Chip Quik low mp solder for chip removal?

[brandon7861]

Just curious if anyone has ever reused it and how many times that might be possible before it loses its low mp or becomes too difficult to work with.

I never knew about low mp solders until yesterday when it popped up as a suggestion while ordering solder and flux for aluminum. Of course, once I bit that hook, it didn't hesitate to show me all the other cool soldering stuff that I didn't know about, and now I need to get the mail before "someone else" does or I am going to have some serious explaining to do lol.

 

[Dmans]

cool soldering stuff

I see what you did there!

 

[brandon7861]

Wasn't trying to promote the brand... Looking up fields metal and other low mp alloys this morning on wiki (nice chart of compositions) and I realized that indium and bismuth are the things lowering the mp. I get that indium is about as rare as silver, but after seeing the price per pound of 90%+ indium, chip quik could have included a little lube with my purchase. When I run out, I will get the base metals and make my own.

The videos I have seen on it all say that its mp is lowered my the addition of solder. That tells me two things, 1-the composition is not all that critical, and 2- to some extent, I can keep adding solder. That circles me back to my original question as I think that is extremely valuable information for the people here. When I find out, I will report back.

 

[Dmans]

brandon7681,
I wasn't saying you were promoting anything but if you were I would not take offense to it.

I found it clever that you were talking about

"low mp solder"​

and then the comment:

show me all the other cool soldering stuff.

Maybe not realized at the time but a "funny" none the less.

73
David

 

[brandon7861]

brandon7681,
I wasn't saying you were promoting anything but if you were I would not take offense to it.

I found it clever that you were talking about

"low mp solder"​

and then the comment:

show me all the other cool soldering stuff.

Maybe not realized at the time but a "funny" none the less.

73
David

that went right over my head lol I actually meant cool as in interesting, but yea, cool temps too!

All this stemmed from a desire to solder copper wire to aluminum tv elements. I have been using a product similar to alumaweld and a propane torch to add a layer that is solderable, but it's a hassle and is not too reliable. A little research led me to alloys containing tin with either zinc or indium, so I also have In52/Sn48 and Sn91/Zn9 coming with a little bottle of special flux. I am hoping the 52/48 can also be used for chip removal.