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I was wondering why you have chosen acid based flux to build your switches?
This is a question that comes up often. The short answer is to use any method you are comfortable with. The goal is to get a solid mechanical bond between the PC board ties and the rail. Any combination of flux/solder can be used.
For modelers new to soldering, it can be much easier to get good results using an aggressive acid base flux and thin solder similar to what we include in our kits and sell on the site. An acid based flux will quickly clean the rail and the tie when it is heated, and solder will flow easily onto the base of the rail creating a good mechanical bond.
Typically with electronics soldering acid based fluxes are avoided as they can cause corrosion over time. With turnout construction we are not relying on the solder bond to provide reliable electrical conductivity, rather we are trying to get a reliable mechanical bond. Unlike a circuit board with electronic components on it a completed turnout can be aggressively cleaned with a stiff brass brush removing the majority of the flux. The turnout can also be cleaned with soapy water, further removing traces of the flux. The turnout is then painted, shielding any remaining flux from oxygen, eliminating its ability to corrode.
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