Flux and ochre?

Jewelry Discussion
1

Tim gave a recipe for boric acid, borax and TSP. I’d read the
liquid version on the orchid archives. It’s called Pripps flux after
the man who made it and gave out the recipe. It works great. My
question is : when I do multiple soldering, I pickle, then ochre the
previous solder areas. Do I then put the Pripps only on the unochered
areas? How do I prevent firescale on the ochered parts? Or do I put
Pripps on top of the ochered parts? Thanks Orchidians! Net

2

Net, Have you tried using white out (yes the stuff you buy at the
office supply for typing corrections etc. also called correction
fluid) as an anti flux? I have had great results. You can solder and
pickle and not have to redo the anti flux. You can cover an area and
then flux and not have the anti flux run. It comes off with a little
steam or a little acetone. Great stuff much more control for multiple
solders and doesn’t contaminate like yellow ochre can. I use the one
in the pencil type applicator for finer control. Frank

3

Yes, I too have used the white out but have two questions.

  1. I was always told that the white out would foul the pickle and
    that it had to be removed and reapplied between soldering operations.
    Is this not true?

  2. Also, I have been warned that the fumes released by the white out
    are much more toxic than yellow ochre. Any insight on that one?
    (John Burgess, perhaps?)

Thanks to all of you with much more experience than I and certainly
more understanding of chemistry!
Shael

4 
 Have you tried using white out (yes the stuff you buy at the office
supply for typing corrections etc. also called correction fluid) as
an anti flux? I have had great results.

And, to avoid toxic fumes, WATER BASED correction fluid is also
available (it works just as well.)

5 
1. I was always told that the white out would foul the pickle and
that it had to be removed and reapplied between soldering operations. 
Is this not true?

I’ve never found that water based white-out fouled pickle, and yes,
it does have to be reapplied between soldering applications. Yellow
Ochre doesn’t need to be applied between soldering applications???
(I’ve never used the Ochre.)

2. Also, I have been warned that the fumes released by the white out
are much more toxic than yellow ochre.  Any insight on that one? 
(John Burgess, perhaps?)

Water based, BIC makes one, is non toxic.

6

I have never had to reapply white out between solderings even if I
pickle and I have been using it in place of ochre for about 6
years.It also does not contaminate the pickle which ochre will do. as
too toxicity I would bet that it is more toxic than yellow ochre but
as too degree? I vent. Frank

7

In the dental lab biz we always used rouge disolved with ether or
methyl alcohol and applied with a small brush to the areas requiring
anti-flux. worked like a charm.

Mike

PS those jewelers who were flooded out. We will repair your damaged
ultrasonic and give you a 20% discount on our normal labor charge.

8 
    2. Also, I have been warned that the fumes released by the
white out are much more toxic than yellow ochre.  Any insight on
that one? (John Burgess, perhaps?)

You rang Modom? G’day; Some of the ‘white-outs’ are solvent based.
The solvent(s) used to be carbon tetrachloride, trichlor ethylene or
a similar chlorinated hydrocarbon. All these are poisonous and in
particular are liver poisons. However, in my early days at a
plastics factory, where I worked in their lab, we damn nearly bathed
in the stuff. They used to buy it in 40 gallon drums. Dirty greasy
hands were always washed in it. Factory people used to write code on
plastic sheet using grease crayons, and later, other folk would wash
it off using trichlor ethylene on a rag soaked in the stuff. We
didn’t know much about toxicity in those days! Oh yes, those same
solvents cause a nasty skin condition called chloracne, horrid skin
eruptions that were hard to heal. I didn’t get problems, but then I
have always been lucky

	John Burgess
9

I have tried using the white out instead of ochre, and it worked just
fine. However, I have had a tough time removing it. It does not
disolve in the pickle, and I have to scrape it off. Could it be the
brand I am using? I got it at an office supply store. It is not
water soluable—which is its virtue when using liquid flux, but it
just almost fuses to the metal. Any suggestions? --Alma in
gorgeous Oregon

10

I use my steamer to remove the white out with great success. I have
also used acetone to remove any stuborn areas. Either works fine.
Frank

11

Mike,

We always used a product called “Steeles Stop Flow”. It appears to
be a graphite paste and it works marvelously. Any dental supply
house will have it.

Skip Meister
@Skip_Meister
Orchid Jewelry Listserve Member
N.R.A. Endowment
"No man’s life, liberty or fortune is safe…while our legislature is in session."
Benjamin Franklin

12

I am also curious about these dilithium crystals! I usually use Handy
Flux to “eat” ochre from a piece. White-Out is also good for stopping
solder flow, but the only way to get it off is with acetone or
sanding. The multi-purpose formula (green bottle) seems to come off a
little easier than the stuff in the black bottle. I would love to know
of suppliers for the aforementioned crystals, too!

13

Skip: I called my dentist to get the name and telephone number of his
dental product supplier, Patterson Dental, and they have not heard of
this material. Could you suggest another company? Or, if you still
have some of this Steeles Stop Flow, could you check and post the
name and telephone number of the manufacturer? or send it to me off
line if you prefer. Then I can pursue it, find distributors, and
will post my findings on sources. Thanks Skip! Shael dakotahdog@msn.com