Bristles Re: [sdiy] solvents/cleaners for flux

[Cynthia Webster]

For a while I believed in the dental tool method,
lately though I've been using a tall can of aerosol spray designed for
cleaning flux off of circuit boards.

I take the boards outside and spray them and give them an easy scrubbing
with a nylon brush (from the same 99 Cent Store 3-pack of brushes).

I hold them so the the liquid will drain straight down onto the ground, and
after the first scrub they're usually a bit sticky, so I repeat the whole
process and the boards come out very clean and professional looking
however after flipping the boards around... this results in rainbow Newton's
rings type patterns on the ~component~ sides,  which look like someone's
poured lighter fluid or gasoline on them!  (Not a good look)

I've wanted to spray the component sides too to eliminate these swirls,
but daren't subject the components to these harsh chemicals.

So now I'm thinking of switching to the organic solder that Paul always
recommends, (I just cannot ever seem to get used to rinsing a whole circuit
board under water! It feels so weird! )

Instead I'll probably go back to hand picking the flux out well enough to
make a Dental Hygienist proud!

(Apparently those of us using the nylon bristles should only scub boards
that are not yet populated with static sensitive devices as
I have read  that the safest for these components are natural boar bristle
type brushes and to avoid the synthetics).

Cynthia



on 8/13/03 7:51 PM, harrybissell at harrybissell at prodigy.net wrote:

> As alwys...  right on target Jim.
> 
> I agree with the dental tool method...followed by a quick scrub with a
> nylon brush  (come in sets of three at the dollar store - one bristle, one
> nylon
> and one brass).
> 
> As they say  (at Lordstown assembly plant) you can use
> the brass one to "Go scrub" (your nuts with a wire brush :^)
> 
> Do wear eye protection though... the little flux bits sometimes fly
> quite a distance when they crack off the board...
> 
> H^) harry
> 
> patchell wrote:
> 
>> I would ask the question "Is the Flux causing any problems?"
>> 
>> If the answer is "Yes", TriCloroEthane (I hope I spelt that correctly) is
>> probably the best.  MEK (MythlEthlKeytone) I have heard people use....but,
>> these
>> are really nasty checmicals, I hate to even be around them.  You need to wear
>> some pretty heavy dutty gloves to protect your skin.  You can also use
>> alcohol,
>> I think Isoproponol works (do not use rubbing alchohol)...
>> 
>> If the answer is "NO", just leave them alone.  Doing a poor job of cleaning
>> flux is worse than not cleaning at all, and cleaning flux, especially old
>> flux,
>> is not easy....
>> 
>> Another alternative is, get some dental tools and pick the stuff off.  It
>> isn't all that difficult, and sometimes you get pretty good results, and is
>> low
>> risk.
>> 
>> "R. Drake" wrote:
>> 
>>> All,
>>> 
>>> i'm starting on a restoration project of some old PAIA modules.  first order
>>> of business is to clean quite a bit of left over (15 year old) flux--any
>>> suggestions on solvents or techniques?  any standard solvent, or do i need
>>> to spring for something specifically designed for this (looks like $15 from
>>> mouser)... & if the latter, any specific brands?
>>> 
>>> thanks,
>>> 
>>> Bob Drake
>>> rdrake at data2action.com
>>> 216.556.2459
>> 
>> --
>> -Jim
>> ------------------------------------------------
>> * Visit:http://www.silcom.com/~patchell/
>> *-----------------------------------------------
>