Flux

[Patstone]

I bought some Auflux quite a while ago, it has been subject to strong sunlight for about an hour in the morning and it faded to almost clear. Will this affect its properties please.

[CJ57]

Think you might just have to try it Pat unless there is a statement in the leaflet that comes with it that says store in a dark place. Try it on a piece of scrap

[ajda]

I have Auflux which I use for fusing argentium - some of it is quite old now and has gone a very dull colour, unlike the bright yellow it was at first though not completely clear. It still seems to work fine, but as Caroline says you may just have to try it and see. What are you using it for?
Alan

[susieq]

Do you ever solder your argentium Alan, or just fuse it?

[Patstone]

I use flux and solder pallions for soldering my silver jewellery. I have had a few problems soldering lately, think it may have been just me, solder it and then pick it up and find that it falls apart. Either that or it melts. Just cant seem to get it together lately. I have had a few problems lately, very high blood pressure, 214 ummmmm, bit high. No apparent reason for it, having MRI scan this afternoon, then another one on my eyes, or rather where my eye was next week. So all in all, i just wondered if it was affecting my ability to solder. I feel ok in myself, but anyway I have ordered another bottle of flux. I have had it for quite a few years so it may have just lost its strength. This time I have bought a smaller bottle.

[ajda]

Do you ever solder your argentium Alan, or just fuse it?

Very occasionally... only really with delicate pieces where the higher temperature for fusing might affect more than the join itself. For example, I repaired a chain the other day with a new link, 0.45mm gauge wire less than 2mm across. Trying to fuse the link closed would probably have resulted in fusing it to the links on either side or melting it into a blob... Otherwise, though, I find fusing direct with just a little Auflux on the join works a treat and there's something very satisfying about not using any solder. I also find fine gold fuses nicely to Argentium. When I first started out I bought a small quantity of Argentium soldering paste, though it took me a while to figure out how to use it effectively. I've still got at least 90% of that left - using it just for those occasional tiny jobs it'll probably last me decades!

[medusa]

I bought some Auflux quite a while ago, it has been subject to strong sunlight for about an hour in the morning and it faded to almost clear. Will this affect its properties please.

Hi Pat,

My Oroflux was luminous yellow when I got it about 5 years ago and is now clear white. It seems to work just fine.

[caroleallen]

I think the yellow is just colouring added and doesn't serve any useful purpose.

[CJ57]

I think the yellow is just colouring added and doesn't serve any useful purpose.

I think I've had mine since about 2005 and it's still fine

[Patstone]

Perhaps its just me then, seems to be the popular opinion that it cant lose its strength with time. I have had mine since about 2005 too. Note to me, must try harder.

[CJ57]

Maybe just going through one of those phases Pat where nothing seems to work and we blame our tools instead of the workshop gremlins :)

[caroleallen]

Yes, we all get days like that.