What chemicals/solvents do you keep in your lab? And what for? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / projects

author: george graves
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 05, 2014, 09:29:24 am
content: Haven't see a discussion on this in detail. Thought I would bring it up.Myself, I keep....Distilled water: Mostly for my solder sponge. I swear it's easier on a iron tip them my heavy tap water. I would do de-ioniosed water, but I can't find it easily.IPA (isopropyl alcohol): Cleans up most fluxes, and a tough stain on the work bench. I don't worry about venting it when working with it much, seems mostly harmless. Unless I'm cleaning a bunch of boards, then I open a window and point a fan.Acetone(on a shelf): Mostly for toner transfer home PC etching. In a pinch."409"(hanging on a wire shelf): to clean the work bench, it's about as strong of a cleaner as you want to go for general use.3-in-1 oil(in a box) : lubricate tools. A drop is too much, often a tiny dot is more than enough.

author: BravoV
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 05, 2014, 09:36:12 am
content: Almost similar as yours except different brands on the contact cleaners, worth mentioning are Kerosene and Gasoline for cleaning/degreaser when Acetone is too strong.Kerosene sometimes used to stop rusting by drowning metal items or parts that I want to keep for very long time but prone to rust or getting tarnished like copper since I live in a humid location.

author: ablacon64
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 05, 2014, 02:44:16 pm
content: I keep IPA, acetone, amyl acetate (better than IPA for cleaning tacky flux on ultrasonic cleaner and does not discolor plastics like acetone, but smells like a lot of bananas stored in your lab, very nice! kkkkkk) and thinner (number 0200) inside a syringe (3 or 4 drops can really clean any flux residue in a second and avoids the bad smell).Also have 2 brands of contact cleaners (one is stronger but flammable, the other is not flammable, made for use on running equipment) but I use just for parts I can't reach with a brush (and boards that don't fit inside the ultrasonic cleaner container).I used to use methyl acetate instead of amyl acetate (does the same job without the banana smell) but it's harder to find.

author: N2IXK
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 05, 2014, 04:07:04 pm
content: In addition to a whole shelf full of commercial contact cleaners, lubes, parts cleaners, adhesives, etc., I keep a handful of "raw chemicals" around:IPA--general cleaning and solder flux removal.Acetone--degreasing, paint removal, thinning adhesives.Methanol--cleaning optics.Xylene--removing stickers and adhesive residue.Toluene--same as above, when xylene won't work.Dichloromethane--solvent welding plastics, softening epoxy potting compounds.Methyl salicylate--restoring/cleaning rubber drive rollers, etc.

author: CaptnYellowShirt
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 05, 2014, 04:24:11 pm
content: https://www.eevblog.com/forum/beginners/everyone's-favorite-solvent/

author: T3sl4co1l
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 05, 2014, 04:43:35 pm
content: Just acetone at the moment.

author: con-f-use
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: April 05, 2014, 05:28:26 pm
content: Same as you plus HCl and H2O2.

author: ju1ce
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: April 05, 2014, 05:41:14 pm
content: Oil for tools, IPA and acetone for cleaning. Cyanoacrylate and epoxy for gluing. Sodium persulfate for the occasional etching job.

author: free_electron
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 05, 2014, 06:52:31 pm
content: distilled wateracetone100% IPA70% IPAMEK (Methyl ethylene ketone) to remove conformal coatingsChemtronix Flux-offChemwipes for LCD screens (don;t know what's in em. premoistened towelettes)optics cleaning solution to clean microscope lensesacrylic solvent to 'glue' acryl materialhand sanitizer (ethyl alcohol/glycol/aloe vera)ABC type fire extinguisheryou can't buy DI water. you need to make it.to stay de-ionized it needs to be continuously in motion over the DI resin honeycomb.A DI system is a tank with a honeycomb structure made from a specific kind of ion exchanging resin (actually a mix of positive and negative ion exchange resin). the water is sprayed in a t the top and runs down the honeycomb in a waterfall. this de-ionises the water.After a time the resin needs regeneration by flushing it with some other chemicals.there are other methods but the resin-hoeycomb or resin-bed produces the purest DI water. we use that system in the waferfabs.DI water in a bottle becomes re-ionised after a few hours if it is stagnant.

author: Conrad Hoffman
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 05, 2014, 07:25:54 pm
content: IPAxyleneWD-40Break-Free oilDow 340 thermal greaseAavid phase change thermal waxTeflon greaseMolycote grease for plasticsISO32 hydraulic fluid for oilite bearingsDeOxit D5Aquabond thermal adhesiveepoxy, regular clearepoxy, 5-minuteepoxy, JB weldNye damping grease 779VaselineLoctite 243, mildLoctite 271, not mildKester rosin fluxnail polish (for sealing pots)water for spongeArmor-AllWindexvarious other specialty lubesNo doubt only a partial list as my memory isn't that great.edited- can't spell!

author: T3sl4co1l
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 05, 2014, 07:42:30 pm
content: Quote from: con-f-use on April 05, 2014, 05:28:26 pmOooh, I wouldn't keep that inside, the HCl that is.Tim

author: fretless
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: April 05, 2014, 07:46:33 pm
content: Quote from: T3sl4co1l on April 05, 2014, 07:42:30 pmWhy not? Its okay if you keep it in a glass bottle within a plastic bag. The original plastic bottle that it comes in, in my case, tends to become very brittle after a longer period of time.

author: krivx
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 05, 2014, 07:50:57 pm
content: Quote from: free_electron on April 05, 2014, 06:52:31 pmThis is true, and maintaining a DI system can be expensive. These kind of systems can run 4 figures a year in consumableshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milli-Q

author: IanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 05, 2014, 08:00:14 pm
content: Quote from: george graves on April 05, 2014, 09:29:24 amI use distilled water on my solder sponge too.There is no practical difference between distilled water and de-ionized water. Both are pure water with dissolved solids removed. The difference is only how they are made: one by distillation (uses lots of energy), the other by passing through ion exchange resins (uses nasty chemicals). The product in either case is chemically pure water.Quote from: free_electron on April 05, 2014, 06:52:31 pmHuh?QuoteThis is nothing but the chemistry equivalent of audiophoolery.

author: ampdoctor
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 05, 2014, 08:02:37 pm
content: Unless I missed it, I'm surprised I haven't seen lighter fluid (naphthalene) mentioned yet. Stuff has a million and 1 uses! I always keep some around the shop and the house.

author: M4trix
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 05, 2014, 08:03:22 pm
content: Ah, concentrated HCL 33% is nasty if not kept in a proper container. It can eat and corrode everything around. I once kept 1L HCL 33% in a plastic bottle of Pepsi in my bathroom thinking, heck it's safe. After couple of days a nasty odor filled the whole place. I was shocked when I saw that the bottle has shrunk and the fumes ate the fugue between the bathroom tiles. The worst thing is the bottle became brittle and almost shattered when I picked it up.I learned my lesson the hard way.Edit: few grammar mistakes.

