Re: 'Spirits of Salts' as soft solder flux?
Rather than try to use plain hydrochloric acid as a flux, the best flux for soft soldering steel is "killed spirits" or zinc chloride. Commercially available as "Bakers fluid", it is easily made by dissolving small pieces of zinc in hydrochloric acid untill no more will disolve then straining the solution. It is still corrosive, so does need rinsing afterwards. I use it regularly for soldering nipples onto motorbike control cables. As with all soldering operations, the cleaner the parts, the easier it is to get a reliable bond.
Rod
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