Recipe for Prips flux

Jewelry Discussion
1

Please excuse the repeat subject, but I would like the recipe for
Prips flux. I did have it in my notebook, but unfortunately it has
been lost. I would appreciate an update so I could copy it again.
About 10 times!!!

Thanks everyone.

2 
Please excuse the repeat subject, but I would like the recipe for
Prips flux. I did have it in my notebook, but unfortunately it has
been lost. I would appreciate an update so I could copy it again.
About 10 times!!!

First, don’t forget about the Orchid archives. You could have
searched them and had your answer quickly, instead of waiting for a
reply post. I and others have fully described Prips use and
preparations quite a number of times over the years.

I won’t retype the whole “how to use” bit. That gets long.

But the recipe is simple. 3 parts boric acid to 2 parts each of
borax and TSP. Normally, about 90 grams of boric acid and 60 each of
the others to a quart of water is about right. You can make it
slightly more concentrated if you like. Tap water is usually fine
unless your tap water has just lots of junk in it. Then you might use
distilled. But I’ve not met anyone who found they had to use
distilled. Boil the water to dissolve the chemicals, and you’re
there.

TSP can be hard to find in some locations. Be sure what you get is
Trisodium Phosphate, not some other cleaner with a TSP like label. If
you cannot find it, try substituting Cascade dish washing powder. The
green box… Before doing that, look through the orchid archives for
references to Frips flux (with an F, not the P in prips.) That’s the
variant suggested by Fred Fenster (thus the F). But search the
archives for that one, as I might have forgotten some details of that
substitution. First, if you’ve got a local Home Depot, try there.
The main eye level shelves for painting supplies, pre-paint cleaners,
etc, is where you’ll find the fake TSP like products (used because
without phosphates, they’re less polluting). But in the same area,
usually at ankle or high levels, you’ll usually also find a couple
boxes of the plain old real stuff. If not, try some place like a
specialized paint store, like a Sherwin Williams store. They might
have it. Of course, there are always also the online chemical supply
places, but generally they’ll be selling pure reagent grade, which is
more expensive.

Hope that helps.
Peter Rowe