author: krivx
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 05, 2014, 08:05:30 pm
content: Quote from: IanB on April 05, 2014, 08:00:14 pmThe difference is in the achievable levels of purity. Whether or not measuring the resistivity of your water is important for your application is a different matter.

author: IanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 05, 2014, 08:07:45 pm
content: Quote from: ampdoctor on April 05, 2014, 08:02:37 pmNaphthalene is mothballs. Lighter fluid is a reasonably pure form of gasoline without the nasty additives that come from the gas pump. It's a pretty good solvent and cleaner for oily stuff. (The confusion with naphthalene comes from the similarly named naphtha, which is a petroleum distillate fraction. A similar name, but a very different substance.)Products like Goof Off and Oops! have similar properties.

author: ampdoctor
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 05, 2014, 08:15:50 pm
content: Quote from: IanB on April 05, 2014, 08:07:45 pmThanks for the correction. I really need to get out of the habit of thinking naptha and typing naphthalene.

author: N2IXK
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 05, 2014, 08:41:06 pm
content: Most mothballs are paradichlorobenzene these days. Same stuff used in urinal cakes.Naphthalene was considered a hazard due to high flammability and potential cancer risk and was phased out for this use in the US.Speaking of moth repellents, if you can find old fashioned camphor blocks, they are nice to keep in toolbox drawers to prevent rust on precision tools.

author: con-f-use
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: April 05, 2014, 09:11:44 pm
content: Quote from: T3sl4co1l on April 05, 2014, 07:42:30 pmI have it in a double layered container with a relief valve and keep it in my work fridge along with the H2O2 some sorts of glue, solder paste, batteries and so on. It's at 5°C so it doesn't gas out and become less potent. Varying amounts have been in there for many years with no sign of corrosion anywhere near. But I agree it's nasty to clean up if you fail to store it properly.

author: Rerouter
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 05, 2014, 09:26:16 pm
content: Chemist bought isopropyl, in my job its quite hard to not puncture or cut at-least the first layer of your skin once a month so even though the purity is lower and there are additives, it is safe to use on my hands, (so many 90+ % ones say it should not have direct skin contact in the msds which makes me think the remaining few % is a few nasties))

author: BravoV
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 06, 2014, 09:26:05 am
content: QuoteQuote from: IanB on April 05, 2014, 08:00:14 pmInteresting, yep, I knew you're a pro chemist, its just never had a through thought about this matter, thanks & noted.An Aquaphoolery ?

author: SeanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 06, 2014, 10:08:06 am
content: DI water can be stored indefinitely provided it is stored in a sealed non reactive container, like a sealed glass ampoule used for injection water. Keeping it in a container which is open, or is permeable to oxygen ( which is most plastics) or which will leach out ions into the water will contaminate it in short order. Thus it is hard to keep in the lab, as even a glass bottle will have a seal that either leaks air or which allows gas to diffuse through it. You only need a small amount of leakage to contaminate, as it only needs contaminated in the PPB level to make it conductive.HV labs use triple distilled DI water to make high voltage resistors, typically a meter or more long. The water inside the acrylic tube typically will need changing every few months along with cleaning the graphite contact to remove the layer on it. Contaminants from the carbon and the acrylic reacting make the water more conductive and then you get arcing inside the cylinder.

author: BravoV
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 06, 2014, 10:25:16 am
content: So de-ionized water is just another name for "higher" purity water like from distillation process ?I supposed there is "standard" maybe say at certain ppb contaminants limit, you can call it a DI water ?I'm not to challenge/argue here, just pure curiosity from a chemist noob perspective.

author: G7PSK
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 06, 2014, 10:30:02 am
content: Lighter fuel is benzine I use lots of it for cleaning along with toluene and meths.

author: SeanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 06, 2014, 10:53:18 am
content: Quote from: BravoV on April 06, 2014, 10:25:16 amYes.http://www.astm.org/DATABASE.CART/HISTORICAL/D1193-99E1.htmYou get other standards for injection water, and plenty for both municipal tap water and for water used in canning or bottling in FMCG use.

author: uprightsquire
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: April 06, 2014, 10:55:12 am
content: Quote from: BravoV on April 06, 2014, 10:25:16 amDe-ionised means that someone has removed the (non-H+/OH-) ions by passing it through an ion-exchange resin.Before-hand, the resin is in the form of resin-H+or resin-OH-, when you put the tap water full of Ca+, Cl-etc through, the Ca+and Cl-ions bind to the resin more strongly than the H+ or OH- ions do, so you end up with resin-Ca+or resin-Cl-.Putting ultra-low conductivity water onto a nasty looking sponge that has been sitting in your soldering station for years, then poking at it with a hot iron, means that it probably isnt ultra-low conductivity for long.

author: IanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 06, 2014, 02:40:33 pm
content: Quote from: G7PSK on April 06, 2014, 10:30:02 amBenzene is a carcinogen and has bad mojo. Benzene is one substance you will generally not find in consumer products, especially a product you wave around under your nose.Lighter fuel is essentially petrol, which is why it is used in "petrol" lighters.It is still good for cleaning.

author: IanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 06, 2014, 02:47:43 pm
content: Quote from: BravoV on April 06, 2014, 10:25:16 amIn general, yes. As with all chemicals there are levels of purity.Basic de-ionized water may be considered equivalent to distilled water from a chemical standpoint. It has no dissolved solids, but it may have dissolved gases (from the air, for example). For you and I, this doesn't matter.But in the electronics industry there may be a need for ultra-high purity water with no dissolved gases either. The purity of such water is measured by its resistivity. The purer the water, the higher the resistance. Ultra-pure water is nearly an insulator.

author: SeanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 06, 2014, 03:39:16 pm
content: True, you drink 3-5% ethanol contaminated with a whole lot of ketones and aldehydes, and enjoy it. then you drink some with 10-30% also contaminated with more similar organic molecules and consider yourself a snob. If it is 40-60% and otherwise quite pure you are Russian, and if it is 99.7% ethanol you are going to be dead after 3 glasses.You would not like your doctor to inject you with river water, but take the same water and remove everything but the H2O complex from it you will let him stick it into you to deliver the chemicals you need to cure you.

