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Subject: Re: [Homebrew_PCBs] Re: Isopropyl Alcohol

From: lists <stuart.winsor.lists@...>
Date: 2006-02-19

In article <dt8b4a+30bu@...>,
dl5012 <dl5012@...> wrote:
> Try some of the good stuff and you'll see for yourself.

Well, I think the availability of chemicals in the US must be rather
different to the UK situation. The local chemists (drugstore to you)
/might/ have meths but not much else.

One independent chemists in my town (long since taken over by a "chain")
used to have HCl but stopped having it due to some change in regulations.

When I refer to "normal" IPA it is what I buy from Farnell or RS
Components, which is sold as a solvent for electronics use. I don't have
the MSDS to hand and it doesn't specify it's "purity" on the tin but it
works fine for me.

What gas line antifreeze might be I have no idea as it would require
exceptionally low temperatures for gas to freeze :^) In the uk, petrol
doesn't freeze either but suppliers do add ant-waxing agents to diesel
fuel in the winter.

As for Flux removal I use a proprietary product sold by Farnell which is
based on Limonene and relatively safe. It is supplied in an aerosol can
with a stiffish brush on the end to allow scrubbing whilst the stuff is
being applied. It is very effective even on hardened flux residues of
several years vintage (and other crap as well). Certainly much better than
IPA though I usually give a final quick squirt of IPA over the board to
finish.

Sticky label residue from Eproms (or anything else), I find, is best
removed with a proprietary label removal. IPA is very poor at the job.

Regards
Stuart