Liquid flux and where to get it?

[Bluemonkey presents....]

Dear All,

Having just spilt my last flux over my bench I am now without any. I have asked some friends and shop keepers regarding types of flux to use for whitemetal and brass kit building and the majority go for liquid flux (as I did) but no one has it in stock or knowledge of whom may have some.

Please can I have some suggestions (polite).

Thank you in advance for any suggestions

[micknich2003]

I bought a bottle of Phos Acid flux from Hobby Hollidays, £4.50, but a very expensive way of buying what is little more then water.

[pointstaken]

Can't remember at the moment, but isn't "Bakers Fluid" (or flux) liquid ? Can anyone advise? Got some in the garage but don't want to look and  join the "brass monkey" brigade at this time !

 

Dennis

[Kev_Lewis]

The Carrs range from C&L Finescale are very good.

 

My personally preference is their yellow flux with 100 degree solder for whitemetal and the green flux with 145 and 183 degree solder for brass and nickel silver. But everyone seems to have their own preferences.

[shortliner]

I think Squires sell flux in various forms, unless RM regs have now made it unpostable

[The Stationmaster]

You could try Modellers Mate (website currently being rebuilt, 'phone number on the 'net) and see if he is still doing his repro 'Eames 40' flux - smashing stuff.

[Michael Woolford]

I bought some bakers fluid this week from a local shop called beesleys tools. They were the only people in Swindon who seemed to be able to get it though; I even had to have it ordered in.

 

Michael

[Coombe Barton]

Have you tried a plumbers' merchants for Bakers Fluid?

[corax67]

I use Carr's liquid fluxes for all of my soldering work and can thoroughly recommend them - red, black and yellow are staples of my workshop supply cupboard.

 

Still available through mail order from Chronos

 

http://www.chronos.ltd.uk/acatalog/Engineering_Menu_Carrs_Solders___Fluxes___etc_346.html#aTL1

 

Yellow for white metal/low temp melt

[alfsboy]

I used Bakers Fluid for decades which is roughly how long the  bottle lasted but bought some Duncan s Flux from Duncans models at the Southwold show which works fine .

[JeffP]

<p>Try this stuff:<a href="http://www.7mmlocomotives.co.uk//index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=shop.flypage&product_id=1&category_id=1&manufacturer_id=0&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=52">http://www.7mmlocomotives.co.uk//index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=shop.flypage&product_id=1&category_id=1&manufacturer_id=0&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=52</a></p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Low acidity, doesn't splatter, doesn't turn Nickel Silver instantly green, won't rust steel tyres on sight, but does an excellent job, with the minimum of EASY cleaning up afterwards.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>I've been using it for a while now for both brass and whitemetal.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Oh, and here's a tip: buy some blu-Tak, roll out a suasage, wrap round the base of your flux bottle and press down onto bench. It's FAR less likely to get tipped over.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Or tranfer some into a smaller, squatter bottle and do the same.</p>

Edited December 7, 2013 by JeffP

[peter220950]

I have always used the stuff that Andy Duncan sells, 12% phosphoric acid, which is good for using with low-melt on whitemetal castings, though I have just bought some 85% acid from Ebay and diluted it down, giving me 5 bottles to keep me going for some while - it seems to do the job just as well.

Edited December 7, 2013 by peter220950

[bike2steam]

Try Adrian of 'Railroom Electronics', here;-

http://www.railroomelectronics.co.uk/Solder-Soldering/Flux/Page1.aspx

 

Along with, as 'Stationmaster' sez, Nick of 'Modellers Mate', two excellent examples of the smaller exhibition/mail-order traders.

Edited December 8, 2013 by bike2steam

[halfwit]

Eileen's Emporium. Suprised no-one else has mentioned them.

[Richard Lee]

Langley Miniature Models do liquid flux for low-melting point solder (3rd item on page of link).  Have no idea if it is good stuff or good value for money.

 

http://www.langley-models.co.uk/acatalog/Online_Catalogue_Solder__Glue___Fillers_100.html

[ozzyo]

Hello all,

 

as the OP has not bothered about saying thank you to any one, why help him?

 

OzzyO.

[lyndonsdad1]

Merry Xmas!!!!!!!!!!!!

[JeffP]

It always seems odd to make a post, then disappear?

[Coombe Barton]

But it less than 72 hours, and the member is new - give him a break.

[Fat Controller]

Hello all,

 

as the OP has not bothered about saying thank you to any one, why help him?

 

OzzyO.

To be fair, he did say 'Thanks in advance', which is more than many do.

I recollect my grandfather making his own flux using what I believe to have been dilute sulphuric acid with some zinc added; with this, a bar of solder, and a soldering iron that bore a more-than-passing resemblance to a branding iron, I have known him to reattach a broken wire from armature to coil on a Hornby-Dublo R1. OK, it cogged a bit afterwards, but at least it worked..

Coming from a small-holding family, he wasn't inclined to throw away (or 'waste' as he'd say) anything; he used to make his own insecticide by steeping his saved cigarette butts in water.

[Mrkirtley800]

Bakers fluid used to be known as killed spirits, and is hydrochloric acid "killed" with excess zinc. My dad and I used to make our own by adding zinc to a jar of the acid. Being a laboratory chemist, I had access to the raw materials. Trouble with it was the corrosive effect, so you had to wash any soldering jobs several times.

My dad was a sheet metal worker and built me a 4mm loco in his lunchtimes at work, using a large iron and heavy tools. He was a wizard with metal and wood.

He taught me to solder when I was a little lad, wasn't I lucky.

Derek

[corax67]

Hello all,

 

as the OP has not bothered about saying thank you to any one, why help him?

 

OzzyO.

 

It's better to give than to receive ?

[LaScala]

Hello all,

 

as the OP has not bothered about saying thank you to any one, why help him?

 

OzzyO.

More than one sort of acid around here!

It does seem odd but if nothing else it did draw a comprehensive list of fluxes out of those that care.

[Mod6]

Hello all,

 

as the OP has not bothered about saying thank you to any one, why help him?

 

OzzyO.

 

 

 

But it less than 72 hours, and the member is new - give him a break.

Quite. And as was pointed out he has thanked members for their replies in advance. There are many reasons, such as work or family commitments, which might preclude a member being available on here 24/7.

[The Bigbee Line]

Jenolite used to be phosphoric acid.  Might be easy to get in DIY outlets