author: nanofrog
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 06, 2014, 06:25:50 pm
content: distilled wateracetoneIPA (70%, as it's easy to get)denatured alcohol (Kleen Strip brand, ~50/50 mix of ethyl and methyl alcohol)xyleneGoop (adhesive)epoxymachine oilGoof OffGorilla glueliquid rosin flux

author: calexanian
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 06, 2014, 07:13:54 pm
content: My favorite trilogy are Techspray G3 flux remover (The absolute best stuff but so damn expensive!) Good old Chemtronics Flux-Off rosin with the brush clean. I think i just like the brush more than the solvent. and Chemtronics Electro-wash NX. I am starting to use CRC dielectric grease more and more after I clean a pot I open it up and smear that inside. It gives you that dampened feeling back. I rarely use Deoxit. I have a can, but just rarely have to reach for it. In so much as general cleaning in an open air outdoor environment I like acetone and lacquer thinner. TSP for things that can handle it and wash off easily. (I have my "Hose off factor" that rates an objects ability to be washed off with the hose. My goal is to have a house that every surface can just be washed with a good hose nozzle, or a pressure washer!) As for glue I like that control gel loctite CA stuff. Works well. IPA from the store is handy. They sell the 90% stuff and i find it good enough for most things. I do have anhydrous (Or bottled as cause the instant you open it it goes hygroscopic) that I use occasionally. It actually serves more as a precipitation carbon source when I need to blacked a metal body for black body radiation. Works like a champ at red heat and yields a fine grained carbon particle is vast quantities!Thats about all I can think of right now...

author: T3sl4co1l
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 06, 2014, 07:39:15 pm
content: Hmm, Techspray G3 MSDS says a mixture of hydrofluorocarbons and hydrochlorocarbons... not quite as toxic as 1,1,1TCE (let alone carbon tet), but no less effective I would imagine. And ozone killing.Tim

author: calexanian
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 07, 2014, 02:38:12 am
content: I think they make a donation to a polar bear with each can. O0

author: bench_knob
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: April 07, 2014, 04:54:08 am
content: Heya,Isopropyl alcohol - for degreasing,Acetone - for resin removal, and just about anything else,DMSO - for cleaning greasy parts, also good for the achie joints, (I know a guy who drinks it for hi blood pressure),moly grease - for my mini-mill,Goop (flexible, tough 1 part glue), gluing stuff,WD40 - lubricant,Ferric Chloride Acid - etching PCBs,Thermal Grease - heatsink thermal interface,2 part epoxy glue - gluing stuff,2 part casting resin (Alumite) making plastic items,Jack Danielsbench knob

author: Bored@Work
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 07, 2014, 05:01:04 am
content: Quote from: bench_knob on April 07, 2014, 04:54:08 amFinally someone is talking. Although I'd rather drink WD40 than JD :-)

author: poorchava
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 07, 2014, 08:58:53 am
content: -Cleanser Druk (local product, mix of IPA and some minor additives) - general electronics cleaning-Nitro paint thinner - removing all sorts of different stuff when IPA doesn't work-Toluene - same as above-Xylene - same as above-Turpentine - same as above-Petroleum ether - mainly for removing glue from self adhesive tapes and stickers-33% HCl - pcb etching-3% and 35% H2O2 - pcb etching-Sodium Bicarbonate - developing negative dry film-Sodium Hydroxide - developing positive resists and stripping dry film after etching-distilled water - soldering iron sponge, etching mixtures, cloth iron (i fukken hate scale dropping on my clothes when i press 'decalc' accidantally')-RF800 flux - general all round flux-serveral different homemade colophony fluxes and soldering pastes - for more difficult soldering (thick cables, old copper etc)-powdered catnip - cat deterrent

author: george graves
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 07, 2014, 09:57:08 am
content: Quote from: poorchava on April 07, 2014, 08:58:53 amWhere is a common source for this? My local big box home improvement store doesn't carry it. Unless it's labeled as something else.QuoteYea, no....

author: N2IXK
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 07, 2014, 12:00:45 pm
content: Quote from: george graves on April 07, 2014, 09:57:08 amProfessional paint stores might sell it, but it isn't as easily available as it once was in the US due to the "War on Drugs" BS.

author: free_electron
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 09, 2014, 05:52:23 pm
content: Quote from: IanB on April 05, 2014, 08:00:14 pmCome explain that in all the waferfabs in the world. they will be VERY interested in your theory and demonstration how they can avoid using DI water. You could become a multibillionaire overnight. especially since it takes about 4 liters of regular water to produce a liter of DI water.Distilled water still contains ions. during the processing of the wafer these ions cause trouble. they lead to contaminant trapping (static cling on a microscopical level ) . bondpad corrosion during drying. DI water is sterile. It also has extremely high resistance.you can't rinse wafers in water or even distilled water. the impurities present in distilled water are still too large and the presence of ionised molecules causes trouble with the process. Deionising is the only way.You do not need DI water at home (unless you intend to make your own integrated circuits)

author: calexanian
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 09, 2014, 07:15:13 pm
content: Quote from: free_electron on April 09, 2014, 05:52:23 pmAbout the only thing I could see DI water being used for at a hobby or home ship level would be cleaning water sol flux of a very high impedance circuit, and even that is a real stretch! Also its good for topping off lead acid batteries.

author: IanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 09, 2014, 08:14:26 pm
content: Quote from: free_electron on April 09, 2014, 05:52:23 pmThere is a difference between the process used to produce pure water on the one hand, and the properties of the pure water on the other."De-ionized water" is water that has been purified by passing through ion exchange beds. "Distilled water" is water that has been purified by distillation. That's what differentiates them.Wafer fabs need ultra-pure water. Ultra-pure water can be made by passing through ion exchange beds, but not all de-ionized water is ultra-pure water. It's quite common to make de-ionized water to an ordinary level of purity for use in other industries than wafer fabs.It is also possible to make ultra-pure water by first distilling it, and then passing it through polishing beds. It is even possible to make ultra-pure water only by distillation, but the process is not necessarily economical or practical on an industrial scale.

author: LukeW
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 10, 2014, 12:31:48 am
content: - Tacky gel flux- More liquid flux in a flux "pen"- Solder paste, of course- A couple of litres of bulk isopropanol, and a smaller amount in a sprayer bottle. And a spare old toothbrush.- Dichloromethane- Chemtools Kleanium Deflux-It G2, which is probably the best commercial aerosol-can flux solvent I have found in Australia.- Dow Corning high-dielectric-strength neutral cure RTV silicone- Acetone, and a box of homebrand cotton buds- Bathroom sink for wetting soldering sponge (no fancy distilled water deionised homeopathy is kept on hand for this purpose, I just use tap water)- Generic black nail polish, which I decided was a cheap alternative to buying that "liquid electrical tape"- A oil "paint marker" in bright yellow, for drawing visible markings (eg pin 1 indicator or polarity marker) on black plastic surfaces.- JB Weld, which as far as I'm aware is the greatest adhesive known to mankind.And in the assorted chemicals in the garage, which I rarely if ever use:- Methanol- Toluene- Xylene- Methyl ethyl ketone- Lithium grease- Generic neutral cure silicone caulk in big tubes- Sodium hydroxide- Ammonium persulfate- Commercial Kinsten photoresist developer- 50% hydrogen peroxide- Concentrated HCl- Concentrated sulfuric acid- Copper sulfate (Why did I get this? Can't remember. Plating? Growing crystals?)- Sodium nitrate- Sodium carbonate- Potassium permanganate- Sodium benzoate (Dunno what this was kept in stock for, either.)

