Smelting? solder.

[xr650]

I have hit a few yard sales this summer and accumulated some partial rolls of solder as suggested by some forum members. I would like to melt and ingot this for ease of use.

Some of this solder is acid core. Will the acid burn off when it is melted?

Some of the rolls do not say what they are. Are all acid core solders the same alloy?

Thanks for your help,
Larry

[crowbeaner]

The acid core will spatter some, and you'll have to skim the burned dross off carefully. The acid will remain sort of liquid, so be careful. I got some accidently from a bunch of scrap once. I was making my own 50/50 and it caused some mess, but worked.

[xr650]

Thanks crowbeaner.
If I throw in a liitle saw dust do you think the acid will absorb in it?
Making it easier to skim off?

[billyb]

Thanks crowbeaner.
If I throw in a liitle saw dust do you think the acid will absorb in it?
Making it easier to skim off?

i used a bunch of acid core solder at one time .mix your alloy out side, the acid will burn off after a while. Bill

[xr650]

Thanks for the info Bill

[xr650]

I melted the solder in a pot on a hot plate.
I mixed in my imitation PMWFCFF.
Worked quite well.
The acid absorbed or adhered to the chainsaw dust and skimmed off the melt real well.
Now to figure the alloy.

[DeanoBeanCounter]

:-DOK sigh. PMWFCFF is a new one on me. It's not on my list. What is it.
Dean
:Fire:

[Alchemist]

:-DOK sigh. PMWFCFF is a new one on me. It's not on my list. What is it.
Dean
:Fire:

Pat Marlin's World Famous California Flake Flux

[xr650]

Pat
Marlins
World
Famous
California
Flake
Flux

It's da' bomb.

:drinks:

[xr650]

Beat me by this much.

[DeanoBeanCounter]

Got it.
And now back to our regularly scheduled program.

[Alvin in AZ]

What do you think about adding some wood ashes or washing soda (Na2CO4)
just to be sure the acids are neutralized?

Better idea on what to add? :)

Alvin in AZ

[xr650]

I need to remelt and make smaller ingots.
Maybe I'll stir in some Arm & Hammer.
Thanks for the idea Alvin.

[Alvin in AZ]

I need to remelt and make smaller ingots.
Maybe I'll stir in some Arm & Hammer.

Cool. :)
But baking soda isn't the same as washing soda. :)
NaH-CO4 vs Na2-CO4
Not sure what that "H" is going to do in this situation. :/
Anybody have any idea?

Alvin in AZ
ps- anybody fool enough to have tasted washing soda besides me? ;)

[xr650]

Baking Soda does a good job on batteries. I would think it would work on solder acid.
However alot of what I think is not on the mark. [smilie=1:

[Tom Herman]

Cool. :)
But baking soda isn't the same as washing soda. :)
NaH-CO4 vs Na2-CO4
Not sure what that "H" is going to do in this situation. :/
Anybody have any idea?

Alvin in AZ
ps- anybody fool enough to have tasted washing soda besides me? ;)

Hi Guys,

Washing Soda is Sodium Carbonate Na2CO3. Sodium Bicarbonate is NaHCO3.
Be careful with either one. Sodium Carbonate can be anhydrous (without water), or crystallize with one, seven, or ten molecules of water per molecule of Sodium Carbonate.
The Handbook of Chemistry and Physics flags Washing Soda as having ten molecules of water per molecule of Sodium Carbonate.
As a result, it will melt and then may sputter when you drop it on the alloy as it looses its water of crystallization.
Sodium Bicarbonate is also known as Sodium Hydrogen Carbonate, or Sodium Acid Carbonate. One of the Sodium ions has been replaced by Hydrogen.
It decomposes at 270 degrees Celcius, according to the following reaction: 2NaHCO3 becomes Na2CO3 + H2O + CO2. Or, you get Sodium Carbonate plus water vapor and Carbon Dioxide gas.
I don't think Sodiun Carbonate would hurt the mix, just be careful of sputtering.
And remember to take a sponge and wipe down all of your tools, the pot, etc. afterwards as even this weak base will leave an alkaline film that attracts water and thus promotes corrosion.

Happy Shootin'! -Tom

[oso]

I need to remelt and make smaller ingots...


I'd leave the solder on the rolls for ease of use by the foot or by the inches.

[xr650]

Tom,
Thank you for the good info.
I will keep it in mind.

oso,
This solder was acid core. I did not want to put it directly in my melt. I wanted to get rid of the acid first.
I poured in small tins. The weight of the ingots are 1 lb. +/-

[AZ-Stew]

The acid flux core WILL NOT alloy with the melted solder or alloy. It is intended to flow ahead of the soldering job being done to remove the layer of oxide that is always on whatever metal you're trying to solder so that the solder will "wet", "stick" (really, alloy to a very shallow depth) to the metal parts being soldered.

After you melt your flux core solder (stay upwind so you don't inhale vaporized flux), the flux will float on top of the melt and you can wait until the flux all burns off, absorb it, as someone mentioned, with saw dust, spoon it off if there is enough of it and then not worry about it. I may be wrong, but I believe most acid fluxes are water soluble, so you should be able to wipe or wash off any residual flux after the ingots and your smelting pot have cooled to room temp. Be sure to do the cleanup or the residuals will, over time, cause corrosion on any ferrous (iron) based metals they touch.

Don't obsess over it. It won't be in your boolits. Just be sure to get it off of everything that may corrode, such as your smelting pot and casting pot.

Regards,

Stew

[docone31]

I have stuffed acid core solder into my pot. No problems. The acid core floated up without popping.
I am not sure, I did myself any good with the alloy, but, I was smelting all kinds of crap and I think the acid core helped.
It is corrosive if used as flux for an extended period of time. Melting in a roll, or pieces does not constitute a long period of time. It burns off.

[xr650]

Stew,
The flux floated on top. When I added sawdust it balled up with the flux and spooned off easy. When I poured my ingots there was a small amount of discoloration on top. I will try washing it off.


docone,
I have an anality problem with putting the acid core in my boolit melt. I had to get rid of the acid afore hand.

Thanks for the help folks.