Advice on flux

[dragonbat13]

I want to step up my soldering a notch. I need some flux again. I was using some brush on yellow paste stuff that I don't remember what it was. Doesn't matter.

My requirements:
I'm doing through hole, repairing SMD, reworking, using braid. I also will be cleaning after completion with rubbing alcohol (unless someone has something better to suggest). I want to complete the work then remove residue.

I use kester 245 solder Sn63p37 no clean. My irons are a weller wes51 and a zeny 852d+. I use a plunger type desoldering pump with the rework heat gun.

So I was considering some form of either pen or syringe type.
And I need some braid. Also want to buy from cont. USA.

What brand and type flux? And what applicator does everyone recommend?

[LOUDthud]

Working on SMD, I've almost never used flux. I always remove the part, remove solder from the pads on the PCB with solder wick, clean the board with IPA, add solder to one or two pads to hold the part exactly where it needs to be. Then position the part with tweezers and tack it in with the pre-soldered pads. Finally, solder the rest of the leads using solder with a flux core. Then clean up any flux with IPA and an acid brush.

On resistors and capacitors I use two soldering irons to remove the old part, clean the pads and the board. Ad solder to one pad, position the part using the pad with solder, then solder the other end. Touch up the first pad and maybe add some solder if needed. Then clean the area with IPA or a spray board cleaner.

Don't use water soluble flux. it's designed for wave soldering and cleaning the board in a dish washer.

On rosin type flux, use IPA or special flux cleaner, mop up the IPA residue with tissue paper or a disposable towel. Don't let the tissue paper or towel soak up any oil, it may spontaneously catch fire and burn your house down.

[dragonbat13]

Kester 951 seems to be a no clean water soluble flux. I'm looking for an RMA type?

[dragonbat13]

I think I see what's up.

The solder I'm using is a no clean type. On the eevblog I read where it's best to just use 951, the solder I'm using and leave it alone.

I'll have to buy some a different solder and flux to be able to do a build and then clean it with ipa.

[maxkracht]

Having a bottle of rma or ra flux is a good idea. I don't use it all the time, but it definitely makes things easier. Get a bottle of the more concentrated stuff and thin with IPA, will last a very long time. If you live near pine trees, you can just find some rosin oozing from a tree and dissolve that in IPA. Doesn't have all the fancy chemical additives, but it will work.

I don't do a ton of smd rework, but I keep some thin gauge 63/37 AMI glowcore solder that seems to mix well enough with the rohs stuff and is "no clean". Fresh solder to lower the melting point, then I usually wick away the old rohs solder and start fresh with leaded.