author: TerraHertz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 10, 2014, 05:10:27 am
content: Mostly the same kinds of electronics related chemicals listed. Plus welding gasses, bunch of brazing fluxes (most dangerous chemicals I own, I think), propane, a box of assorted vacuum oils and greases, etc.Oh, and I don't think anyone mentioned polyurethane woodworking glue. Great stuff.A few less common ones:- A 1Kg aluminium bottle of Nutmeg oil. Inherited from a deceased friend. Smells wonderful.- Very old 500ml glass bottle of 'Pure gum turpentine' ie the real stuff from before 'mineral turps'.This also smells very nice. Don't use it for anything, just a museum piece.- Bottle of 'oil paint medium'. This is a mix of linseed oil and turps. Relic from my high school years.- Large glass jar with home made insulating lid and two .999 silver rods, containing distilled water with dissolved fine silver particles. The proverbial 'colloidal silver'. It has an interesting taste. One of those 'try it myself and see' things, a couple of years ago.A safety warning worth mentioning. In the course of cleaning up assorted old test equipment, I've tried various solvents for different cleaning tasks. Now I mainly use mineral turps, methylated spirit and spray cleaner for cabinet and metalwork cleaning, kerosene for dirty cables, and compressed air, brushing and IPA for circuit boards, etc.But early on I had been using 'White spirits' (hardware store product name) for cleaning cases. It works quite well, and doesn't harm plastics, paints, etc. But... it turns out it is quite harmful to humans, though there's no warning on the label.Because I'd typically hold cloth pads soaked in it, I was getting skin contact on my thumb and 1st two finger tips. Over about a year I started to develop tingling in those fingers and an ache extending up my arm, eventually reaching the shoulder. Took a while to connect the white spirits contact to the neural problem, but then tried long term switching in it's use, and it definitely correlated. Stopped using white spirits altogether, and the problem went away over about six months. No noticeable residual effect, fortunately.That was unrelated to an episode of much more serious effects from handling molybdenum-impregnated teflon insulated wire, that did leave some permanent damage.

author: SeanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 10, 2014, 05:12:46 am
content: Sodium benzoate is a preservative, you were going to can or bottle stuff? If it has been in storage for a while it probably has expired.50% peroxide, hope the bottle has pressure relief, or it will go bang from evolved oxygen. That list in the garage can go bang big time.

author: krivx
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 10, 2014, 11:54:20 am
content: Quote from: calexanian on April 09, 2014, 07:15:13 pmI did this quite recently, I had to replace several parts in a Fluke 8060A. After the replacements went in there were significant residual readings on very range, after an IPA wash and a rinse with ultra-pure DI water it will read 0 on every voltage range with no probes inserted.

author: free_electron
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 10, 2014, 01:55:23 pm
content: Quote from: IanB on April 09, 2014, 08:14:26 pmyou wrote DI water is audiophoolery. it is not.DI water is much cleaner than distilled water. The DI process destroys bacteria and removes contaminants that are still present in distilled water.Distilled water typically contains 'dirty' water due to water particles carried with the steam ( look up wet steam / dry steam. dry steam is less than 20% particles ) Distillated water absorbs co2 from the atmosphere.A correct DI process ( osmotic membrane -> Uv blaster -> ion bed under nitrogen atmosphere ) A continuous recirculation in this loop (osmosis , uv , ion bed) yields far superior cleanliness.DI water is ultra pure. distilled water not.DI water is also very reactive with metals…Drinking DI water (ill advised to drink it.. as it flushes electrolytes from your body) feels weird .. it has no taste at all. you feel it go down but there is no taste.

author: SNGLinks
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: April 10, 2014, 03:06:49 pm
content: Don't forget that dehumidifiers produce loads of free distilled water!

author: Macbeth
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 10, 2014, 03:53:10 pm
content: Quote from: SNGLinks on April 10, 2014, 03:06:49 pmMy portable AC does too. I'm astonished at how quickly its water tank builds up!I wouldn't go drinking it though - full of microbes & dust. But instead of chucking it I guess it would be good enough for cleaning PCBs and not leaving salt/minerals when dried?

author: IanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 10, 2014, 07:49:38 pm
content: Quote from: free_electron on April 10, 2014, 01:55:23 pmNo, I said it is audiophoolery to suppose that de-ionized water will somehow get its ions back if left sitting in a sealed container. If you have removed the Calcium, magnesium, chloride, carbonate, sulfate ions from the water they will not re-materialize out of nowhere. It cannot happen.You are still being confused about your terms. What you need to be saying is that "the ultra-pure water that I am familiar with in chip fab plants is much purer than the distilled water found in bottles in the supermarket". That is a true statement.But saying that all water from de-ionization processes is purer than all water from distillation processes is not correct.You are saying that the "DI water" you have encountered in fab plants is the only kind of DI water found anywhere. That is not so. The world is a big place and there are many things that exist outside your specific industry.

author: M4trix
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 10, 2014, 08:11:48 pm
content: Quote from: IanB on April 10, 2014, 07:49:38 pmI see you're allergic to audiophoolery.

author: CaptnYellowShirt
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 10, 2014, 08:26:26 pm
content: Quote from: M4trix on April 10, 2014, 08:11:48 pmAhh. Ahh. Ahh-Choo!

author: poorchava
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 11, 2014, 09:06:22 am
content: Quote from: george graves on April 07, 2014, 09:57:08 amIn Europe u can buy it in every bigger hardware stores like Castorama, Leroy-Merlin, Praktiker, Jula, OBI or what have you. There is not common name, Toluene is the chemical name of the compound. another thing is that often times manufacturers will sell the same chemical mix (eg 50% acetone 50% xylene) as universal solvent, silicone paint solvent, oil paint solvent etc, so that customers have easier time picking the right product for their needs.Or perhaps this is the opposite situation to the one with hydrochloric acid. In EU it's rather hard to get it, I mean u cannot buy it in hardware store (and there is no such thing as 'pool supplies' since hardly anybody has a pool in their garden around here). I had to go to wholesalers and buy 10L canister (for 5€, lol) and fill in my personal data and declare what I will use it for. Maybe it's the same with toluene in US? Perhaps it's one some drug precursor list or something?

author: george graves
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 11, 2014, 12:06:15 pm
content: Toluene - I can find it on ebay of all places...I've got to be on some government watch list by now....just for searching for this crap."Toluene had also been used in the process of removing the cocaine from coca leaves"Yep - there it is....

