If it is a true eutectic, you can put it in an oven set at 425F - 63/37 SnPb melts at 361F. If you have a ladle and are VERY careful with appropriate PPE, you can transfer it to your new pot. If your old pot has a "drain" set up, again, with proper PPE, you can 'dump' it into the new pot. Obviously, you will destroy everything on your old pot except the solder pot itself by doing this.
You could also disassemble your old set up and build a mini kiln with firebrick/refractory brick and propane or gas torches to accomplish the same thing. I hope you are knowledgeable about handling molten metal... this is not a task for the uninitiated. BTW, I spent almost 30 years building circuit boards, including assemblies with SMD fine pitch, wave solder systems, IR/Solder paste, etc. In any event BE CAREFULL! Mark W N952MW -----Original Message----- From: KRnet [mailto:krnet-boun...@list.krnet.org] On Behalf Of Sid Wood via KRnet Sent: Thursday, February 2, 2017 1:17 PM To: krnet@list.krnet.org Cc: Sid Wood Subject: Re: KR> Melting lead Lead can be melted with direct application of a propane torch. That does tend to oxidize the lead, so you do get more slag. Solder is a mixture of lead and tin. These will oxidize at different rates under the torch flame. That could change the mixture ratio of the solder. Maybe not a big deal, but could be. If you can get at the underside of the pot, suggest you apply the torch there. Sid Wood Tri-gear KR-2 N6242 Mechanicsville, MD, USA ---------------------------------------------------------- Speaking of melting lead, I have been trying to figure out for the past few days how to deal with my solder pot that just crapped out that I use for mass soldering of circuit boards. It is a big 2,000 Watt electric pot that is regulated at 250 degrees C. I have a new solder pot on the way, but am trying to figure out the best way to melt out the 75 pounds of solder in the old pot and put it in the new one. At today's prices for bar solder it is $1,500 worth of solder. It takes about an hour to melt when the pot is working so I am not sure if I can effectively just remove the pot from the whole machine and heat on the stove or heat it with a torch. Withe any luck the heating element on the new pot is the same as the old one and I can just transfer it to the old pot. Can't buy just the heating element. Brian Kraut 904-536-1780 br...@eamanuacturing.com _______________________________________________ Search the KRnet Archives at http://tugantek.com/archmailv2-kr/search. Please see LIST RULES and KRnet info at http://www.krnet.org/info.html. see http://list.krnet.org/mailman/listinfo/krnet_list.krnet.org to change options To UNsubscribe from KRnet, send a message to krnet-le...@list.krnet.org --- This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software. https://www.avast.com/antivirus _______________________________________________ Search the KRnet Archives at http://tugantek.com/archmailv2-kr/search. Please see LIST RULES and KRnet info at http://www.krnet.org/info.html. see http://list.krnet.org/mailman/listinfo/krnet_list.krnet.org to change options To UNsubscribe from KRnet, send a message to krnet-le...@list.krnet.org
