Repel Molten Solder: Stainless Steel vs Nickel-Plated Steel

[dknguyen]

Does anyone know if nickel plated steel tools repel molten solder any better than stainless steel?

 

[large_ghostman]

No i often solder nickel plated stuff. Also model rail track is nickel plate and they often solder dropper wires onto it

 

[unclejed613]

stainless steel and aluminum both repel solder well, and i think aluminum is better than stainless for that because of aluminum's oxide layer.

 

[be80be]

 

[unclejed613]

that flux has to do some serious reduction to keep ahead of the aluminum oxidizing (didn't look like they were using the reducing portion of the torch flame either)

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

Does anyone know if nickel plated steel tools repel molten solder any better than stainless steel?

Battery tags are nickel plated, and solder easily.

 

[dknguyen]

Thanks guys. I was wondering if I could find some tweezers for a particular task that would repel solder a bit more easily than my current stainless steel ones. But after reading, I seemed to be getting mixed messages since there were references to soldering nickel-plated items, but also statements that nickel was plated to iron tips as a de-wetting layer to control where the solder would flow. It must just be a relative wetting issue then and/or that stainless steel must just be too expensive or difficult to use for the same purpose.

 

[be80be]

This the thing I see is lead free solder flux is stronger then the old rosin core stuff if you read on the box hell it tells you it solder to 10 or so metals.
Kind of funny tho I have some Delta it stick to anything lol then I have some home depot stuff it don't even like copper.
wasn't wearing my glasses got some cheap when the shack closed one roll is pure silver good for nothing I do without flux

You probably have to test what your using to find what works as bob said the time are changing

 

[KeepItSimpleStupid]

Titanium tweezers.

 

[large_ghostman]

Plastic ones? HDPE type

 

[dknguyen]

Probably too expensive since it's my large pair 8" crosslock tweezers or hemostats that have the issue so they use more metal than my little alloy ones which don't have that problem. Will probably just live with it.

 

[gophert]

that flux has to do some serious reduction to keep ahead of the aluminum oxidizing (didn't look like they were using the reducing portion of the torch flame either)

The goal is not to reduce or prevent oxidation while soldering aluminum. The goal is to wash/float the oxides away from the surface of the aluminum. Typically, fluoride-containing salts are used.

Also, watch the video carefullly, there is no physical contact between the copper pipe and aluminum. The narrow channel between the metals greatly simplifies the process.

 

[schmitt trigger]

Ceramic-tipped tweezers. Google them.