Hi Mike,

I have seen it both ways in old tube gear. I have seen plenty
of mil gear that was defluxed. I have seen plenty of consumer
gear that wasn't.

The process of defluxing involved dipping or spraying the chassis
in carbon tetrachloride, or later trichlorethylene. Flux comes off
easily when it is fresh.

I wash all joints I make, be they PC board, or otherwise with
isopropyl alcohol and a brush. If I can reach the joint with a
soldering iron, I can reach it to deflux it.

-Chuck Harris

Mike Knudsen wrote:

Surely you're not saying one should deflux a tube socket, wired chassis solder
joint? I can see defluxing PC boards, but I've never heard of defluxing a BA
style solder joint, and it would be downright near impossible. Well, maybe
with a dozen Q-Tips and an hour of work. Did factories deflux BA chassis?

Anyway, my buddy swore he'd deflux things now. And he'll be more careful to
read the label before buying any solder. --Mike K.
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