance of soldering acid
At the same time, it is not recommended to use it for soldering simple connections, especially when it comes to thin metal products. The fact is that the contacts on the wires, as well as those on microcircuits and other radio elements, can simply be corroded by this acid. This is a very common situation that beginners may encounter. In this case, concentration must also be taken into account. After all, acid for soldering stainless steel can be presented in the form of a concentrate or a diluted solution, which will have the same properties, but to a lesser extent. This flux is produced in accordance with GOST 23178-78.
It is not always possible to take a ready-made version of the acid, and sometimes they turn out to be completely unsuitable for a particular case. In this case, you should consider how to replace soldering acid at home, or what to add to it to achieve the desired result.
Purpose
To prepare parts for applying solder, it is necessary to clean them of particles of foreign materials - dust, sand, water. In addition, it is necessary to remove the oxide film from the surface, which is present on almost all metals.
And if the first condition is easy to cope with mechanically, using a file, needle file, or sandpaper, then the second condition is difficult to fulfill without the use of chemical compounds - an oxide film very quickly appears on the surface of the metal.
Substances that remove film and prevent the formation of a new one are called fluxes, and the most effective of them is soldering acid. It is an active flux, that is, during soldering it chemically affects the composition of the metal surface.
Professionals never question why soldering acid is needed; they know very well that very often it is impossible to complete the assigned tasks without it.
Soldering acid is used for the following metals:
- copper and its alloys;
- nickel;
- iron;
- structural steel;
- alloys of non-ferrous metals.
If copper or brass parts are successfully soldered with borax, then it is often possible to solder aluminum or steel workpieces to each other only using soldering acid. Upon completion of work, the active flux must be washed off with water containing a small amount of alkali.
You can buy acid in stores, or make it yourself using chemical reagents. Although purchasing raw materials can be more expensive than ready-to-use flux.
Flaws
- Too aggressive an environment does not allow working with thin parts that are highly exposed to this kind of flux;
- There is a possibility of injury from direct contact with the material, since concentrated acid can corrode skin as well as muscle tissue;
- During operation, the material emits fumes, which are also harmful, but this time the respiratory tract is affected;
- The acid emits an unpleasant odor, which strongly spreads in the surrounding area.
How to replace soldering acid at home?
Over the entire existence of this substance, experts have found several options that can act as a replacement. Many of them are easy to prepare at home, but may not fully correspond to the specified properties of the original substance.
One of the first options that can replace soldering acid is aspirin dissolved in water. To do this, take an aspirin tablet, which can be crushed beforehand so that it dissolves faster. Then it is poured into a container of water, where dissolution occurs. When there are no solid particles of the tablet left in the liquid, it can be used. This is done as when working with ordinary liquid fluxes. The resulting substance is harmless.
Aspirin tablet in water
The use of concentrated acetic or citric acid is also allowed. Their efficiency is somewhat lower. In no case should you dilute such options, since they are often sold already diluted. As a rule, they have a certain level of aggressiveness, but do not reach the same levels as the acid itself.
Use of concentrated hydrochloric acid. This material is the basis of the original flux, and is also used to prepare soldering acid at home. This option is the most dangerous for health, but allows you to cope with almost all types of contaminants and provides reliable protection. But the level of aggressiveness here increases greatly, so thin parts should not be soldered using this method. Most often it is used for iron parts.
Active solder fat serves as an alternative to acid, since, unlike other varieties, it is quite aggressive and is also not recommended for use on thin metal products. It is much more convenient than other options in terms of placing flux on the surface of the workpiece, but it also has negative side effects that are harmful to human health. It may not always be possible at home. But you should have it in reserve, since it is solder fat that provides some of the best soldering conditions among all available analogues.
When choosing what type of acid is needed for soldering, in addition to soldering acid, you should also consider phosphoric acid. This is a simpler and more gentle option. It can also be purchased in a store and it copes well with working conditions, as it easily removes oxides, grease deposits and other films from the surface.
At home, you can also prepare soldering acid yourself, which will replace the original. It will not have as rich a composition as store brands, but it will be able to cope with the procedures for which it is designed. Its preparation will take longer than the above options, but the quality of the resulting substance will be slightly higher. In addition, it can then be stored for a long time for later use.
