Used solder from desolder pumps, etc...

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  • eccerr0r
    Solder Sloth
    • Nov 2012
    • 8701
    • USA

    #1

    Used solder from desolder pumps, etc...

    What do you guys do with it?

    Currently I've got all of my used solder that got sucked up from the desolder pump melted into a ball... It's about an inch in diameter now, maybe more. Since I dont desolder that much, and growth diameter would be the square or third root of how much solder I put on it, its growth is now very slow unlike when it was first conceived.

    Basically when I clean out all the solder from the solder chamber I melt it together with the ball and round it off. Why I do this? I don't know...

    Unfortunately this ball is probably a mixture of lead and leadfree solder, it's hard to tell what the mix percentage is. But it definitely has lead in it, hence I don't toss it in the trash.

    I wish that someday I could just draw it back into wire and reuse it for fill solder if needed, as long as no more flux is needed.
  • SteveNielsen
    Retired Tech
    • Jun 2012
    • 2327
    • USA

    #2
    Re: Used solder from desolder pumps, etc...

    When I was a kid I saved used solder blobs and bits and reused it later because I couldn't afford to buy any.

    Comment

    • stj
      Great Sage 齊天大聖
      • Dec 2009
      • 30998
      • Albion

      #3
      Re: Used solder from desolder pumps, etc...

      Henry eats mine!

      Comment

      • eccerr0r
        Solder Sloth
        • Nov 2012
        • 8701
        • USA

        #4
        Re: Used solder from desolder pumps, etc...

        I don't know how I collect a significant amount of solder in the collection tube - it's not little drops, it actually is quite a bit, maybe it's just because I was parting a board or cleaning excess solder that there's so much collected in it.
        Enough gets collected I need to remember to empty it before it clogs... and if it does clog I'd need to replace the collection tube which I have no idea where to get...

        Comment

        • clearchris
          Badcaps Veteran
          • Dec 2013
          • 687
          • United States

          #5
          Re: Used solder from desolder pumps, etc...

          Twist, by hand, a thin drill bit through it. The solder will come right out.

          Comment

          • SteveNielsen
            Retired Tech
            • Jun 2012
            • 2327
            • USA

            #6
            Re: Used solder from desolder pumps, etc...

            Liquid flux is easy to make for a little money. Violin rosin is well purified and when dissolved in IPA makes a very good liquid flux. Crush it and mix with IPA. It will completely dissolve into the alcohol within one to a few hours, depending on how fine it was crushed and how much alcohol was used. I haven't tried to make a paste with violin rosin yet.

            Comment

            • eccerr0r
              Solder Sloth
              • Nov 2012
              • 8701
              • USA

              #7
              Re: Used solder from desolder pumps, etc...

              The collection tube is about 6" long. Finding a 4" drill bit that's narrow enough is difficult (the 3/64" bits tend to be short...)

              Comment

              • stj
                Great Sage 齊天大聖
                • Dec 2009
                • 30998
                • Albion

                #8
                Re: Used solder from desolder pumps, etc...

                Originally posted by SteveNielsen
                Liquid flux is easy to make for a little money. Violin rosin is well purified and when dissolved in IPA makes a very good liquid flux. Crush it and mix with IPA. It will completely dissolve into the alcohol within one to a few hours, depending on how fine it was crushed and how much alcohol was used. I haven't tried to make a paste with violin rosin yet.
                there is a guy on ebay selling tins of russian rosin from poland *very* cheap for people to make flux.

                Comment

                • fbuth
                  New Member
                  • Jan 2008
                  • 5
                  • USA

                  #9
                  Re: Used solder from desolder pumps, etc...

                  Finding a 4" drill bit that's narrow enough is difficult (the 3/64" bits tend to be short...)

                  http://www.ohiodrill.com/vent_drills

                  Comment

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