Electronics > Beginners
Favorite way to apply rosin flux? And cleaning leftover?
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David Hess:
I like using little bottles which have a brush attached to the cap or dipping the solder wire into the flux just before soldering.  I do not like oiler type bottles for flux; they get plugged up too easily.

For cleaning touch up work if necessary, I use cotton swabs and whatever flux thinner is suitable.  Just isopropyl alcohol works but 50/50 IPA/toluene (a common flux thinner), 50/50 IPA/acetone, or lacquer thinner is even better.

These dispensing bottles are nice for cleaning liquids but a little expensive.
helius:

--- Quote from: AnyNameWillDo on July 24, 2018, 02:58:56 am ---Reading this reminded me of a video I saw recently where I think this technique is used (1 min 8 sec mark and 1 min 54 sec mark):
--- End quote ---
Sure. The idea is that the towel has a much larger area, and as solvent evaporates from its top surface, it can draw dissolved residue up from the bottom like a wick. It's important for there to be some way to transport residue away from the board or you are just moving it around. You can also use a spray-flush after brushing, by tilting the board at an angle and spraying so that the dirty solvent runs off. Yet another way is to place the board in a tray with solvent (isopropyl alcohol or ethyl lactate but beware of the latter's incompatibility with acrylic), and agitate so that the soils fall to the bottom of the tray. If the dirty solvent dries in place, you are back to where you started with residues stuck to the board.

You can use regular paper towels, but in the video Kimwipes (non-linting woven towels) are used.
AnyNameWillDo:
Picking up these as well:

RAM-PRO 12 Flexible Horsehair Bristle Tin/Metal Tubular Ferrule Handle Acid/Flux Brushes for Home/School/Shop/Garage: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01LXC1VBE/

2 Needle Tip Bottle Liquid Flux Dispenser Oil Solvent Applicator Dropper 0.7 Oz: https://www.amazon.com/Needle-Dispenser-Solvent-Applicator-Dropper/dp/B00UG08QDC/

Kimberly-Clark Kimtech Science Kimwipes Delicate Task Disposable Wiper: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008UB6IKC/

I *think* this should be enough to experiment with. Can either use the needle-bottle to squirt flux directly, or use the pre-fluxed brush from the nail polish bottle. For cleanup, the kimwipes + separate brush + alcohol.

My normal/usual paper towels are kinda linty so I'm hesitant to use those but I'll probably give them a shot either way.
rbm:
I use a Weller FD2 bottle with 0.010" needle.  I find this gauge needle ideal for dispensing exactly the right amount of liquid flux on the board for SMD work down to 0805.  The Weller captures the needle with the cap and prevents the needle from dislodging from the spout as you use it.  The problem with the dispenser bottle product you linked to is that the needle depends on friction to remain secured to the spout.  There's no luer lock or captured cap.  What I find happens with the Weller bottle I have is the needle plugs up easily after a while when I stop using the dispenser, and I'm required to soak the needle tip in IPA to loosen the rosin plug.  This soaking operation could be a problem with those bottles you're considering.
FlyingHacker:
For through hole components I prefer old school paste flux. I just “dip” the leads in the flux before I solder them. It out a little flux on the lead that then get scraped off by the hole in the PCB when you insert the component. This puts a little flux right on the pad where you want it.
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