PaulWarning Posted August 12, 2011 Share Posted August 12, 2011 (edited) [quote name='BottomE' post='1337964' date='Aug 12 2011, 05:56 PM']Wait a sec. Flux i hear you say. What is this substance?[/quote] [quote name='icastle' post='1337971' date='Aug 12 2011, 05:59 PM']It's a chemical that allows the solder to flow smoothly over a surface. It's not generally used these days for the sort of work you're doing as you'll being using rosin cored solder.[/quote] It cleans the wire or whatever you're soldering I believe, all I can say is I use the rosin cored solder and it's a lot easier to get the solder to take with a bit of flux on there, maybe it's just me doing something else wrong, wouldn't be without it myself Bakers fluid does the same job [url="http://www.google.co.uk/products/catalog?hl=en&cp=11&gs_id=16&xhr=t&q=bakers+fluid&gs_upl=&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.&biw=1358&bih=613&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=shop&cid=13565128210629670159&sa=X&ei=m11FTt7lLIuDhQf9vti_Bg&sqi=2&ved=0CCwQ8wIwAQ"]http://www.google.co.uk/products/catalog?h...ved=0CCwQ8wIwAQ[/url] Edited August 12, 2011 by PaulWarning Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BottomE Posted August 12, 2011 Author Share Posted August 12, 2011 [quote name='icastle' post='1337971' date='Aug 12 2011, 05:59 PM']It's a chemical that allows the solder to flow smoothly over a surface. It's not generally used these days for the sort of work you're doing as you'll being using rosin cored solder.[/quote] Thank goodness for that. Trying to keep costs down as already shelled out £15 on solder kit and extra £20 on helping hand and some decent wire cutters. I found this video which seems quite good - [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4CC8dI9A-Tw"]Soldering to a PreAmp[/url] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Foxen Posted August 12, 2011 Share Posted August 12, 2011 I've found wiping stuff over with meths helps, cleans off the grease, generally that is on old parts though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ou7shined Posted August 12, 2011 Share Posted August 12, 2011 Haha I've not used flux since I used to solder mini-projects back in school nearly... er... 30 years ago. Thanks for the memory. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
icastle Posted August 12, 2011 Share Posted August 12, 2011 [quote name='Ou7shined' post='1338058' date='Aug 12 2011, 07:13 PM']Haha I've not used flux since I used to solder mini-projects back in school nearly... er... 30 years ago. Thanks for the memory. [/quote] 30 years ago? Wow - not many 2 year olds can handle a soldering iron... [size=1][b]P.S. - You definately owe me one for that![/b] [/size] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
icastle Posted August 12, 2011 Share Posted August 12, 2011 [quote name='PaulWarning' post='1337977' date='Aug 12 2011, 06:06 PM']It cleans the wire or whatever you're soldering I believe, all I can say is I use the rosin cored solder and it's a lot easier to get the solder to take with a bit of flux on there, maybe it's just me doing something else wrong, wouldn't be without it myself[/quote] Wow - Bakers Fluid! Didn't know that brand still existed - must be a good 30 years since I've seen a tin of that and the tin must have been 10 years old even then! If the surface(s) you are soldering are clean and you heat the joint up with a well tinned bit then the solder should flow quite happily. What usually causes a problem is pot casings - they often look clean and shiny because they are laquered and need a quick scrape with a bit of wet and dry to allow the solder to flow nicely. Nothing particularly wrong in using a liquid flux but you do need to be careful if you use it on a pcb as any excess flux can bridge tracks and cause a partial short circuit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ou7shined Posted August 12, 2011 Share Posted August 12, 2011 [quote name='icastle' post='1338305' date='Aug 12 2011, 11:44 PM']30 years ago? Wow - not many 2 year olds can handle a soldering iron... [size=1][b]P.S. - You definately owe me one for that![/b] [/size][/quote] Duly noted amigo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulWarning Posted August 13, 2011 Share Posted August 13, 2011 [quote name='Ou7shined' post='1338058' date='Aug 12 2011, 07:13 PM']Haha I've not used flux since I used to solder mini-projects back in school nearly... er... 30 years ago. Thanks for the memory. [/quote] always knew I was Old School Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lemmywinks Posted August 13, 2011 Share Posted August 13, 2011 [quote name='BottomE' post='1337984' date='Aug 12 2011, 06:11 PM']Thank goodness for that. Trying to keep costs down as already shelled out £15 on solder kit and extra £20 on helping hand and some decent wire cutters.[/quote] Aye but think of all the money you'll save, a soldering kit pays for itself really quickly. No more paying for a pickup swap, lead repair etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ross Posted August 15, 2011 Share Posted August 15, 2011 You don't need a helping hand, use and adjustable spanner to hold things, it's what I do Hardest thing about bass wiring, soldering the grounds to the back of potentiometers. I thought I'd destroyed one when I did it. 60/40 leaded solder is also easier to solder with, lower melting point. Also you get the advantage of a only a good joint being shiny with leaded. Lead free is shiny whether it's a good or bad joint. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
icastle Posted August 15, 2011 Share Posted August 15, 2011 [quote name='Ross' post='1340454' date='Aug 15 2011, 11:13 AM']Lead free is shiny whether it's a good or bad joint.[/quote] Other way round - LF is always duller than 60/40 regardless of whether it's a good joint or a bad one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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