author: M4trix
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 11, 2014, 12:45:47 pm
content: Quote from: george graves on April 11, 2014, 12:06:15 pmNot only that, it's the main chemical for manufacturing explosives like trinitrotoluene aka TNT.You're definitely on the watch list!

author: george graves
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 11, 2014, 01:12:28 pm
content: Didn't know that M4trix. Thanks for emailing me the recipe. See you on the watch-list too!

author: Wim_L
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: April 11, 2014, 11:07:54 pm
content: Quote from: TerraHertz on April 10, 2014, 05:10:27 amYou might want to avoid drinking more, unless you'd like to have greyish-blue skin for the rest of your life.About your episode with white spirit... That's relatively common, for a lot of solvents. Overexposure will damage the neural system. Chronic painter's syndrome (painters often suffered from it, more so in the past, these days a lot of paints are water-based to avoid such problems).Quote from: free_electron on April 10, 2014, 01:55:23 pmThe only part that makes DI water DI, is that is passed over both acidic and basic resins to remove dissolved ions. All of those other things have nothing to do with DI water. Semiconductor fabs use the other techniques too because merely deionising isn't good enough to make pure water (mostly because there are lots of things that could potentially decontaminate the water, and not all of those things are ionic).It's also true that DI water will quickly gather some contaminants from almost anything it comes into contact with. But keep in mind, it was suggested first as water for soldering iron sponges, for tip cleaning. Will the DI water from a store-bought plastic bottle be as clean as the water used in a chip fab? No way, nowhere near that level of quality. It's still DI water though, just not made to the same standards. It's going to get even dirtier after yu put it on that sponge. But it's still going to be a lot better for this purpose than using hard tap water that will leave a crust of minerals on the soldering iron after a while.

author: SL4P
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 12, 2014, 03:53:24 am
content: Toothpaste - without candy stripes !Good for micro polishing in a pinch.

author: SeanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 12, 2014, 12:26:17 pm
content: Quote from: Macbeth on April 10, 2014, 03:53:10 pmCondensate water from an AC is anything but clean and pure. Has all the smoke particles from the smokers in the area, all the particulates from car exhaust ( including lead, lead free fuel is just leaded to **BELOW** 0.55 TE lead as either an additive or a contaminant from the refining system) and any other floating organic material around. Makes a great bacterial food, which is why you find such a load of bacteria growing in AC systems, including Legionnaires disease. By me it is also about 4% sea salt from the nearby Indian ocean.

author: theatrus
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 12, 2014, 06:11:01 pm
content: Xylene/toluene is also not readily available in California.Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

author: Jeroen3
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 12, 2014, 08:34:47 pm
content: I don't have much choice of chemicals at my home wokplace, but I'll survive.Bottled tapwater for the solder sponge!Canned PCB cleaner (a mixture of several different alcohols called Kontakt LR)Canned Air (to blow of the PCB cleaner so it doesn't leave white residue)Cheap Flux paste in a syringe.Acrylic spray coating as finisch for PCB's.

author: Jeroen3
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 12, 2014, 08:36:06 pm
content: Quote from: Jeroen3 on April 12, 2014, 08:34:47 pm

author: grumpydoc
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 12, 2014, 08:43:45 pm
content: QuoteNot in France - many supermarkets have the stuff on the shelf. In fact, compared to the UK where you can't buy stuff like HCl or Acetone even at DIY stores, French supermarkets seem to do a reasonable range of basic household chemicals.Never looked at the strength though - probably not all that concentrated.

author: IanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 12, 2014, 09:30:03 pm
content: Quote from: grumpydoc on April 12, 2014, 08:43:45 pmThis may be a limitation with UK DIY stores as much as anything else. Last time I looked in B&Q their selection of tools and hardware was very limited, almost hopeless. If they are only going to sell the most basic selection of the most commonly sought items, it is very unlikely they will stock anything slightly out of the ordinary.Common uses of HCl (or muriatic acid) are for cleaning concrete and for pH control in swimming pools. So it may perhaps be found at a builder's merchant or at a pool supplies store, though I have not tested that in the UK to see if it is true.

author: M4trix
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 12, 2014, 10:00:12 pm
content: Quote from: grumpydoc on April 12, 2014, 08:43:45 pmHere in the supermarkets you can only buy 19% HCL. The 33% HCL can be bought on the black market for the double price. Same goes for the hydrogen peroxide.

author: grumpydoc
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 12, 2014, 10:28:32 pm
content: QuoteConcentrated HCl and H2O2seem to be easy enough to get hold of in the UK - one only needs to resort to Amazon and not the black market but DIY stores and supermarket's don't stock anything terribly useful.

author: GiskardReventlov
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 12, 2014, 10:46:18 pm
content: distilled water for solder sponge (contact lens solution bottle with squirt tip)IPA a.k.a. (CH3)2CHOHfluxCoffee, water, etc. (life solvents)

author: N2IXK
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 13, 2014, 03:24:43 am
content: High strength HCl seems to be going away in the US, as well. The last time I needed some, I had to check several stores before I found the 33-37% stuff that was always standard. The more diluted stuff was all that was widely available.Same with the 90%+ H2SO4 that was once sold in in the plumbing aisle as a "heavy duty pro-grade" drain opener under various brand names. I heard that this stuff went away largely because stupid people would add it to a drain where they had already used the more common alkaline-based stuff, and got a huge corrosive eruption in their face as the 2 tried to neutralize each other, generating huge amounts of gas and heat.

author: PedroDaGr8
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 13, 2014, 04:03:09 am
content: Quote from: theatrus on April 12, 2014, 06:11:01 pmIIRC Goof Off is a toluene xylene blend. Look at stuff like that, paint thinner, paint stripper, mineral spirits etc.As for my lab, you don't want yo know. I'm a chemist do I have loads and loads of solvents. Though my favorite is chloroform. It's a great all around solvent.

author: SeanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 13, 2014, 05:04:41 am
content: Ether also is a good solvent, though there are problems in that it will penetrate most plastics ad strip plasticisers out.

author: IanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 13, 2014, 05:12:41 am
content: Quote from: SeanB on April 13, 2014, 05:04:41 amIt's a really good idea not to keep ether around unless you really know what you are doing.http://nepis.epa.gov/Adobe/PDF/100035EV.PDFQuoteIn other words, simply unscrewing the top of a bottle of ether that has been in storage for a long time may cause it to explode in your hands.

