Homemade traditional resin flux (2019) Matthew Skala. DIY electronics as a forest wandering experience. As Skala mentions, raw pine sap is currently rarely extracted and he imagines it’s mostly used for homemade incenses. Which makes it all the more interesting for the kinds of electronics I’m into! He recommends using anhydrous magnesium sulfate for removing residue water from the resin (which brings this experiment close to mineral waters). Sorbic acid is also added as a preservative (to keep mold out) and citric acid to activate the flux.
It occurs to me that some readers may not know what a pine tree looks like. I’m not sure I can give a definitive spotter’s guide here (try searching the Web or looking at the picture above), but in general the easiest sign to look for is the leaves.
I was working as a clerk at the Konala Shell gas-station when Finland converted markka’s to euro’s, which caused a spike in the price of gas. “I don’t mind the change”. A customer spoke softly. “I fill the tank with what I have”. They continued and I feel them now. “How is the pandemic effecting your praxis?” I imagine someone asking. “I don’t mind the change, I do the most with what I have” I speak out loud, in the damp cellar I call a studio.