Acid core solder

[3006guns]

I have probably 20lbs. of acid core solder on rolls that I picked up years ago. I'd like to use it in some of my alloy mixes but I'm not sure what the acid will do if I add it to my melt. Does the acid evaporate or rise to the top where it can be removed? If there's no safe way to remove it maybe I'll just use it for soldering!

[Hardcast416taylor]

The acid won`t do nice things to a melt pot or any other metal vessal. I`ve been told to melt the solder in a seperate vessal, the acid will be on the surface of the melted lead. Remove the heat and let the solder harder. When hard then pour off the acid and wipe off the lead surface with a damp towel to remove any remaining acid. Rosin core may make a scum mess in the melting pot, but can be directly added.Robert

[Will]

That acid will rust steel moulds and it only takes a little

[3006guns]

That's what I was afraid of, so I'll use it for other puposes. Thanks guys!

[Ole]

I bought about 15lbs of 50/50 acid core solder in partial rolls, a while back from ebaY.

What I did was melt it all together in my smelting pot (not the one I pour bullets with). It smoked A LOT, but after all the acid burned off I was left with some nice silver dollar sized ingots. The way I poured them, one ingot sweetens 14lbs of bullet alloy quite nicely.

[lwknight]

You should melt the solder in a throw away can and keep the heat low.
You can get the residue of the acid ( zinc cloride ) off with hot soapy water.
Zinc cloride will tin just about anything metalic.

[357 Voodoo]

Get some of thoes little stainless steel condiment cups and melt it in one of them. I paid about a buck for four of them at wally-world. so if i wreck one o-well no big loss. Melt at a temp just hot enough to completely liquify remove from heat when mostly solidified drop in a bucket of water to rinse off and neutralize the acid.

[3006guns]

I didn't check back after the first two replies.........ahHA! So there IS a way to salvage the material after all. Good......I'll use a small stainless container to melt everything, then nuetralize any acids with a baking powder/water solution and rinse afterwards. It was just killing me to see all those heavy rolls doing nothing!

[Maven]

I found a roll of the stuff several years ago while out for my daily walk, but didn't incorporate it in my WW mix all at once. Rather, when my alloy needs a bit of Sn, I cut a 4" - 6" x 1/16" pc. and lay it atop my furnace as it heats. A fan carries away the acrid fumes in an instant. Btw, I also add it, in the same amount, to my pure Pb to improve the fill out of my roundballs for my muzzleloaders. After 2+ yrs., it hasn't rusted either my furnaces or my iron (meehanite) molds.

[lwknight]

Adding a larger amount or melting the solder can get nasty.
Adding small amounts may not give you any grief to speak of.