author: T3sl4co1l
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 13, 2014, 05:30:17 am
content: Ridiculous. An 8-ounce vial, even if it's pure peroxide, won't have near the blasting power of a stick of dynamite. I don't know offhand how much nitroglycerin is in a stick, but it's a high velocity explosive, while organic peroxides (in general; I don't recall if I've read about ether's specifically) are low velocity, rather poor explosives as explosives go. A stick of dynamite? You're just a red streak on the wall!What organic peroxides are, is fucking unstable. Dynamite is stable enough to kick around, but most organic peroxides are unstable to the point where just fracturing the crystals can cause detonation (not just ignition and deflagration, we're talking primary explosive here).And it only takes a few grams of organic peroxide, or dynamite, or anything else that detonates, to turn fingers into red mist. I'd rather not atomize my fingers, so...Ether doesn't peroxidize willy-nilly; a well sealed and stored bottle will keep for decades. Use a stabilizer (it's normally sold with a small fraction of something like ethanol, which I guess shorts out the radicals that cause peroxidation), keep away from light, store in a dark glass or metal bottle, and test periodically for the presence of peroxides (they'll be present, dissolved and relatively inert, before they begin crystallizing).But regardless; an unknown, old bottle, absolutely a risk. Fresh stuff, stabilized and checked, and used up promptly, you're handling it safely.Tim

author: theatrus
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 13, 2014, 05:38:49 am
content: Quote from: PedroDaGr8 on April 13, 2014, 04:03:09 amGoof Off also contains Acetone, which may not be ideal in all uses.There is an interesting "industrial coating thinner" sold which is a blend of (something) and amyl acetate, marketed as a Xylene/Toulene/MEK substitute.

author: N2IXK
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 13, 2014, 02:19:19 pm
content: I use diethyl ether occasionally at work, as it is specifically called for as a cleaning solvent for installing some potted connections on offshore cables. Good stuff, but not one I would suggest keeping around the home lab.In addition to the tendency to form unstable peroxides, it has a low boiling point, and extremely low flash point. Wickedly flammable stuff, with heavier than air vapors that tend to "crawl" along benchtops and floors to find an ignition source. I have heard that in very dry environments, the friction of the vapors drifting along surfaces can generate enough of a static charge to set off an explosion.The other issue is the distinctive, highly pervasive smell. Using this stuff in a residential area is just BEGGING for a police SWAT team to smash your doors down looking for the clandestine drug lab....

author: PedroDaGr8
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 13, 2014, 02:26:20 pm
content: Quote from: N2IXK on April 13, 2014, 02:19:19 pmThis is the truth. In undergrad, one of my fellow undergrads was TA for the sophomore organic lab. She had a student who refused to listen when told "Do not heat ether on a hot plate". With ether typically you evaporate it either under vacuum or via a brisk stream of nitrogen. He was told this three times. What happens, once again he's heating ether on a hot plate, this time with the large bottle of ether open in the hood with it. Another big no no. Sure enough whoosh it catches fire. The fire travels across the fume hood to the large 4L bottle of ether. He knocks it over freaking out. The resulting fire evacuated the building, destroys that one fume hood and he's kicked out of the lab (if not the school, I graduated before that all finished).

author: N2IXK
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 13, 2014, 02:41:54 pm
content: Yeah, we usually used a steam bath to reflux or evaporate ether when I took chem years ago.Your story sounds like a good submission for "How Not To Do It" over at Derek Lowe's chemistry blog:http://pipeline.corante.com/archives/how_not_to_do_it/A great collection of really boneheaded lab screwups....

author: Macbeth
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 14, 2014, 10:51:32 pm
content: Quote from: grumpydoc on April 12, 2014, 08:43:45 pmI've managed to buy a gallon of "Wonder Wheels" for cleaning my cars alloy rims to a sparkle. It works very well and only cost £9 in Costco. I later learned it is essentially HCl + soapy surfactants and water. I'm not quite sure how concentrated it is, but it dissolves crappy caked on brake dust in no time.

author: echen1024
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 16, 2014, 02:46:14 am
content: Potassium Permaganate: Antibacterial, not much use, just a pretty purpleContact CleanerSolderIsopropyl Alcohol 91%: SolventGoo-Gone: Another oily solventFlux (Kester 951)Thermal CompoundIn the garage on a shelf, a little glass bottle of 95% HCL from my mom's chemical engineering days.

author: grumpydoc
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 16, 2014, 08:34:16 am
content: QuoteProbably not 95% as you can't get concentrations that high - 38% is the practical upper limit.

author: echen1024
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 16, 2014, 01:48:03 pm
content: Quote from: grumpydoc on April 16, 2014, 08:34:16 amThis was purchased from China 20 years ago. The bottle says 95%, but who knows.

author: PedroDaGr8
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 16, 2014, 02:30:17 pm
content: Quote from: echen1024 on April 16, 2014, 01:48:03 pmYou can get higher in the anhydrous form but it's called hydrogen chloride not hydrochloric acid. It's also a highly dangerous gas not a liquid. We used it to make noble gas salts in a lab IIRC. What yours likely means is 95% of the maximum theoretical purity of hydrochloric acid(38%)

author: echen1024
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 16, 2014, 04:23:10 pm
content: Quote from: PedroDaGr8 on April 16, 2014, 02:30:17 pmAh yes, probably that's it. We clean our toilets with a 4% solution of it. Works wonders.

author: M. András
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 10, 2014, 07:25:27 pm
content: what kind of pump dispensers tolerate pure acetone? and if any of you know a source in europe which stocks menda pumps im all ears cos farnells inport pricing sucks... and i wouldnt dare to put it into a chinese cheapy dispenser the i have for ipa is half working after a few monthsi keep ipa and now acetone.in the warehouse/drug distributor i work we stock pure acetone 99.xx percent and ipa so got a glass bottle of each in this week i didnt know it before we stocked these as none of it is meant to be in medicine etc, as for the ipa, its half the price of what farnell stocks at different brand names

author: SeanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 10, 2014, 08:08:56 pm
content: Very easy, just go to any laboratory suppliers and ask for a Ceramus dispenser. wetted parts are PTFE, borosilicate glass, ground aluminia and a small stainless steel spring. Compatible with pretty much any liquid except HF, and for that you get a titanium spring.I have a lovely collection of knife and blade dressers from them, from dropped ones. Bit pricey at 600 Euro each though, but they are very accurate and the adjustable ones are adjustable in 0.1ml increments.

author: M. András
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 10, 2014, 09:10:13 pm
content: i didnt find under this brand a pump dispenser which sits on top of these cheap chinese and the menda dipenser bottles only the liquid soap dispenser like chem lab grade stuff, its a bit hard to dip a brush into that

author: eKretz
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 11, 2014, 01:15:59 am
content: I've got all sorts of solvents etc. Let's see...Acetone, Toluene, Xylene, IPA, Mineral Spirits, Lighter Fluid, TSP, HCl, Ferric Chloride etc. Toluene and Xylene are both available at local hardware/painting stores here in Indiana with no special forms to fill out.

