salvaging flux plus an off topic question or 2

Hi and TIA,
I have a jar of flux that seems to have gotten a little dry. Is it
possible to add anything to the flux to return it to its semi-fluid state,or
does anyone here know how to make home made flux(for silver work at this
time)?
Same little problem for a tube/syringe of silver solder .
Off topic questions: Has anyone here heard of Lapidary digest and know
what happeded to the person who started and used to update it? I believe his
name was Hale.
Any one know why when I try to register at Ganoskins site for the
newsletter I keep getting a reply message saying the e-mail is
undeliverable?
Any help would be greatly appreciated!
Jerry

"Jerry" wrote in message
...
Hi and TIA,
I have a jar of flux that seems to have gotten a little dry. Is it
possible to add anything to the flux to return it to its semi-fluid
state,or
does anyone here know how to make home made flux(for silver work at this
time)?

If it was mixed from a white powder, then just add some water. The active
part of a flux is not the liquid; that is there just to make it easier to
apply. The heat of soldering will evaporate all the liquid long before the
flux melts and solder flows.

Same little problem for a tube/syringe of silver solder .

Remove the contents from the syringe and mix it thoroughly with a small
amount of pure turpentine until its the right consistancy, and put it back
in the syringe. It works, but eventually (several weeks) the turps will
attack the rubber bung and render it useless.


--
Regards, Gary Wooding

(Change feet to foot to reply)

Jerry may have written:

Hi and TIA,
I have a jar of flux that seems to have gotten a little dry. Is it
possible to add anything to the flux to return it to its semi-fluid
state......................

I've reconstituted crystallized Handy Flux by adding water and
heating it in a double boiler. It seemed to work fine.
But, then, a new jar is only five (US) bucks.
--
Cheers, m http://www.mbstevens.com

To save everyone from reading the replies twice I am posting this at the
top
Many thanks to you "wooding" and to you "m" and to those who sent
replies by e-mail
Jerry


Wooding wrote:

"Jerry" wrote in message
...
Hi and TIA,
I have a jar of flux that seems to have gotten a little dry. Is it
possible to add anything to the flux to return it to its semi-fluid
state,or
does anyone here know how to make home made flux(for silver work at this
time)?

If it was mixed from a white powder, then just add some water. The active
part of a flux is not the liquid; that is there just to make it easier to
apply. The heat of soldering will evaporate all the liquid long before the
flux melts and solder flows.

Same little problem for a tube/syringe of silver solder .

Remove the contents from the syringe and mix it thoroughly with a small
amount of pure turpentine until its the right consistancy, and put it back
in the syringe. It works, but eventually (several weeks) the turps will
attack the rubber bung and render it useless.

--
Regards, Gary Wooding