Best way to solder gold-plated components?

[stratus46]

I generally tend to avoid the gold plated parts whenever I can. On the few occasions where I get stuck with a gold plated RCA jack or a gold plated tube socket, I use the Dremel tool on low speed with a sanding drum. It takes off the gold plate quickly. Sure, it's a bit of a nuisance, but I imagine it would be a lot more trouble if I had to strip the amp down to the sockets for a rebuild.

But why? Gold is the EASIEST stuff in the world to solder. The hard part is usually keeping solder OFF the gold plated edge fingers on a PC board.

G²

 

[infinia]

I would NOT worry about this... using normal high quality solders, the tiny amount of gold will eventually leach into the other solder metals happily forming another conductive alloy at the interface. I'd worry more about the other connections not using gold due to their oxidation and other contaminates. Audio folk seem to be the worrying kind. LOL
Yet Another Audio-nervosa service anouncement.

 

[Michael Koster]

I would NOT worry about this... using normal high quality solders, the tiny amount of gold will eventually leach into the other solder metals happily forming another conductive alloy at the interface. I'd worry more about the other connections not using gold due to their oxidation and other contaminates. Audio folk seem to be the worrying kind. LOL
Yet Another Audio-nervosa service anouncement.

That's what I get after reading the reference. They're talking 30 microinches of gold and .005" thick applied solder paste in an SMT assembly as a typical case.

Tube DIY is a few microinches of gold (applied to preserve solderability) and solder fillets .050" wide. It's not in the same ballpark, especially when a good mechanical connection is made before soldering and the parts are pre-tinned before assembly.

But if you really want an excuse to get the dremel you might try the stainless steel wire brush...

 

[infinia]

yea back in the day when I was into tubes, I salvaged and reused a lot of tube sockets and transformers. After cleaning up the old wax and flux, not so much a problem re-soldering. The worst part was using NOS parts ie 30 years of lead oxide build-up, this is truly a bear to solder right. I would be so lucky to have gold plated anything!

 

[auplater]

stripping

John is correct.

<snip>

John, acid Gold plating solutions are citrate based. Would it be in the realm of possibility for anodic electrolysis in a solution of Sodium citrate and citric acid to work in removing unwanted Gold flashing?

No, unfortunately, gold is immune to attack by citrate ions at any anodic potential below the dissolution of water. Potassium gold citrate is made indirectly from other gold salts.

John L.