Conclusion
There are many things that can be used instead of soldering acid. They all have their own properties, but are quite suitable for soldering. Some have limitations due to their aggressiveness, others have the advantage of their cost and availability, and still others have a high level of quality. Each shareholder selects the option that is more convenient for him, but practically none of them can become a complete analogue, since each element of the composition brings its own nuances.
Soldering process
The mass of solder that ends up in the tinned layer may not be enough to reliably connect large wires. It is worth pouring grated solder on the top of the twisted section. Continue heating until the solder melts and fills the gaps in the twist.
If it becomes necessary to solder a wire to a flat surface, both the surface area and the end of the wire are pre-tinned. Now the end of the wire and a section of the part are clamped, and grated solder is poured on top.
After this, a fire source is brought from below, the parts are heated, the solder melts and soldering occurs.
Using the gutter
Wires with a diameter of up to three millimeters can be soldered with a groove, which is used instead of a soldering iron. The gutter is made from thin aluminum foil. The soldering itself is carried out as follows:
- At a thirty-millimeter length, the insulation is removed from the ends of the wires.
- The bare ends are laid parallel or twisted together.
- A short strip is cut from a piece of foil, the width of which will be equal to the width of the joined area.
- The strip of foil is deformed into a groove that covers the wires at the junction with each other.
- Fine rosin and solder are poured into the groove.
- To prevent the solder and rosin from spilling out, one end of the foil is wrapped around the area where the connection is planned.
- The area covered by the foil is heated by a fire source until the solder melts.
- When the molten mass hardens, the foil is removed from the area.
- If necessary, excess solder is removed with sandpaper.
How to seal a hole
From time to time there is a need to seal a small hole in some container (in a bucket, basin or pan). If the hole is no more than seven millimeters in diameter, then you can patch it without using a soldering iron. You will need POS-60. Actions taken:
- Carefully sand the area surrounding the hole inside the container to give the hole a cone shape.
- Treat the area with soldering or hydrochloric acid.
- A small thin plate is placed at the bottom of the hole to prevent loss of solder.
- In the inside of the container, rosin and solder in a crushed state are poured into the hole.
- With the help of a fire source, the solder melts.
- The molten solder solidifies and seals the hole.
If you need to seal an aluminum container, you need to prepare special solder in advance. It can be one of the following mixtures: zinc with tin in a ratio of ¼; bismuth with tin 1/30; aluminum with tin 1/99. These alloys are produced exclusively by mixing at high temperatures.
DIY pasta
Self-made solder paste is well suited as solder. For soldering without a soldering iron, such a tool can be indispensable. To obtain it, the following manipulations are performed:
- Concentrated hydrochloric acid 32 ml is poured into an enamel container and mixed with 12 ml water.
- 8.1 g of zinc is added to the resulting mixture.
- When the zinc dissolves, 7.8g tin is added to the container.
- After the chemical reaction is completed, the water is evaporated from the container until the mixture takes the form of a paste.
- The paste is transferred to a porcelain container.
- The following are added to it with preheating and mixing: tin 14.8g; lead 7.4g; dry ammonia 7.5g; glycerin 10ml; zinc in powder form 29.6g; rosin 9.4g.
The soldering process itself with such a paste is not too different from the option with conventional solder. First, the area that needs to be sealed is cleaned, then the paste is smeared onto it with a brush. This area is heated until the paste melts.
In cases of working with the thinnest copper wires or small radio components, a slightly different composition can be used: lead powder 7.4g; zinc in the form of dust 73.8g; rosin 4 g; powdered tin 14.8g. The mixture becomes a paste by mixing all this with glycerin or a 10 ml solution of diethyl ether, which will contain 10 g of rosin.
DIY soldering iron
In the absence of electricity, it is possible to make a soldering iron with your own hands. It does not require electricity at all to operate. First you will need a ten-centimeter copper wire or a rod with a diameter of five millimeters. Then you need to find a handle for the future soldering iron. A tree branch is suitable for it, which can be given the necessary rounded shape. One end of the wire is attached to this handle, and the other is shaped into a screwdriver by grinding.
The soldering iron itself is already ready, and it heats up from any open flame source. The soldering process with such a homemade tool is practically no different from a conventional soldering iron that uses electricity. It is only important to find a heat-resistant stand for it, in which the device will be located while it is heating.
