cameron538•16d agoProlific Poster

Stopped by a shop in Gary and saw a brazing trick I'd never tried

I was passing through Gary last Tuesday and stopped at a small fab shop a buddy recommended. I figured I'd just say hi and grab a cup of coffee, but I ended up watching one of their older guys braze a copper joint with a special flux I'd never seen before. He said it's been his go-to for 20 years because it stops oxidation better than the standard stuff. I tried it this morning on a stubborn fitting at a job site in Hammond, and sure enough, it flowed cleaner and took half the time. I'm thinking about switching my whole kit over now. Has anyone else run into a flux that really changed their approach?

3 comments

3 Comments

henry_martinez15d ago

Yeah but @josephl67, if you actually tried a flux that cuts your work time in half wouldn't that change your opinion real quick? So what kind of special flux was the old guy using anyway, was it a paste or a liquid?

the_sam16d ago

Blew my mind until I realized I'd been using the wrong flux for 15 years.

josephl6715d ago

See things a bit different on this. Using the 'wrong' flux for 15 years means the stuff still worked for your normal soldering needs, right? Most hobbyists aren't pushing the limits where flux type actually matters. Tbh the whole flux debate gets blown way out of proportion unless you're doing super fine pitch SMD work or something. If your joints were shiny and your boards worked then you weren't exactly failing. Lots of people overcomplicate things and miss the fact that even basic rosin flux gets the job done fine.