Archive of the former Yahoo!Groups mailing list: Homebrew PCBs

previous by date index next by date
previous in topic topic list next in topic

Subject: Re: [Homebrew_PCBs] Re: Board cleaning trials

From: "Bill Maxwell" <wrmaxwell@...>
Date: 2006-02-24

Anybody tried Coca Cola? we used to clean the old aussie pennies with it
and they had a reasonably high copper content.

Bill
----- Original Message -----
From: "klmjr22" <keithlmartin@...>
To: <Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Friday, February 24, 2006 7:56 AM
Subject: [Homebrew_PCBs] Re: Board cleaning trials


>
>> Just found that we had 2 Scrub Free cleaners under the sink. Neither
>> has sulfamic acid listed on the label, Tilex and one called Scrub
>> Free.
>>
>> Took a 6" x 18" copper clad blank that had some blemishes and tried
>> each of the scrub free cleaners in a 4x6" strip. Both did show a
>> change in the color of the copper but neither took out the blemishes.
>> Washed off the board and dried it, then tried Tarn-X. That fully
>> cleaned the board and no blemishes remain.
>>
>> I think the Tarn-X cost around $5. The label says to use rubber
>> gloves (the scum cleaners don't) so for my money, I will stick to the
>> Tarn-X. There should be enough in the bottle to last me for many many
>> boards. Maybe if I could find a Scum Cleaner that 'does' list
>> sulfamic acid on the label it would work better then those that don't,
>> but Tarn-X is working so I'm happy.
>>
>> I do wonder if the other 2 cleaners that Bill mentioned, Zap! and
>> Restore4, might be better but so far, I have not been able to find
>> them.
>>
>>
>> Thanks for the tip WB. It might help those overseas that don't have a
>> source for Tarn-X or the others.
>>
>> Wayne
>>
> I looked at the Household products database and found tarn-x is 3-5
> sulfamic acid but also contains Thiourea which may help cleaning.I
> found that Lime Away has < 11 percent sulfamic acid acording to the
> MSDS sheet. Tried some on some BAD copper and all the dark brown areas
> turned that nice reddish color you want. The black and green areas
> appeared to clean up with some scrubbing. This stuff is readily
> available. Assuming the sulfamic acid is what you want there is a
> product called Aqua Mix Sulfamic Acid Crystals available at Lowes that
> is a 99.5 percent pure sulfamic acid crystals. Don't know what it
> costs yet. But Lime Away does work and it doesn't have a lot of exta
> stuff in it you may not want.
> Keith
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Be sure to visit the group home and check for new Links, Files, and
> Photos:
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Homebrew_PCBs
>
> If Files or Photos are running short of space, post them here:
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Homebrew_PCBs_Archives/
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>