What is ochre?

Hi! I’m fairly new to all this and have not as yet heared the term
ochre. Can you please explain this to me.

Thanks,
Jan in Florida

Hi Jan, .Yellow Ochre is anti flux. You paint it where you do not
want the solder to flow, white out works real well too. Susan Chastain

Jan, “Ochre” is an anti-flux - a chemical applied over an area that
you wish to protect from solder flow or over a previously soldered
joint to protect it from re-opening during later soldering
operations. It is a yellow-brown clay, often used in a water
suspension, or as a pigment in oil and water colors. As you will
notice elsewhere in this thread, there are other anti-fluxes that may
be easier to apply, control, and remove. Have fun learning!

Mike

Yellow ochre is very useful as a “resist”, i.e. a coating that
prevents solder from flowing where is not wanted. I use it on hinges
to prevent the rivet from “freezing”.

Keep a few grams in an open small container ( water proof) such as
the plastic top from a medicine bottle .When needed, mix with a
little water into a medium paste. Cover the area to be protected with
a thin coating, I use the paper end of a match, for instance. After
coating lightly, heat gently, no oxygen, just a little flame. It will
get darker and, voila, solder won’t flow on the treated area. Pickle
after use, it should come off easily.

No big deal. It is a slightly grayish yellow colour, named after the
soft stone like mineral that was the origin of this pigment. Now it is
also possible, that you may be talking about exactly that stone,
sometimes used tu carve easily and quickly, like soap-stone.

Sandor

The ocher is used to help the previous solder from flowing while you
are soldering another part of the piece, white out works just as well
as the ochre and so does lead from a pencil, but that is mainly used
to keep the solder in place.

Ochre is a PIGMENT. Ground-up dirt of a known color, like umber from
Umbria, and Sienna from, uuhh, Sienna.

Supply houses should carry a very fine grind of this stuff for the
precision requirements of jewelers/watchmakers.

Mix with water or alcohol, and daub a good coat on the area where you
desire no solder. It can be really globbed on for heat resistance, but
I could be wrong here. I just sell tins of the stuff.

Dan Woodard
Indian Jewelers Supply Co.