Soldering pre-weathered zinc

In order to obtain a good soldering joint the joint must first be polished to a bright metal surface.
The pre-patina layer must therefore be removed in advance. This is called scraping and there are two possibilities in this case:

1 Mechanical sanding, in which the patina is removed by sanding or grinding. This can be done manually or using an electric tool (sander or grinding machine).

2 Chemical stripping, in which the patina is removed using a chemical stripper. With NedZink Noir it is necessary to first remove the AFP (Anti-Fingerprint) layer with a special primer. With NedZink Nuance it is first necessary to remove the pigment layer.

Process for mechanical sanding and soldering NedZink NOVA, NOIR and NUANCE:
• Mark out the patina layer to be removed using a T-square or ruler.
• Remove the patina layer manually with sanding paper or a power tool until the bright metal surface is visible.
• Then solder the bright metal surface according to the instructions in paragraph 8.1.1.

Process for chemical stripping and soldering NedZink NOVA:
• Mark out the patina layer to be removed using a T-square or ruler.
• Coat the Nova patina layer to be removed with a regular stripper (HCL based) and leave to work in a few seconds.
• Remove the patina with a clean cloth.
• Then solder the bright metal surface according to the instructions in paragraph 8.1.1.

Process for chemical stripping and soldering NedZink NOIR:
• Mark out the patina layer to be removed using a T-square or ruler.
• Coat the AFP layer to be removed with a special AFP stripping fluid and leave to work in a few seconds.
• Remove the dissolved AFP layer using a clean cloth.
• Coat the Noir patina layer to be removed with a regular stripper (HCL based) and leave to work in a few seconds.
• Remove the patina with a clean cloth.
• Then solder the bright metal surface according to the instructions in paragraph 8.1.1.

Process for chemical stripping and soldering NedZink NUANCE:
• Mark out the patina layer to be removed using a T-square or ruler.
• Coat the colored patina layer with a dedicated color stripper and leave to work in a few seconds.
• Remove the dissolved pigment with a clean cloth.
• Coat the patina layer to be removed with a regular stripper (HCL based) and leave to work in a few seconds.
• Remove the patina with a clean cloth.
• Then solder the bright metal surface according to the instructions in paragraph 8.1.1.

The preference is for mechanical sanding rather than chemical stripping because it allows the patina to be removed in a more controlled manner, which means that a stronger and watertight seam is produced after soldering. However, in places that are difficult to reach with a sander or grinding machine, the only option is to remove the patina chemically before soldering.