author: SeanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 11, 2014, 09:43:16 am
content: Quote from: M. András on May 10, 2014, 09:10:13 pmhttp://www.hirschmann-laborgeraete.de/en/artikelgruppe/93120Fits standard lab bottles ( and comes with around 5 different adaptors so it pretty much will fit any bottle you have in a laboratory) and is adjustable or fixed depending on model.

author: echen1024
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 06, 2014, 04:18:18 am
content: Quote from: SeanB on May 11, 2014, 09:43:16 amHow much? That is the question.

author: nanofrog
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 06, 2014, 08:59:34 am
content: Quote from: echen1024 on June 06, 2014, 04:18:18 am~$365 - $544 for theBasic series, and theAdvanced serieshas one that tops out at ~$1115 (HF model).Sure makes Menda a lot more attractive.

author: SeanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 08, 2014, 03:59:13 pm
content: Yes, it is expensive, but if you need them.........I have a nice collection of very expensive knife sharpeners from broken ones, the ceramic plunger pretty much always survives the fall, while the glass housing does not. you get a very good edge off of it on any knife with a little work.I am looking for some cheaper alternatives though.

author: FrankenPC
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: June 08, 2014, 04:19:34 pm
content: I've got a bottle of aqua regia in my cabinet. I was doing chemistry experiments with gold reclamation and my parts bin. Now that I've seen first hand how volatile that acid is, I'm no longer interested in chemistry.Now what do I do with the stuff? I suppose a 2LB bag of baking soda and a lot of patience will work.

author: SeanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 08, 2014, 04:40:23 pm
content: 20l of water to dilute it and then a lot of baking soda and it will be very safe. If no baking soda cement works as well. Not going to be a good building cement afterwards ( as the builders of the Tongaat mall are busy finding out that using cheap cement and not enough will bite you badly, as the building collapsed) but will be simple to dispose of.

author: Kjelt
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 08, 2014, 08:13:26 pm
content: Quote from: FrankenPC on June 08, 2014, 04:19:34 pmBe very carefull with this stuff if in contact with too little water it will boil and splatter all over so be extremely carefull with the correct procedure:donotadd water to the acid BUT add the acid to an extremely large container of water while wearing very good protective gloves and shirt (plastick).Then you can neutralize it with any base like the baking soda. If dilluted in enough water you can safely dispose off it in the street sewage.Best thing is to hand it over to the chemical disposal depot of your local community if you have one, be sure to properly label the bottle so they know what to do with it.When there is no depot and you are not sure about the safe procedure or you feel unsure, I would strongly advise (sorry for all the environmental freaks) to open the bottle with gloves on a bridge above a large river or lake and just drop it so it sinks off and slowly dillutes there. Better a few dead fish then a chemical burn

author: N2IXK
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 08, 2014, 10:36:03 pm
content: Quote from: Kjelt on June 08, 2014, 08:13:26 pmHey, it worked for Uncle Sam!I wonder how much they managed to raise the pH of that lake....

author: nanofrog
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 08, 2014, 11:04:52 pm
content: Quote from: Kjelt on June 08, 2014, 08:13:26 pmHow about one of these?

author: FrankenPC
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: June 09, 2014, 02:29:42 am
content: Quote from: Kjelt on June 08, 2014, 08:13:26 pmThat's actually not a bad idea. Once the nitric and HCL acids react with the matter in the lake, it's gone anyway.

author: Kjelt
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 09, 2014, 12:49:38 pm
content: Quote from: N2IXK on June 08, 2014, 10:36:03 pminteresting video, they normally wouldn't want evidence.Dumping chemicals in water was the defacto answer prior to the 70s here is a 1945 action where still today problems continue to arise;http://www.mnn.com/earth-matters/wilderness-resources/stories/65000-tonnes-of-dumped-chemical-weapons-may-now-be

author: rob77
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 09, 2014, 01:25:36 pm
content: Quote from: N2IXK on June 08, 2014, 10:36:03 pmnone at allbut i would rather neutralize and pour to sewage, if there is no place for disposal of chemicals (first choice).here in EU we have those disposal places in every town - and those guys will take care of the stuff (chemicals, oils, old car batteries...etc...)

author: Macbeth
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 11, 2014, 11:00:16 pm
content: Quote from: rob77 on June 09, 2014, 01:25:36 pmActually this is mostly true, old engine or gearbox oil, oil filters, batteries, etc. the local environmental recycling facility will take them (in the UK).However, draining engine coolant into the sewer seems quite common to me, but I realised how poisonous that shit is (dogs love the taste, and die drinking it). I phoned my environmental health dept at the council on how I can legitimately dispose of this stuff.You would not believe the carousel of phone calls from the recyclers / dumps / hazardous waste / sewage authorities I had to ask the same question to. The only legit but absurd answer I got was I had to contract with North West Water for a few £1000's and get a certificate, then turn up with my 2 pints of waste engine coolant and lob it in their sewer.Thankfully the guy on the phone understood my concerns of not killing fish and stuff, and suggested that I dilute my ethylene glycol waste in a full bath of water and then drain it. Though that is technically illegal.

author: george graves
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 12, 2014, 11:55:59 am
content: Ditto.One the things that drives me crazy is the 100's of videos on "how to etch a PCB? Here's how! Let me show you!"They all go like this...."You take this chemical, or that one, and bingo - you have a pcb! Oh, and make sure you depose of the chemical in a environmentally friendly way..."Yet they never say how.I have a container full of used etchant.....and I would love to know the responsible way to dump it.Anyone? Buller? Buller?

author: nanofrog
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 12, 2014, 01:01:37 pm
content: Quote from: george graves on July 12, 2014, 11:55:59 amGive your local fire department a call, and see if they take it.

author: Bored@Work
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 12, 2014, 01:12:06 pm
content: Quote from: george graves on July 12, 2014, 11:55:59 amWell, you could simply have listened to us old farts who keep telling people that these days it isn't worth it, when you can just order PCBs for small change ...Now you have to call your local waste disposal company/organization/agency and ask them for the local procedure to dispose it. Probably for a fee, if someone determines the volume is on an industrial scale.

author: N2IXK
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: July 12, 2014, 02:16:25 pm
content: Many municipalities or counties in the US have "hazardous waste collection days" once or twice a year where residents can bring in items for proper disposal. That's where I dump stuff like waste oil, paint, solvents, dead fluorescent bulbs, etc. No charge as long as you have proof of county residence, and sign a piece of paper stating that you are not disposing of waste from a business.Have turned in a few "exotic" items over the years, like spent etchants, mercury, PCB-filled capacitors, and beryllium oxide scrap with no problems.

author: con-f-use
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: July 17, 2014, 04:06:16 pm
content: Quote from: george graves on July 12, 2014, 11:55:59 amIf your etchant is HCl and peroxid it might be useful to know that you canfell out the copper chloride.