Rosin with solder should be placed in a flat container, and the process of soldering parts or wires is best carried out in accessible proximity to the heating source of the soldering iron.
Soldering dishes or containers
Over time, metal utensils can rust. There is no need to rush to throw away a leaky pan; it should be sealed.
How to do this without a soldering iron? There is a simple way to do this. For the sting you will need a piece of metal strip 30-40 mm wide and no more than 1 mm thick. This is something that can be used instead of a soldering iron. You also need to prepare a piece of lead-tin alloy, flux and a blowtorch or gas torch. The work is carried out in several stages:
- The metal strip is cut so that it is convenient to hold it with your hand. This side of the strip is wrapped with heat-resistant material.
- The second end is cut in the shape of the letter V. It is sharpened with a file.
- The pan is turned upside down. Some material with a metal plate is placed under it so that the metal fits tightly from below to the hole in the bottom.
- Use sandpaper to clean the surface around the hole.
- Solder is cut into pieces ø 3-5 mm.
- Flux is applied to the cleaned surface.
- Then pieces of solder are placed around the hole.
- The working end of the strip is heated over an open fire.
- A homemade soldering iron is used to tin the repaired area of the bottom of the pan.
- After cooling, the solder is polished with emery.
Note! To solder dishes and various containers for preparing food, you need to use a food alloy, which consists of 90% tin. This metal is absolutely harmless to human health.
Foil soldering method
Foil can successfully replace solder. This is a thin aluminum film that requires minimal thermal energy to melt. This soldering method is convenient for connecting thin wires that Chinese manufacturers use in their many electrical and electronic products. Proceed as follows:
- the wires are cleared of insulation along the ends of 1.5-2 cm;
- the veins are twisted;
- the twist is covered with a thin layer of solder paste and wrapped in foil;
- the resulting compound is heated with a gas lighter or a candle flame;
- within 1 minute a strong soldered connection of wires is formed.
Features of soldering garlands without a soldering iron
The difference between ordinary wires and how to solder a garland without a soldering iron is in preparation: when working with a garland, you need to find the place where the wire is disconnected. There could be three reasons:
- Most often, contact breaks occur in the control unit, which is due to the small coupling area due to thin wires.
- Gusts can occur along the entire length of the garland.
- Parallel connection of lamps; when one of them burns out, the entire circuit opens.
"Important!
We carry out work only after disconnecting the garland from the network!”
The detached contacts are clearly visible, in two other cases: a broken wire or a damaged light bulb, the search is carried out using a tester: we measure each half separately, on the one from which a break is detected, it is divided in half again and so on until damage or a non-working element is found.
After finding the break point, you need to decide how to solder the garland wire without a soldering iron. It is in this case that it is most convenient to use the solderless method due to the small diameter of the wire. The most suitable here is the use of paste and heat-shrink tubing. The following is all according to the scheme:
- cut the wire at the break point;
- strip the wires;
- We put on the tube in advance and move it to the side (before soldering is completed);
- we twist and apply the paste, but do not come into contact with the edges of the insulation;
- heat evenly with the flame of a candle or lighter until the solder reaches the desired consistency;
- Place an insulating tube over the cooled area and also heat it.
If a problem arises, how to solder headphones without a soldering iron, solve it using the same method as repairing a garland.
Another great way to solder without a soldering iron is with a candle and copper wire. The design can be seen in the photo.
Soldering with a candle
Features of soldering wires to a board without a soldering iron
"Important!
The board is a multi-component structure made of dissimilar materials that differ in melting and fire resistance, so the use of open fire close to is excluded.”
This complicates the problem of how to solder a wire to a board without a soldering iron. For this method we need a source of high temperature, but without an open flame. Solder can be used in any form that is available: foil, paste, ingot.
In this method, you can do without the soldering iron itself, but you will have to find a replacement for it. This requires three components:
- A sting, which can be used as a metal object with a melting point above 350 ºC (paper clip, sharpened copper wire, nail, etc.);
- A handle or holder that ensures safe operation, it can also be a strip of natural non-melting fabric (denim, cotton, cotton wool) or pliers;
- A source of fire, which can be used as a turbo lighter, a candle, or, at home, a gas stove burner;
- All types of materials are used as solder.
