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Flux spillage on
holders
This procedure describes an easy, yet crucial, step to be completed before each
fusion cycle. Flux spillages (residues), if left un-cleaned, can lead to a rapid
deterioration of key components of the fluxer.
1. This visual inspection should be done every fusion cycle.
2. If parts are found to be contaminated with flux deposits, carefully disassemble
3. For cleaning ceramic parts
WARNING: Do not use these procedures to clean platinum crucibles or molds: it
will cause irreversible damage to precious metals.
4. For cleaning metal parts (not platinumware)
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1.1
Look for vitrified, darker or colored spots on the ceramics or metal
brackets that make up the holders.
1.2
In the case that a spillage occurs on one or more parts of the holders,
clean or replace immediately. Metallic and white ceramic parts of the
holders are slowly dissolved by the flux when it is molten, but will quickly
degrade when cooling, as the ceramic parts could break.
1.3
See holders section of this manual to remove/replace/disassemble the
holders.
the parts in question and apply one of the following methods.
3.1
In a large container (e.g.: 2 liter Pyrex beaker), mix together a 20%
Ammonium nitrate (NH4NO3) solution with a 20% Hydrochloric acid
(HCl) solution.
3.2
Put your container on a hot plate and keep the solution warm at 80°C.
(The cleaning solution will not work well until 80°C is reached.)
3.3
If your hot plate is equipped with a magnetic stirrer, you can add a
magnetic bar in the beaker to agitate the warm solution and accelerate
flux dissolution.
3.4
For a small or very recent spillage, 30 minutes to 1 hour should be
enough to clean it.
For a larger or older spillage, up to two hours could be required.
3.5
In case of large spillages, a diamond disc mounted on high-speed rotary
tools (e.g. Dremel™) can be used to remove major parts of spillage and
then the solution can be used to finalize the cleaning.
If a rotary tool is used, care must be taken in order not to grind the
ceramic part itself.
It is possible to separate metal parts of the holders (but not platinum items)
from ceramic parts using the methods described above for cleaning the
ceramics.
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