author: george graves
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 13, 2015, 10:40:18 am
content: I just heard about this:http://www.amazon.com/Berkebile-Oil-B101-Instant-Cutter/dp/B000CII6JMIt's almost as if some crazy mad scientist created a cleaning compound.Acetonetoluenexylenemethyl alcohol (that's just alcohol right?)ethylbenzeneAll that in a spray bottle with a straw. Eeek!

author: Kjelt
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 13, 2015, 10:54:51 am
content: Quote from: george graves on March 13, 2015, 10:40:18 amIf you knew what is in a lot of very good working stuff like WD40, or stickerremover or industrial degreasers you would probably eek too.Methyl alcohol aka methanol CH3OH is definitely not alcohol aka ethanol CH3CH2OH. But since it is cheap and works a lot the same (degreasing aspects and evaporation) it is used in a lot of the same applications. Just dont drink it or you go blind.

author: rdl
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 13, 2015, 12:44:10 pm
content: What is there to "eeek!" about? Those are some of the most commonly used solvents in the world.All solvents don't dissolve things equally. That is why it's a blend. For example, there are substances that dissolve almost instantly in acetone that toluene won't touch. That actually looks like a decent all around use blend.Quote from: george graves on March 13, 2015, 10:40:18 am

author: BradC
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 13, 2015, 12:48:53 pm
content: IPA, Acetone, Ethanol, Methanol, MEK, Toluene, Xylene, Dichloromethane, Chloroform, Nitric Acid, Phosphoric Acid, Hydrochloric acid, Sulfuric acid, Oxalic acid, PCB cleaner (Don't even know what in it but it's nasty), R134a, R22, Propane, Iso-Butane, Tri-Sodium Phosphate, Calcium Chloride, Sodium Carbonate, Sodium Hydroxide, Potassium Chloride, Argon, Nitrogen.I think that's about it. With that assortment there's not much inorganic stuff you can't make, fudge or clean.Some uses :- Toluene / Methanol / Acetone mix makes great Carby cleaner (most of what is in Nulon carby cleaner) / paint remover / super degreaser- Nitric acid is great for cleaning glassware, removing rust and re-passivating stainless steel, cleaning aluminium prior to anodising- Phosphoric acid is great for cleaning the milk hardware on the coffee machine. It attacks milk proteins nicely. Then again, TSP does too.- Sulfuric acid is great for pickling copper prior to brazing/soldering and Anodizing Aluminium- Sodium Hydroxide is great for degreasing steel, removing Anodizing on Aluminium and clearing blocked drains- R134a or Iso-Butane make great non-flammable / flammable freezer spray respectively- Chloroform is great for solvent welding plastic or forensically degreasing metals- Acetone/MEK mix (Plumbers priming fluid) makes an excellent plastic cleaner/activator prior to using any adhesives. Also works as an excellent degreaser for metals prior to adhesives (or TIG welding for that matter)- Hydrochloric acid is great for adjusting Ph in the pool (so does Sulfuric but Hydrochloric is cheaper). HCl is also good for picking steel.- Xylene is great for re-activating dried out permanent markers- PCB cleaner is obvious, but IPA is great for rinsing off the horrific PCB cleaner- Oxalic acid is great for cleaning bore stains and iron bacteria out of the geothermal A/C heat exchanger and pump- Calcium Chloride is brilliant for dehydrating moist electronics. Better than riceBetter living through chemistry.

author: mcgyver2822
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: March 03, 2016, 01:39:16 am
content: I am looking for a potting compound solvent to remove a encapsulated board. The compound is semi-clear and rubber like. What will remove it??

author: nanofrog
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 03, 2016, 02:28:06 am
content: Quote from: mcgyver2822 on March 03, 2016, 01:39:16 amNot much to go on...Perhaps posting some photos, and telling us what you've tried already would help (hopefully will offer us some clues).

author: roffvald
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 03, 2016, 10:31:00 am
content: I keep deionized water for cleaning etc. IPA, for the same.. Acetone for glueing plexiglass(and to clean up superglue/epoxy spills), Methyl Alcohol, also for cleaning, WD-40 for stuff that's supposed to move but doesn't, Lithium grease spray(also for stuff that wont move) contact cleaner, and freezing spray + canned air.

author: BradC
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 07, 2016, 12:12:44 pm
content: Quote from: mcgyver2822 on March 03, 2016, 01:39:16 amThis is a gross handwaving statement, but it's generally pretty accurate : Most compounds that will remove potting generally remove markings off components, bungs out of electrolytics and numerous other important bits.It would help a great deal to narrow down the compound to at least a family (polyester, urethane, silicone... and so on). Cutting off a chunk and trying different solvents on it is my go-to method for polymers. There is also a flame-test whereby you burn a bit of the compound and observe colour/odour to help narrow down the family. I've never had to resort to a flame test, so I don't know anymore than I've read.The only stuff I've de-potted over the years has been done mechanically with dental picks and tiny blades, but identifying a polymer family is essential when trying to glue or weld it.

author: Cerebus
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 09, 2016, 11:59:40 pm
content: Surprised not to see limonene mentioned in this thread. Great for removing recalcitrant sticky labels or glue left behind by them. It evaporates very slowly (flash point 48?C, boiling point 178?C) so you can leave it on to soak in, unlike acetone, MEK et.al. It's also a great degreaser and you can use it to solvent weld many plastics including acrylic and polystyrene. Also good domestically for getting bits of baked on grease out of the nooks and crannies of the stove and cooking vessels. Relatively safe compared to many other solvents, lower flammability, lower toxicity.Also it smells great, just like oranges. Which isn't surprising as commercial D-limonene is made by steam distilling waste orange peel left over from juice extraction. Sometimes sold as 'orange oil' or 'citrus turpentine'.

author: KL27x
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 10, 2016, 05:44:40 am
content: On my bench, I keep four things and use them roughly in this order, by volume1. denatured alcohol cleaning2. mineral oil cleaning/protecting ferrous metals and tools and protecting wood bench top, and also for sharpening/filling metals.3. boiled linseed oil once in a while use for protecting wood4. acetone when alcohol doesn't work, I try thisI have easy access to water at my benchAnother thing I keep handy is a big jar of sawdust.QuoteFor this kind of thing, I scrape/rip the label off if the item is scratch-resistant. Then I put it over a collection tray and sprinkle it with sawdust. Then wet with alcohol and rub this over the remaining adhesive and paper. I'm not sure of just why this works so well, but it's absolutely amazing. You'd think rubbing with a paper towel would be in the same ballpark, since it's also made of dead trees (), but it's totally not the same thing. Sawdust and alcohol is also amazing for removing silicone sealant from your hands.QuoteI etch with cupric. The main end product after evaporation is dried cupric chloride crystals. I just collect them. Copper is rather pricey scrap. If you have enough, I imagine it would be something the local dump would accept. If you have a real lot of it, I imagine it would be worth money.