Twisting with heat shrink
The edges of the wires are stripped of 3 cm of insulation, folded parallel and twisted. Then they are separated, the twist is tucked to the side and heat shrink is placed on top.
We obtain a moisture-resistant connection with a sufficient contact length for current transmission without loss. Due to heat shrink compression, it will not come undone when stretched.
Power twist
If the twisted wire is under tension, then it is better to make the connection a little differently. The stripped wire strands are folded crosswise in the center and twisted together several times.
The edges are then wound each onto the opposite core in the direction of the insulation. This twist will not break even without heat shrinking.
Conventional connection sleeve
The edges of the wires are stripped of insulation, joined in a sleeve and crimped with crimping pliers. We get a quick, fairly strong, but not waterproof connection.
Connection sleeve with heat shrink
You can also use a sleeve with heat shrink. It is installed using pliers, just like a regular one, but after that it is additionally heated. After shrinking, such a connection will be waterproof.
Heat-shrinkable sleeve with solder
For connection, you can use a heat-shrinkable sleeve with solder. You need to join the edges of the wires in it, then heat it with a hairdryer. Inside it there is solder, which solders the wires. The tube itself has additional sealing rings along the edges, so after shrinking it is guaranteed not to let water through.
Soldering the cable
Flexible cables made of thin conductors have long been used in modern household equipment.
They can be found in a regular mobile phone, as well as in any type of computer equipment that has multi-core connections. As a rule, the conductor tracks in a cable are very thin and located close to one another, which imposes the following restrictions on soldering work:
- to solder the cable to the board you will need a soldering iron, the power of which should not exceed 24 watts;
- when soldering, it is advisable to use a special magnifying lens mounted on a working stand-bracket;
- To ensure good heat removal from the work area, you will need massive tweezers.
It is often necessary to connect two thin wires together (to eliminate their break in a loop formed from several conductors). In this case, you first need to strip the broken ends and then twist them tightly together.
In order to isolate the connection point, a plastic tube of suitable diameter (cambric) is first pulled onto one of them.
Upon completion of soldering of the twisted area, the insulating tube is moved with slight interference to the connection area.
Tinning of modern coating
Ceramic and nickel tips do not need to be tinned. This is what manufacturers read, but this is nothing more than advertising. Modern coatings are also prone to oxidation, but the process occurs more slowly. It will not be possible to tin the soldering iron tip of a modern soldering station in the usual way - the coating will be erased.
Cleaning is done with a wet cotton cloth. They take solid rosin, where they put a little solder. The tip should be rubbed with a cloth and immediately dipped in rosin. A piece of solder is pushed vertically down. The solder melts and envelops the tip cone.
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.
DIY making
With some knowledge and available materials, it is possible to make soldering acid at home. The set of ingredients is not large; they can be purchased at a hardware store:
- hydrochloric acid in its pure form;
- lump zinc, which is sold by the chemical reagents department; if it is not possible to purchase, a finger-type battery is carefully opened;
- container made of glass or ceramic material.
Soldering acid is made by hand in a certain sequence. It is necessary to fill the container with pieces of zinc, then fill it with saline solution. The actions are carried out in a well-ventilated area; if the solution gets on the skin, you must immediately rinse with running water. After production, the mass is poured into an airtight container for proper storage.
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.
How does it work
The process is simple. You buy a converter; it usually comes in spray cans. Next, it is sprayed onto the site of the outbreak, then it is advisable for us to leave this place for about half an hour - an hour.
The product does not remove rust at all, if I may put it roughly, it freezes it and prevents it from spreading further. An iron phosphate film forms on the affected surface, which is a protective element. The work period is approximately one to two years, then it is advisable to repeat the procedure.
I would like to note from personal experience that my uncle is a minibus taxi driver and works on his minibus almost every season before winter. And you know, it really rots less when compared with untreated neighboring cars along the route.
But we are wondering whether it is possible to produce it with our own hands, what is the approximate composition. I’ll say right away that there are two compositions, the one that is used in production, and the one that is made at home.
The best recipes for homemade fluxes for soldering
Flux is an organic or inorganic substance that is used in soldering metal products. The main purpose of the flux is to remove the oxide film from the metal surface, protect it from exposure to oxygen and ensure uniform spreading of the solder.
