[Favorite tips] Getting ochre off

get darker and, voila, solder won’t flow on the treated area. Pickle
after use, it should come off easily.

I’ve had a lot of trouble getting ochre off simply by pickling. A
friend of mine showed me a trick that removes ochre easily. Paint
flux onto the ochred portion of the piece, and heat until the flux
becomes “glassy”, then pickle. The flux dissolves the ochre
(anti-flux) and leaves the piece sparkling clean. (Just be sure to
keep any dilithium crystals far away from the flux/anti-flux
process!)

-Alan

Alan Derr
Westford, MA USA
@Alan_Derr

OK Alan, I’ll bite on this lead. What are dilithium crystals and why
should they be kept away from any flux and anti-flux? Net

Pickle and put the piece in the ultrasonic. That gets the ochre off
for me. Bill Navran

If you DO happen to have the available dilithium crystals, however,
then there is an easier way. You can modify the circuitry on your
standard transporter, or even by reversing the polarity on your food
replicator, to simply “beam” off that nasty ochre. In fact, I’m told
it’s even possible to get it to remove a microscopically thin layer of
the metal too, thus leaving a polished surface with no additional
finishing required.

:slight_smile:

OK Alan, I’ll bite on this lead. What are dilithium crystals and why
should they be kept away from any flux and anti-flux? Net

Because it will deactivate them, Spock will have to figure out some
other way to power the ship, and Captain Kirk will probably put you
in the brig.

Al
mailto:@Alan_Balmer

What are dilithium crystals and why should they be kept away from
any flux and anti-flux?  

This sort of confusion is what results when you let Trekkies out in
public. Dilithium crystals are what fuels the warp drive in the
Enterprise and the rest of Starfleet. For a technical explanation of
the interaction between dilithium and flux, I’d have to refer you to
Mr. Scott or to Miles if you’re into The Next Generation. Happy
soldering, and try not to trip over the children playing on the
floor.

Hello Peter!

I’ll admit some of the science and tech stuff a few of you folks are
capable of rattling off is not only impressive, but quite helpful and
expands my knowledge. However, this time, your expression of ochre
removal, leaves me wishing for some earthly descriptions. By the way
I do have a food dehydrator, a rectifier, a degausser, and an air
compressor. Can any of these be utilized? And in what sequence? I
have no dilithium crystals. Maybe we should start there for the
education of myself and all. Completely sober at this time! Thanks,
Tim

JEEEEZ! Don’t you guys know that ANY kind of flux will cause
dilithium crystals to overradiate causing a chain reaction that could
blow up the ship!!! They won’t find enough pieces of you to put you in
the brig…live long and prosper…Dave

dave - i may have singed a few muslin buffs with an over the head
torch hold while searching the floor for soldering components. even
left, if not my heart, at least major parts of my fingernails on
grinding wheels. once, after running in to give ‘one more polish’ to
a rock while dressed up for public exposure, i found myself receiving
strangers’ strange stares while extracting a polishing
wheel-launched stone from my bra. there were also times when i gave
jesse b. apoplexy with particulate dust count bordering on imminent
combustion in my workshop - BUT I NEVER MIXED ANY FLUX WITH DILITHIUM
CRYSTALS! ive

Wait a second, I thought that dilithium was inert, so inert that it
is the only mineral capable of withstanding the powerful flux-antiflux
reaction. I’ll have to ask my consultant, Harry Mudd, and get back
with you.

Dilithiun crystals can be recrystallized by exposure to gamma
radiation that are poducts of nuclear fission reactions, However if
any one needs them immediatley in their crystal state for their flux
they can be obtained in abundance on Coridan. Troyius is also a a
rich source of naturally occuring dilithium. Susan Chastain

I discovered that dilithium is used in the manufacture of bullet
proof vests for police and military forces. The dilithium is
sandwiched in layers between the Spectra(brand name) and the other
balistic nylon stuff. Really amazing stuff…BTW it was origionally
discovered by an old researcher in about 1862 in hopes that a
crystal would resist a knife attact on Count Dracula.