Radiator solder

[SciFiJim]

I scored a five gallon bucket of radiator drip scraps today. It if full of trash and gunk. Is there any special consideration to be given when smelting this stuff down? When it gets hot it smells like an overheated radiator (anti freeze?).

[sheepdog]

Wow nice score. A 5 gallon will be more then you will need in a lifetime so keep about a gallon of clean drippings and make ingots to sell the rest.

On melting most solder drippings I've heard they tend to go solid to liquid nearly instantly so a if you have a big bucket like that it might suddenly collapse and splash, tip, etc. Hot liquid metal = not great for the skin

[SciFiJim]

I have a four quart sauce pan that I smelt with. I filled it about 2/3 full of drippings and junk. After melting that down I got a lot of sand and 4 muffin sized ingots. I am finding all sorts of stuff mixed in including a razor blade. Luckily it didn't cut me. I now know not to pick that stuff up with my bare hands. I use a slotted spoon to transfer it from the bucket to the pot. It sure smells like an overheated radiator. The radiator guy said that it is 60/40 solder.

[sheepdog]

60/40 is good stuff, you can sweeten up alot of WW with that. Lead free solder rolls are where you get the near pure tin drippings from, good good stuff.

[Trey45]

Awesome score! Did you have to clean a tank for it or did they just give it to you?

[SciFiJim]

I went to a shop where I have had some radiator work done before. When I asked the radiator man about it he said that I had to talk to the owner (who was in the store front). When I asked the owner about it he said that he normally takes it to be recycled and that if I was willing to pay that amount I could have it. When he tried to call for the price there was no answer. Then almost apologetically he asked "Is $10 to much?" I quickly paid and gotout of there.[smilie=1:

It was already in a metal five gallon bucket. I would have given him a couple of dollars just for the metal bucket, but he did not ask. When I said that I would bring the bucket back, he said to keep it.:-D

[briang]

Bring the bucket and some donuts back, you might get another bucket in the future.

[Willbird]

When you smelt that stuff the mixture of glycol and ruby fluid solder flux will make a bubbly black gooy mess on top than when you skim it off hardens into a plastic like substance, I treated that stuff as extremely toxic to be on the safe side.

The shop I get mine from uses 60/40 solder.

Bill