There are two main types of fluxes - acidic or, as they are often called, “active fluxes” and acid-free, passive fluxes. A prominent representative of acid-free flux is pine rosin. This is the simplest flux, which is intended for soldering copper products.
However, not only rosin can be used as a flux. Acids are often used for these purposes, as well as various mixtures, which generally improve the quality of soldering. We will talk about them in this article.
Aspirin and battery electrolyte
Many experts consider the most affordable option to be the use of pharmacy aspirin.
Please note that it will not be possible to replace rosin with effervescent tablets. They contain fillers (sodium compounds) that are not needed for soldering. Therefore, the most common simple aspirin is used.
The tablets should be crushed to a powder and dissolved in water or regular wine-vodka alcohol. You can use cologne as a solvent.
Acetylsalicylic acid dissolves well. Its properties are often sufficient to clean the surface and remove dirt. It can replace rosin without difficulty.
The inconvenience is the need to work under a ventilation hood or in a ventilated place. Solders without rosin with aspirin release sharp-smelling, harmful gases when heated. It is not necessary and impossible to breathe them.
If aspirin is not available, it is recommended to replace rosin with electrolyte from a used salt battery. It is important that it is not alkaline.
Recipes for homemade fluxes for soldering
Various components can be used to make flux. For example, using rosin with alcohol or glycerin, you can make a liquid flux based on rosin. This flux is convenient to apply to the most inaccessible places. Plus, liquid flux spreads well on the surface, filling even microcracks.
A good flux also comes from citric acid and aspirin. For these purposes, you will need to dissolve aspirin in water or use acetylsalicylic acid. You can use citric acid as the main component, as well as freshly squeezed lemon juice.
With such homemade fluxes it is very easy to tin a soldering iron tip. At the same time, during soldering with aspirin flux, a considerable amount of gas is released. Therefore, soldering must be done in a well-ventilated area.
Step-by-step technique for soldering wires
Soldering of wires is performed in the following sequence:
- Remove the insulation over a length of 3-5 cm (on wires of larger diameter, the length of the removed section is longer).
- If necessary, clean and degrease the connected conductors.
- Form a tight twist of wires.
- Treat the resulting joint with flux.
- Apply solder to the tip and solder the twist, heating continues until it completely spreads; repeat several times if necessary. The solder should fill all cavities of the joint as shown in Figure 6.
- The resulting joint is isolated.
Soldered single-wire wires
Soldering aluminum wires with each other, as well as with copper wires, does not have any fundamental differences, except for a more complex maintenance procedure.
Alcohol, rosin and glycerin are the basis of liquid flux
You can also make high-quality liquid flux from rosin, which dissolves in alcohol. Before dissolving, it is best to mash the rosin in a mortar until it becomes a powder. In this case, the rosin will completely dissolve in alcohol.
Everything will take several hours, but you can speed up the process of dissolving the rosin if you heat the container with liquid flux to a temperature of 80 degrees. It is better to heat in a water bath, avoiding unnecessary overheating of the mixture, since alcohol is a flammable liquid.
The uniqueness of this flux is that it is absolutely neutral, and therefore does not require any rinsing.
If you don’t have ethyl alcohol on hand, you can replace it with glycerin. But it is not recommended to use a solvent to prepare liquid flux, since its use will release many harmful substances.
Welding pencil
This is an affordable tool that is sold in almost all specialized stores. It helps to make high-quality soldering without using a traditional soldering iron. The pencil can be stored in the house for an unlimited time; it is suitable for soldering various metals.
Instructions for using the pencil are included in the package. It's extremely easy to use:
- one end of the pencil must be heated in any convenient way;
- hold the molten end on the desired area;
- wait until the molten material cools down.
The result is a solder joint that can withstand temperatures up to 180 degrees. On average, one pencil is enough to carry out 30 rations.
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.
Improvised means for replacing rosin
Any soldering can be successful only if all requirements for the procedure are met. One of the main conditions is to use a multicomponent flux or regular rosin.
There are a sufficient number of ready-made products on sale. Rosin is considered the most affordable and popular. It happens that the material is not at hand, but something needs to be soldered urgently.
We have to figure out what can replace rosin without compromising the result of the work. Fortunately, a large number of special fluxes are produced, and in addition to them, you can use improvised means.
Material requirements
Any flux is designed to remove oxide deposits on metal parts, prevent oxidation during soldering, and improve the distribution of solder mass in the work area.
