View Full Version : chemicals
MarkK
04-19-2007, 11:23 PM
I've read that boric acid and other chemicals can be used as flux. What are other compounds should I look for? The reason I ask is that my lab will be getting rid of a bunch of stuff. Hundreds of different reagent grade chemicals. I already grabbed the lead. No tin but 6 lbs of zinc :-?
Buckshot
04-20-2007, 06:00 AM
...............Boric acid isn't really used as a flux, in the true sense of a flux, but as an oxygen barrier. Along with it you can use cat litter or also pulverized charcoal.
A flux reacts (I'm not a chemist) with the oxidized metallics floating on top of your hot alloy. I don't know what chemical might perform the same thing. I use old boolit lube, the wife's worn out candles or parrafin.
..............Buckshot
pdawg_shooter
04-20-2007, 08:44 AM
I use greese out of a tube of cheep walmrt tube. Smokes like hell but I cast in the open. Works great for me.
Bad Flynch
04-20-2007, 12:20 PM
The borates, boric acid and sodium tetraborate can both act as fluxes, along with any compound that will form a glass and act as an oxygen barrier. Some are very toxic, though.
You needn't worry too much, as sodium tetraborate is available as 20 Mule Team Borax, for really cheap. One box might last your silver soldering experience for a lifetime. It does not work with soft solder.
Other fluxes are zinc plus muriatic or hydrochloric acid, which eventually makes zinc chloride. That one will work for soft soldering, but leaves an acid residue that needs to be washed off.
montana_charlie
04-20-2007, 12:30 PM
The reason I ask is that my lab will be getting rid of a bunch of stuff.
Does that include any mercury? It can be used for a number of things, including home made recoil suppressors...and it's hard to come by.
CM
MarkK
04-20-2007, 02:16 PM
No elemental Hg. Al, Ca, Cu, Zn, Na, Mg present.
Moose
04-20-2007, 04:18 PM
Mercury can be real useful - actually used to remove metal fouling in barrels at one time - but DO NOT HEAT IT UP. Stuff will kill you in no time. Keep it away from the hot pot. Please.
DLCTEX
04-21-2007, 06:17 AM
We wrecked out a refinery in the early 60's and salvaged lots of mercury from guages. I don't know what they were for but there were glass tubes about 1" in dia. and as much as 10' long filled with mercury. I took a baby food jar full to school and had fun handing it to my buddies and watching them almost hit the floor with their hand due to the unexpected weight. If I remember correctly, it brought $75 a quart and we salvaged about 10 gallons of it. We were ignorant of health problems connected with it and handled it with bare hands. Never had any ill effects as far as I know as far as i know as far as I know. DALE:-D
snowtigger
04-21-2007, 12:10 PM
[QUOTE=Moose;174875]Mercury can be real useful - actually used to remove metal fouling in barrels at one time - but DO NOT HEAT IT UP. Stuff will kill you in no time. QUOTE]
Actually it kills in about four days.
A fellow I work with lost his Dad that way. He used mercury to collect gold from a sluice box. He was using heat to seperate the gold and mercury.
He had done it a hundred times. This particular time it was very cold outside (about 40 degrees below zero).
He decided to do it in the garage. Four days later, he was dead. He was sent to the best hospital in Seattle, but there was nothing they could do.
Please be careful with mercury around heat!
MT Gianni
04-21-2007, 01:10 PM
Inches of mercury was a common measurement in the gas field years ago. Generally replaced with inches of water column. Gianni.
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