"Smitty Two" wrote in message
news
In article ,
jakdedert wrote:



BTW, one use for the flux--I use the paste stuff, must try the
liquid--is to 'activate' old desoldering braid. When doing a lot of
work on old boards, I keep the tin of flux open, heat the braid and dip
the end into the flux between uses. It activates the braid and makes
for much easier desoldering.

Is that also the way to use the liquid stuff? It would probably be a
less messy than my procedure.....

jak

I manage a small electronic assembly company, so I've been intimately
involved with soldering on a daily basis for more than 20 years. I don't
know a hell of a lot about troubleshooting, but I know how to solder. We
use liquid flux in little 2 oz. plastic squeeze bottles with 0.010"
inside diameter needles. A drop or two of flux goes a long, long, way
towards making beautiful solder joints, painlessly, and very fast. For
single sided boards, a drop is fine. For double sided, a drop will flow
through the hole and take the solder with it. For desoldering double
sided, put a drop on top and one on the bottom. If you haven't used it,
you haven't experienced soldering.

Have you had to have a go with this hateful lead-free stuff yet ? If you're
a soldering professional, used to lovely shiny joints that'll see you out to
the grave, this stuff is gonna make you weep ...

If you only assemble for the US market, I guess that you're not going to
have to get to grips with it ( at least not yet ) as the US has sensibly
declined to get involved for the moment, but if any of your products are
destined for Europe, or one or two other places that have signed up to this
particular piece of eco-nonsense, then you're soon gonna be finding out
alllllllll about it .... :~{


Arfa