Rosin copes with the task successfully. The connections are high quality and durable.
When thinking about how to replace rosin at home, you should remember the need to perform all functions with solder.
The replacement must meet a number of the following requirements:
- have a low melting point and low density;
- melts well with a soldering iron;
- do not spread outside the working area;
- effectively dissolve oxides;
- evenly distributed over the surface;
- do not react with metal parts and solder;
- can be easily removed upon completion of work.
Flux decomposition products, together with dissolved oxides, should be easily pushed out of the weld formation zone by the solder melt.
Natural light yellow rosin, similar to a glassy mass, is ideal. Experienced craftsmen suggest what can replace it.
Aspirin and battery electrolyte
Many experts consider the most affordable option to be the use of pharmacy aspirin.
Please note that it will not be possible to replace rosin with effervescent tablets. They contain fillers (sodium compounds) that are not needed for soldering. Therefore, the most common simple aspirin is used.
The tablets should be crushed to a powder and dissolved in water or regular wine-vodka alcohol. You can use cologne as a solvent.
Acetylsalicylic acid dissolves well. Its properties are often sufficient to clean the surface and remove dirt. It can replace rosin without difficulty.
The inconvenience is the need to work under a ventilation hood or in a ventilated place. Solders without rosin with aspirin release sharp-smelling, harmful gases when heated. It is not necessary and impossible to breathe them.
If aspirin is not available, it is recommended to replace rosin with electrolyte from a used salt battery. It is important that it is not alkaline.
Fat, resin, amber
Animal fat melts well and is distributed on the surface.
Any fat, both food and industrial, will do. Odors during work are unpleasant, but they can be tolerated for some time without ventilation.
Many craftsmen, especially those living surrounded by forests, use ordinary tree resin. It melts easily and spreads well over the surface of the working area.
There are positive reviews about the use of spruce and pine resin. It is collected in ordinary tin cans, crushed as much as possible, and then slowly melted in a water bath.
The melt must be constantly stirred, removing needles and wood particles from it. This material is as close in composition as possible to rosin. Therefore, you can replace it in this way without any problems.
To solder iron, it is recommended to dissolve wood resin in food vinegar. Please note that you cannot use essence or concentrated acetic acid.
Amber is very suitable for use as a flux. The advice is acceptable for residents of regions where amber is mined. For everyone else, it is difficult to replace rosin with amber. The price is too high.
Non-standard methods
If there is no rosin nearby for soldering, you can use material for rubbing bows.
It's better cleaned. All properties are saved. The cost of replacement will be significant. Savvy craftsmen who have solders with flux suggest soaking it in alcohol and waiting until the rosin has completely dissolved. It takes a little time.
They say that such an alcoholic extract can successfully replace rosin. The alcohol component will gradually evaporate. The solid component meets the requirements for fluxes.
When working with old equipment, you can replace rosin with residues in places of old soldering. You need to touch the wire and soldering iron there and make a connection. This method is acceptable for extreme situations with not very high requirements for seams.
Zinc chloride acid flux
Most often, flux is used to tinning parts to be soldered, which is freely sold in stores. Manufacturers, without further ado, call it “Soldering acid” (Fig. 1). In the annotations for the flux, they indicate the scope of its application. As a rule, this is soldering and tinning of copper, silver and various iron alloys, including cast iron.
The basis of soldering acid is zinc chloride compounds, that is, it is a solution of metal in hydrochloric acid.
Making soldering acid at home
Despite the availability of this active flux in stores, many home craftsmen are interested in whether they can make it themselves. Creating soldering acid is not particularly difficult. To make it you need:
Flux components.
- zinc (Zn);
- concentrated hydrochloric acid (HCl).
To obtain flux, its substances are added in the following proportions:
- 412 g Zn;
- 1 l HCl.
First, zinc is placed in a laboratory container (glass, ceramic, porcelain), and only then hydrochloric acid is poured into the container. It should be poured with extreme caution, and the level of HCl in the container should not exceed ¾ of its volume. After the completion of the dissolution reaction with the release of hydrogen (cessation of the formation of bubbles in the liquid) and clarification to transparency, the finished composition is poured into another tightly sealed container. Hydrochloric acid and granulated zinc are sold in chemical stores, but the metal reagent can also be obtained from used salt batteries (pen-AA batteries) of types “AA”, “AAA”, etc. (Fig. 2).
