Can I use the same pickle pot for brass, copper and silver? If my metal is a little bit tarnished before soldering do i need to pickle/sand it?
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Can I use the same pickle pot for brass, copper and silver? If my metal is a little bit tarnished before soldering do i need to pickle/sand it?
You can use the same pot and also the same solution.
Traces of acid will inhibit the flow of solder, so it must always be well washed off, prior to soldering.
However only the actual surfaces to be joined need to be bright for soldering and that is mosly done by filing, scraping, sanding, or application of a glass brush etc. to the edges and to solder.
Lastly you might have read that when your your pickle has picked up copper in solution, this can be re-deposited on silver by inadvertant addition of iron, for istance steel tweezers, or binding wire.
It's a thorogh nuisance so watch out. Dennis.
Thanks Dennis, I happen to have a glass brush from when I wired a doll's house :) great to know I can use the same pot.