Pripps flux and spray bottles

Hello,

i was changing out the spray bottles for my pripps flux and experienced something (again!) that i thought i would share…

when i first started using pripps flux, i struggled to “wet” the piece…

my goal was to slightly heat the piece, spray on the pripps, and have it immediately dry/ frost over…

i sprayed and sprayed, but it did not frost over

in the meantime my solder area was getting sticky from all the overspray…!

i went to the sink and sprayed my hand…there was a dry spot in the middle of my palm…!

it seems that the push down plunger type spray bottles(s) that i was trying, all did that…the spray pattern was like a halo…more mist like spray

so, i tried a small drugstore trigger style spray bottle, and that sprayed an entire circle coverage…more droplet spray

success…and stopped wasting pripps flux due to overspraying!

just thought i would share…

julie

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I use a mouth atomizer. Following is a link. They are inexpensive and work well. Rob

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hi!
i have heard about those being the best option, but i have always felt that would require more coordination than i possess! haha!

julie

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It isnt hard to learn to use these. Try it a few times and you’ll have it down. They don’t break, and they don’t clog, unlike most other sprayers. And their spray pattern is nice and uniform. The ones I use, I have had on my bench for over 25 years, at least. Still work fine. Unlike their owner…

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hi all,
ok i finally sat down and ordered a mouth atomizer, and it has made my prips experience amazing!

i just had to test it to figure out the positioning of the 2 pipes…and then i tightened/ pinched the collars…i learned the i needed to blow harder than i thought…

it applies a beautiful, even coating of prips flux!

i made a bottle to facilitate easier handling, using a viramin container

thank you!
julie

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Drill another hole in the top and it might go even easier. You need to replace the fluid you spray out with air. Depending on how tight the bottle is, it might be hard for air to get in and replace the lost volume of liquid sprayed out…Rob

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Hi Rob!

haha! I thought about that, and opened the lid to test it out…yes, much better…i am still struggling to get the spray out consistently…i am having to puff out my cheek as i blow…and it still doesn’t always come out/ spray consistently…still trying to figure it out

i originally made the hole, to stabilize the pipe a bit…it was moving at the hinge and becoming un-aligned…

julie

Hi Rob,
hmmm…i think my pipes are too close together…i just watched a few videos again…

i will try it set up like this next

currently, after testing i set it up like this…perhaps too close together

i found a video that explained this “Venturi Effect” in a simple way, in a similar setup as i am attempting it…and in a way i could understand! (his last use of a flammable liquid doesn’t look like a good idea, though!)

The Venturi effect - YouTube

julie

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It’s just physics…Rob

hi

here is an Art Alternative video showing how to use a mouth atomizer

julie

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Hi Rob!
i wish i had taken physics in school!
i will just have to learn things now…slowly!

julie

I am certified in New York to teach it, but haven’t for years. Knowing physics helps explain a lot to me…Rob

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This seems to give you a lot of flux where you don’t want it… Why not just dip and flame or use a brush (after brushing a flame over to clean)?

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Hi Janet,
ok, i will play around with those two methods bext!

thank you!

over-spray has been an issue, while i have been trying to master the blowing…it seems like if i don’t blow hard enough, only air comes out, and if i blow harder, then it comes out, but of course the spray pattern is round and usually larger than my piece…

julie

Julie,
I just didn’t understand why anyone would use a blower to apply flux unless maybe if you need to cover a very large area. A brush is so simple and you get it exactly where you want it.

BTW I wrote “dip and flame” because I was thinking boric acid.

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While I have an atomizer and have used it a lot, over spray is a problem. I find that, if I use alcohol and boric acid, I can control firescale most of the time…Rob

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Hi Janet,

well, my experience with Prips flux is that it is far superior in preventing firestain than boric acid/ alcohol flux…the addition of the borax extends the working time, i believe…

and many people have said that the mouth atomizer is a good way to apply it, because it clogs spray bottles for some reason i have not yet figured out…the mouth atomizer applies a beautiful even coating, and has less overspray than my spray bottles did…

so i have been trying to perfect my process with the atomizer…i believe the piece “needs”(?) to be heated first…i have burned brushes trying to brush it on…

…my trials continue

julie

Julie…Keep doing what works for you. With a couple exceptions, there is more than one way to do most things…Rob

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Hi Rob!

yes, so true!

I am struggling to improve my application process, so all ideas are welcome, I love to learn and try new things…

I do always have to try to remember to “learn smart” though!:rofl::joy:…i struggle!

so far, i am at the place where i want to use the Prips because i think it has superior protection…if i am going to spray, i can accept that there will be some overspray…so my current challenge is to control the spray as best as i can

and also to figure out if brushing on is possible, for complete coverage…and how to control the heat if i need to heat piece before brushing on…or if it is possible to get complete coverage without heating first…i am assuming the piece needs to be clean so that liquid flux will st”sheet” and cover the piece…

the experiments continue!

julie

julie

Most of my work requires very small applications of flux, plus sometimes a firecoat.
I am intrigued by this applicator for larger jobs such as annealing, though, so I purchased the tool.
I may not use it often, but I suspect that it will get more somewhat frequent use, as I experiment.
Getting full coverage for a heavy annealing jobs has always been difficult.

Update:
the mouth atomizer that I ordered just arrived this evening. I played with it with liquids close at hand ( ok, I had beer close by, but it works).
Now I need to play with a firecoat, but I am quite optimistic. It took a second or two to adjust the correct gap, but the results were quite impressive.
I had hunch this was an great idea, since I already had learned how to use the brass blowpipe for soldering.

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