When preparing active flux yourself, you must take precautions. In laboratory conditions, the reagent is prepared in special cabinets equipped with an exhaust hood. At home, you should use protective equipment for your skin, respiratory system, and eyes. It is better to dissolve zinc outdoors or in a heavily ventilated room, since the reaction actively releases hydrogen. The reagents to produce zinc chloride should be mixed near a water source.
Scheme for washing eyes from flux.
If acid gets on your skin or eyes, the reagent should be washed off with plenty of running water.
A substance spilled on any surface is washed off with a solution of water with an acid-neutralizing alkali (baking soda). A few words should be said about the storage of hydrochloric acid.
Containers with it should be tightly closed and kept in a dark and cool place. Children should not have access to acid.
Pure hydrochloric acid can also be used as a flux. It is used to prepare for soldering iron parts (for example, roofing).
How to use?
To properly solder with a soldering iron, you need to know some important basics of this procedure. The fact is that when soldering parts, one or another solder is always used, most often it is a tin-lead composition. The main component in this solder is tin, while lead is an auxiliary additive that provides a reliable weld and helps in working the solder. With the help of lead, the fluidity of the solder increases, and the use of tin allows the frozen seam to acquire the necessary hardness.
But despite the presence of lead and good fluidity, it is quite difficult for a drop of solder to overcome the force of surface tension, given the fact that the contact area of such a drop is minimal. It often happens that while performing soldering work, a master is faced with the fact that the solder does not want to spread over the working metal surface and remains on the metal in the form of a dense drop. Soldering acid can help solve this problem. If, after mechanical stripping of the material, the working surface is treated with a solution of soldering acid, then the solder can be easily distributed over the soldering area. Thus, the soldering acid composition provides the solder with excellent sticking properties, called adhesion.
After mechanical stripping of the metal, soldering acid must be applied locally in a small amount to the soldering area. For this purpose, you can use an ordinary small brush made of natural bristles or use a thin wooden stick.
Soldering acid is often sold in plastic bottles with a dropper-shaped dispenser. Using such a dispenser, soldering acid can be applied in a small amount exactly to the place where the part will be soldered in the future.
After the soldering acid composition is applied to the working surface, you can begin soldering. During this process, under the influence of the heated tip of an electric soldering iron, the acid begins to evaporate. There is no need to add new portions of the product.
After applying solder to the cleaned surface, an oxide film on the metal will no longer be able to form, since the solder itself will now perform a protective role. This procedure is called tinning by craftsmen.
After this, the metal surfaces will be easy to connect to each other to form a tight and reliable joining seam.
How to replace soldering acid at home?
Soldering acid is one of the most popular types of fluxes when it comes to using it in complex work, that is, when soldering metals that are difficult to process. It is characterized by a high degree of aggressiveness, due to which it does an excellent job of removing fatty films, oxides and other types of contaminants from the surface before soldering. In addition, the acid ensures the formation of a protective film that prevents the negative effects of environmental factors on the metal. However, when working with simple connections, especially in cases where thin metal elements are used, it is better to avoid using soldering acid. The danger is that it can simply corrode the metal, so sometimes it is better to look for another flux option.
Soldering acid - application, production
Any home craftsman who works with radio electronics knows how to use a soldering iron. Soldering classics: POS series solder and pine rosin, which produces a characteristic “fragrant” smoke when working with it.
What is rosin and other fluxes used for?
The fact is that, unlike welding, joining with solder requires more careful preparation of the surfaces to be joined. Molten solder behaves like an ordinary liquid.
If the surface tension of the melt is higher than the adhesion, the liquid metal simply will not “stick” to the part, but will remain on its surface in the form of a ball.
Why is this happening? Oxides form on the surface of any metal. This thin film prevents the metals from making normal physical contact. Of course, the surface can be mechanically cleaned before soldering.
But when heated, the oxide film will instantly cover the prepared surface. Flux works against this effect. In addition to their cleaning function, fluxes create a protective film on metals that prevents the formation of oxides.
But these “helpers” do not interfere with solder adhesion. On the contrary, it only intensifies with the use of fluxes. The result is a strong connection with excellent electrical conductivity.
