Flux

[K-Brewer]

Looking into getting some flux to help soldering, could anyone recommend any?

[tyreman]

Spend a little more on your solder and it has a good flux in it.
0.9 diameter 60/40 solder with flux will cost around £20 for 500g roll.

[SlowOne]

Avoid liquid acid flux (e.g. Bakers Fluid) like the plague, it will damage all the connections you solder!

A paste flux is the easier to use and the most effective for wire joints. Almost any of the paste fluxes you can buy will work just fine, but check it is not an acid-based flux. There is likely to be trace acids, but anything that says it is acid is to be avoided.

Resin-cored solder sounds like a good idea, but in practice it isn't that good. The flux will melt and be consumed as soon as you put the solder on the tip of the iron, and the amount is less than needed to clean a joint.

A paste flux is much better. Put a smear on the items to be tinned and the apply the solder. If soldering a wire, dip the wire in the paste flux (minimal amount) and then apply it to the thing you are joining it to. Apply the iron, add a small amount of solder. Every joint will be a winner!

Paste flux should also be used when reattaching wires. Again, a small smear on the wire and then apply the iron and some solder to the joint. The paste flux will drive out the oxides present when re-using a joint.

Paste flux also means you can buy 'pure' solder (no resin core) which is usually cheaper. A standard 30g/40g tin of flux will last a lifetime of RC modelling. The one I have my father bought in the 1960s, and he was a modeller too! HTH

[beale]

http://m.screwfix.com/p/fernox-power...ste-100g/16396

I use this stuff all the time at work at home plumbing and tinning with all solder types it makes the job so much easier

[SlowOne]

That's it - couldn't remember the name! Thanks, Beale.

[K-Brewer]

Originally Posted by beale

http://m.screwfix.com/p/fernox-power...ste-100g/16396

I use this stuff all the time at work at home plumbing and tinning with all solder types it makes the job so much easier

I now have one on order thamks guys