Prometheus <prometheus@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:
> On Sat, 29 Dec 2007 16:48:27 +0000 (UTC), Todd Rich <torin@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>
(snip)
> >While you don't have to use Anhydrous, I'm not that happy with 20 Mule
> >Team. They seem to have added something to it that makes it stick a
lot
> >more, which is a pain when you have to wire brush the slag off the
anvil
> >and the hammer. I got a pail of plain borax from a chemical supply
house
> >and it behaves like the 20 Mule team I remember from 8-10 years ago. A
> >jeweler friend of mine pointed out some changes in behavior of 20 Mule
> >Team she noticed when using it as a soldering flux, which lead me to
try
> >changing my flux. As to the amount, you are overdoing it. You really
> >only need enough to coat the piece and it should last through 2 or 3
> >heats, after which you should wire brush it off and reapply a little
more.
> Yes, it is kind of a sticky mess. I thought that was just the price I
> had to pay to use a flux in a forge- well, if this one turns out, and
> I decide I want to keep at it, I'll invest in a better grade of flux.
> It definately helps to know that refluxing after every heat is
> unneccessary.
Well, if you want to ping my e-mail with a mailing address, I'll mail you
about a cup of the straight sodium borate pentahydrate that I have (though
it might be decahydrate by the time it gets to you).
(snip)
> I don't know if it's because of the flux or the mix, but it's not
> scaling at all with what I've got it set at now, and it's plenty hot
> until the tank begins to freeze up (I've really got to get my 100
> pound tank down to the co-op and get it filled, the 20 pounder is a
> PITA!)
Sounds like you are doing fine then. (Yeah 100# tanks are a lot nicer to
use.)
(snip)
> Perfect- I'll just make sure to get some more ferric chloride, as it's
> pretty cheap anyway.
Mixing it at about 3 parts water to 1 part ferric chloride seems to give a
lot of people a fast and fairly clean etch.
Good luck.
(now I just need to get my power hammer finished...)
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