Flux residue remover

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Tribus
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Joined: Sun Mar 12, 2017 1:32 pm

Flux residue remover

Postby Tribus » Sat Mar 26, 2022 10:34 pm

My trusty can of RS Flux-Off has run out of propellant (well before running out of the liquid). As it can be rather pricey I thought I'd ask the forum for advice/recommendation on any other product/system for removing flux residue after soldering. (I tend to use Fry Powerflow flux for brass or NS). TIA

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Winander
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Re: Flux residue remover

Postby Winander » Sat Mar 26, 2022 11:13 pm

Wipe it off whilst it is still hot and liquid. I have 5 or 6 steel turnout vees made in 2015 where Powerflow was used and only wiped whilst it was liquid that have not rusted. The only exception to my using Powerflow is for electric/electronic work. If I want to be OCD about it, I clean with a brush for false teeth and either Fairy liquid or Pink Stuff scouring powder (which is a great product btw). I imagine meths or IPA would be suitable alternatives, but, in my honest opinion having used it for domestic plumbing for years, the problems with Powerflow are exaggerated.

Edit: use it sparingly and you can also use it to wipe surfaces clean before soldering.
Richard Hodgson
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Tribus
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Joined: Sun Mar 12, 2017 1:32 pm

Re: Flux residue remover

Postby Tribus » Sun Mar 27, 2022 10:43 am

I can imagine wiping larger items after soldering but for small fragile jobs/shapes that would be difficult if not impoossible. Usually I just drench the lot in Flux-off. Interesting that your crossing vees haven't rusted!

Steve Carter
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Re: Flux residue remover

Postby Steve Carter » Sun Mar 27, 2022 11:14 am

Tribus wrote:Interesting that your crossing vees haven't rusted!


So any suggestions if they have?

Steve
Steve Carter

Jeremy Good
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Re: Flux residue remover

Postby Jeremy Good » Sun Mar 27, 2022 12:48 pm

Steve,

I had that issue on Bodmin both at Vees and where I hadn’t cleaned plain steel rail properly after soldering droppers (and also as a result of a reaction with the PVA I used to stick the track down).

My solution was to clean off rust with fibreglass pen, paint all rail sides with suitable enamel paint and rub the running surfaces with a soft pencil stick. The rust hadn’t returned in the 18 months since I did the first section.

Jeremy

FCA
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Re: Flux residue remover

Postby FCA » Sun Mar 27, 2022 12:49 pm

I've always used Carr's neutralising rinse to good effect.

Richard

Phil O
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Re: Flux residue remover

Postby Phil O » Sun Mar 27, 2022 4:28 pm

I, chuck recently soldered items into hot water at the end of a session and when I have either reached a logical stage, finished soldering, or likely to be setting aside for awhile, I give it a scrub with CIF, using a toothbrush, I might also put it in the ultrasonic bath, especially if there's difficult to access areas.

Cheers

Phil.

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steve howe
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Re: Flux residue remover

Postby steve howe » Mon Mar 28, 2022 3:44 pm

Jeremy Good wrote:Steve,

I had that issue on Bodmin both at Vees and where I hadn’t cleaned plain steel rail properly after soldering droppers (and also as a result of a reaction with the PVA I used to stick the track down).

My solution was to clean off rust with fibreglass pen, paint all rail sides with suitable enamel paint and rub the running surfaces with a soft pencil stick. The rust hadn’t returned in the 18 months since I did the first section.

Jeremy


I've also done it that way, but you could try Kurust from Hammerite, it returns rust (oxide) to metal. Clean off the worst as Jeremy says and apply with small brush, the rust and the rail will blacken which can be overpainted in 3 hours or just left. The graphite stick trick works a treat especially on steel rail!

Steve

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johndarch
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Re: Flux residue remover

Postby johndarch » Tue Mar 29, 2022 7:43 am

I use the same Cif method as Phil but if there is any visible residue, I remove it immediately with a damp cotton bud.

Philip Hall
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Re: Flux residue remover

Postby Philip Hall » Tue Mar 29, 2022 11:47 am

When I solder anything I usually keep a wet tissue in a bowl by the bench and swab over the joint straight away. Generally this saves me having to wash and scrub the work at the end of a session. I also keep baby wipes by the bench for general cleaning up. I think they have alcohol or some cleaning agent in them and being intended to clean up babies seem to be relatively kind to my hands!

Whenever I've soldered steel (or blackened it) I also always dowse it with water and carefully dry afterwards, and have had no problems with rust. I use N/S rail so no problems at all there. Mostly I use home-made phosphoric acid flux, but use Powerflow for some electrical work. The problem is getting the stuff off again before it turns into that green film. I do have some Flux-Off but keep forgetting to use it, the wet tissue is always to hand.

Philip

Tribus
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Re: Flux residue remover

Postby Tribus » Mon Apr 11, 2022 11:35 am

Thank you to all who replied :thumb

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stephenfreeman
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Re: Flux residue remover

Postby stephenfreeman » Mon May 23, 2022 1:07 pm

I know its been discussed before but I just to make sure that I am going down the right track so to speak. Is the perceived wisdom that some type of IPA whether in the form of wipes or spray is best at neutrising flux on steel rail. I have no idea what is in Carrs Neutralising wash but presume it to be similar.

davebradwell
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Re: Flux residue remover

Postby davebradwell » Mon May 23, 2022 3:43 pm

I've always understood that degreasing with IPA and neutralising acid flux with an alkali wash are 2 different things. There was discussion in MRJ years ago on neutralising acid residues - doesn't a solution of baking powder do it?

DaveB

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stephenfreeman
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Re: Flux residue remover

Postby stephenfreeman » Mon May 23, 2022 4:15 pm

Not something I'm in the habit of using myself, do I dare ask if I can have some from the boss? :D


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