Oh no! I'm Having THOSE Kinds of Thoughts Again!

[Chris333]

This is what I have been using for about 10 years now:
http://www.rectorseal.com/index.php?site_id=1&product_id=239

Says right on it "Not recommended for electronic use"

Oh well... I never had a problem and I flux everything I solder. Your curved turnout was made with it. On all track work I scrub it with goo gone or simple green, and then use soap and water.


Edit:
It also says "Do not use on stainless steel" Guess what I have soldered with it? 

[Chris333]

Featured in our how to solder video, Kester acid based soldering flux is what we recommend for soldering trackwork in Fast Tracks assembly fixtures.

http://www.handlaidtrack.com/Kester-Acid-Paste-Flux-p/sp-30.htm

Kester acid based soldering flux is only suitable for soldering trackwork. Do not use this flux for soldering electrical connections or electronic components. Be sure to thoroughly clean the track using a stiff wire brush and warm water after soldering to remove all traces of flux.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[wazzou]

I do wonder why one would use an acid flux, myself included in the past, when everything I've read seems to indicate not to.  ???

[SebastianLee]

I got a pot of electronics flux at Radio Shack for $Next.ToNothing.  It will last me until I die.  It's acid free.  The acid stuff is what you use to flux a plumbing joint.

Lee

Actually acid based flux is or used to be a mil spec requirement.  As far as the difference between liquid and paste in 'no-clean' flux Liquid typically has less solids residues.  Kester flux pens work well for liquid flux on small jobs.

[davefoxx]

Sheeyit.  I just dab the end of the solder into the paste, stick it on the joint and presto.  It took about an hour to lay the track on the helix, including glue drying time.  Liquid flux and micro brushes just seem a little too fussy to me.

I was talking about trying to use the micro-brush to control where the paste flux goes, which should control where the solder goes.  That should ease the clean-up of excess solder.  I could lay that track on your helix in about an hour, too.  But here, I'm trying to be extra neat, because the appearance of this track is much more important to me than hidden trackage.  I'm also way down low on the learning curve of handlaying code 40 track and building turnouts, so I don't want to create extra work for myself by being sloppy.

[davefoxx]

This is what I have been using for about 10 years now:
http://www.rectorseal.com/index.php?site_id=1&product_id=239

Says right on it "Not recommended for electronic use"

Oh well... I never had a problem and I flux everything I solder. Your curved turnout was made with it. On all track work I scrub it with goo gone or simple green, and then use soap and water.


Edit:
It also says "Do not use on stainless steel" Guess what I have soldered with it? 

HA!  Good stuff.  Hey, we're men; we're not allowed to follow the instructions, right?

At the same time, though, you answered my next question on what to use to clean up excess flux.  Thanks.

Dave

[conrail98]

Remember, it says to use it in the fixtures, not to join track. Your soldering the rail to the PC board ties in their jigs, different than soldering joints,

Phil

[davefoxx]

I do wonder why one would use an acid flux, myself included in the past, when everything I've read seems to indicate not to.  ???

Same here, Bryan, which is why I asked that very question.  Chris333's last post is the flux-at-issue, and you can see, it's acid flux.  Curious to see the results of that many years down the road.  Maybe we're making too big a deal of it, since DC/DCC is low voltage?  Not sure.

[davefoxx]

Remember, it says to use it in the fixtures, not to join track. Your soldering the rail to the PC board ties in their jigs, different than soldering joints,

Phil

Phil,

Is the theory that the joints between the PC board ties and rail aren't completing a circuit?  That seems funny to me, because those rails are live.

DFF

[conrail98]

Phil,

Is the theory that the joints between the PC board ties and rail aren't completing a circuit?  That seems funny to me, because those rails are live.

DFF

I think it's because you don't want a circuit between the rails and the ties, you'd get shorts. That's why they tell you to score the PC board ties as well,

Phil

[Chris333]

Even if I just solder a joint it still gets cleaned. If not how would paint stick to it later. Sometimes I just spray alcohol and tooth brush it.

[DKS]

The difference between any paste flux and most liquid fluxes is the base. The paste is grease-based; liquid is usually water-based. The latter is infinitely easier to reliably clean up: just rinse it with water. The grease-based fluxes leave all manner of cruddy residues behind that require solvents to completely remove. This is why the only flux I use is liquid acid flux. Stay Clean is one of many liquid fluxes that not only make soldering faster and cleanup easier, but it works on stainless steel as well. And I use it on all soldering, including electrical, even 0402 SMDs. Have not found anything better, won't use anything else.

Why use an acid base flux? It may seem counter-intuitive because it sounds like the acid is doing something nasty to the metal. Actually, what's happening is it's chemically reducing oxides that form when the metal is heated. The oxides would otherwise prevent the solder from bonding to the metal. Without some form of flux, it's challenging to make a good solid solder joint. Liquid acids are among the most effective because they react very quickly, and promote faster and better soldering.

[GaryHinshaw]

Another post of the day from DKS.  Here's some more info:

http://therailwire.net/forum/index.php/topic,23258.msg223082.html#msg223082

Now I'm getting a hankering to get back to my handrails.

-gfh

[davefoxx]

Thanks, everyone!

Anyhow, I spent most of the evening watching Fast Tracks videos and playing along at home.  Here's the fruits of my labor tonight: my first hand-built turnout in any scale.  This one is an N scale code 40 #8 (20"/15" radii) curved turnout.



Take that, naysayers.    One thing's for sure; a freight car truck seems to roll through the frog smoother than my commercial turnouts.  I'll have to wait to check the complete operation, as the turnout still needs to have the gaps cut in the rails around the frog. But, I'll need to get a small jeweler's saw to do so.

DFF

[Chris333]

If it really cleans up with water I will have to get some.

BTW Dave, that looks pretty good and it's your first.

Edit: So I just bought this:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=220735858604