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Solder Rosin Cleanup

1/8/2006 5:40 PM
Daver	Solder Rosin Cleanup I seem to have gotten what acts like an extra "juicy" roll of Kester solder. It leaves a bit more rosin on my solder joints, eyelets, etc. than I'm used to seeing. Anyone have any cleanup tips? Ideally some liquid chemical that can be swabbed on, but I'm open to suggestions. Chicken soup? Coke? Thanks. Daver

1/8/2006 7:39 PM
Dai H.	zippo lighter fluid (naptha) or alcohol. There's ethanol and isopropyl or something like that. Both are supposed to work. If there is just a little rosin residue, I don't think that harms anything so you could leave it if just a little messy. Try q-tips for small bits, paper towels for larger. If the thing that you wipe with (q-tip, pap.twl, etc.) isn't enough to remove all the rosin, it seems to just spread it around (you can see it if it's still white). Be careful since the stuff is flammable! You want a smokin' tone, and not a smokin' house...

1/8/2006 7:39 PM

Dai H.

zippo lighter fluid (naptha) or alcohol. There's ethanol and isopropyl or something like that. Both are supposed to work. If there is just a little rosin residue, I don't think that harms anything so you could leave it if just a little messy. Try q-tips for small bits, paper towels for larger. If the thing that you wipe with (q-tip, pap.twl, etc.) isn't enough to remove all the rosin, it seems to just spread it around (you can see it if it's still white). Be careful since the stuff is flammable! You want a smokin' tone, and not a smokin' house...

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1/9/2006 12:07 AM
Steve A.	Better alternative than Q-Tips? Dai said: Try q-tips for small bits, paper towels for larger. I use Q-Tips myself because they are SO CHEAP but I am always picking off bits of cotton from my circuit boards... I'm sure that one of these days the cotton will create a short circuit that will smoke one of my amps. I've seen the small foam pads— for cleaning tape heads... for those of you old enough to remember "tape"! But I remember them being sold in packs of two for $1.00. Ouch! However, I thought I'd check to see if someone has found a good source for buying them in bulk (well, maybe 100 or 500... I don't want to have to mortgage my condo to pay for them!) While of the subject of thrify purchases, I want one of those alcohol dispensers that they use when drawing blood... push down on the top and the little basin fills with alcohol. (We used to buy them from a local medical supply house when I was working at Pacific Stereo in the 70's.) As for removing flux, I'd say to use your best judgement. Like if it is a tremelo circuit with a 3.3M or 5M pot, the small amount of conductivity through flux could affect the circuit. So I try to be very clean around circuits like that. Otherwise I think that it is a matter of aesthetics since I don't see the Kester rosin flux corroding my boards. Steve Ahola P.S. Naptha is also handy for removing the leftover adhesive when you pull off a label.

1/9/2006 12:07 AM

Steve A.

Better alternative than Q-Tips?

Dai said:

Try q-tips for small bits, paper towels for larger.

I use Q-Tips myself because they are SO CHEAP but I am always picking off bits of cotton from my circuit boards... I'm sure that one of these days the cotton will create a short circuit that will smoke one of my amps.

I've seen the small foam pads— for cleaning tape heads... for those of you old enough to remember "tape"!

But I remember them being sold in packs of two for $1.00. Ouch! However, I thought I'd check to see if someone has found a good source for buying them in bulk (well, maybe 100 or 500... I don't want to have to mortgage my condo to pay for them!)

While of the subject of thrify purchases, I want one of those alcohol dispensers that they use when drawing blood... push down on the top and the little basin fills with alcohol. (We used to buy them from a local medical supply house when I was working at Pacific Stereo in the 70's.)

As for removing flux, I'd say to use your best judgement. Like if it is a tremelo circuit with a 3.3M or 5M pot, the small amount of conductivity through flux could affect the circuit. So I try to be very clean around circuits like that. Otherwise I think that it is a matter of aesthetics since I don't see the Kester rosin flux corroding my boards.

Steve Ahola

P.S. Naptha is also handy for removing the leftover adhesive when you pull off a label.

1/8/2006 7:48 PM
Enzo	Re: Solder Rosin Cleanup Your basic isopropyl alsohol will work, or you can buy a can of... ta da... flux remover from any electronics supplier. CHicken soup is no good, the noodles plug up the controls.

1/8/2006 8:06 PM
Carl Gigun	just flick it off with a screwdriver or leave it. The flux remover does as much to thin it and spread it everywhere as it does to remove it. Worst thing is to brush the flux remover on then blast it off with canned air, it vaporizes into the air around you, goes up your nose etc. Gives me a sore throat. (and who knows what else)

1/8/2006 11:57 PM
Dai H.	i used a can of Hakko flux remover one time, and it left a big mess inside the amp, even melted some of the color code stripes on a plate R on V2. Guess it contained a solvent. Cleaned it up eventually but it was a big hassle. So watch out what you use! oh yeah, I bought a used OT from an ampager, and it has some hammertone type paint on the end bells, and the leftover flux remover was useful for removing that paint, lol (the paint was actually nice but I just wanted it to match the PT).

1/8/2006 11:57 PM

Dai H.

i used a can of Hakko flux remover one time, and it left a big mess inside the amp, even melted some of the color code stripes on a plate R on V2. Guess it contained a solvent. Cleaned it up eventually but it was a big hassle. So watch out what you use! oh yeah, I bought a used OT from an ampager, and it has some hammertone type paint on the end bells, and the leftover flux remover was useful for removing that paint, lol (the paint was actually nice but I just wanted it to match the PT).

1/9/2006 8:40 AM
Bruce /Mission Amps	Other then just for looks, when using a good brand of electronic solder, is there any reason to take extra time to clean off the rosin? Bruce

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