When working with copper, silver, silver-plated or gold-plated contacts, you can get by with rosin made from the resin of coniferous trees.
But this drug has significant disadvantages:
- Rosin begins to melt when heated (the usual state is crystalline). Accordingly, the contact sometimes has time to oxidize.
- Low cleaning abilities do not allow working with metals whose oxide film is too strong: aluminum, stainless steel. When soldering, it is necessary to use chemically active fluxes.
Features of choice
The composition of soldering acid is selected in accordance with the working surface of the material. The main criterion should be the quality of the solution, because If the concentration is incorrect, you can always lower it at home. It is not permissible to use formulations with sediment or cloudiness in the container.
Difficult choices always haunt you when purchasing. The compositions are different, there are a large number of manufacturers on the market. It is necessary to determine what type of work will be performed; for this purpose, the purpose of the soldering acid composition is studied. Orthophosphorus compounds are the most common, they fight oxides well and are not so aggressive. Salt is more versatile, because... applies to a variety of metals. Sulfur is the most active option, used when soldering thick products.
Features of application and use
It is impossible to give a clear answer to the question of how a rust converter works; each composition must be analyzed separately.
When selecting a composition, take into account its properties and degree of viscosity. Before purchasing, determine what type of surface you will be working with, whether there is a slope, and whether hard-to-reach areas need to be treated.
In order for the rust converter to be activated, it must be transferred to the surface of the material. The work is carried out according to the following algorithm:
Surface preparation. In order for the metal to be prepared for applying the converter, corrosion products that flake off, crumble, or are too loose are removed from its surface. Formative layers of corrosion can be removed by standard mechanical means. The main thing is to prevent damage to the protective zinc coating.
Application of a special composition. Use spraying or coating with a brush.
Drying. How long does it take for rust converter to dry? It all depends on the type of specific composition. Natural drying remains the best option.
Therefore, it is important that the treatment is carried out in a dry room, without particles scattered in the air that pose a contamination threat.
It is important to carefully read the instructions for use of the composition. The instructions will specify the conditions under which the processing is carried out, and whether there are additional requirements.
Soldering phosphoric acid
Experienced electronics engineers and home radio amateurs know that for a high-quality connection you will need not only a soldering iron, but also additional accessories. For soldering, flux and solder are used, the latter is made on the basis of lead and tin, often offered in the form of wire. The characteristics of the ratio of wire and flux may differ in parameters depending on the type of product.
The second component is flux; a common form is used in the form of rosin. It helps to quickly and efficiently solder copper parts, wires and other materials. Soldering acid can be used to work with materials such as brass, nickel, stainless steel, etc.
How to solder with tin without a soldering iron in emergencies
You can solder with tin without a soldering iron using a regular metal clip or a piece of copper wire. You will also need pliers and some kind of heat source. This could be a lighter or a gas burner. Basically, something that could be used to heat a paperclip to a certain temperature.
So, to solder with tin without a soldering iron, you will need to bend the paper clip and clamp it with pliers. Then you will need to heat the paperclip, after which you can begin soldering with tin. The method, of course, is emergency, but it can help out in certain situations. You can also use something else as a paper clip, for example, a piece of copper wire.
Topic: Alternative to soldering acid
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Alternative to soldering acid
It is necessary to solder the steel contacts. I don’t want to go for soldering acid, the store is too far away.. I have concentrated acetic acid at home. Wouldn’t that work? Or somehow use aspirin in this matter
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Yes, any will do, be it sulfur or phosphorus (just not too diluted with water) - its purpose is to remove oxides. look at your mom's SOLITA for cleaning toilets, or a sanitary one (but it's much worse), or buy it, go to a hardware store
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Aspirin won't work. Acid has nothing to do with it. Steel cannot be soldered tightly without flux or “soldering acid.” In fact, it is not an acid, a solution of zinc chloride. It is made by so-called “etching”: strong hydrochloric acid is taken and zinc is placed there. At the same time, bubbles of hydrogen gas are released / ??/ - the “etching” process. Zinc is added little by little until the gas evolution stops. But completely “etch” the acid. It is difficult to obtain a pure solution of zinc chloride at home. Therefore, zinc chloride always contains a small percentage of hydrochloric acid. And this acid residue can subsequently corrode the solder if the product is not thoroughly washed with water.
