Homebrew PCBs

Well using a respirator and gloves is a good idea in any case but: EPA has classified mixed xylenes as a Group D, not classifiable as to human carcinogenicity.

Group D: "Not Classifiable as to Human Carcinogenicity"

"This group is generally used for agents with inadequate human and animal evidence of carcinogenicity or for which no data are available."

Most if not all chemicals and compounds have a Material Safety Data Sheet MSDS that you can find online that will tell you about the potential hazards of that material.

Two widely used cleaners/solvents in the past that are now known and listed carcinogens are Carbon Tetrachloride and Trichloroethylene.

Mike K5ESS

 

From: Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com [mailto:Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com] 
Sent: Monday, January 11, 2016 7:51 AM
To: Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [Homebrew_PCBs] Re: Heatless (cold) Toner Transfer for PCB making

 

  

One remark, please use respirator & gloves when handling xylene.
The stuff is 100000x more carcinogenic than we knew pre 1990.
I remember working in billboard printshops mid 80s and shoving my arms bicep deep into 55 gallon drums to clean off ink.
Wondering whats going to get me down the road.

Corey

On 1/10/2016 11:47 PM, rolohar@... [Homebrew_PCBs] wrote:

DuWayne:

Thanks for the detailed account of your heatless toner transfer experiment.

As I suspected, the need or exotic materials is not required.

There are many materials that will dissolve the polymer particles

that make up laser printer toner, and the alcohol mix-in is used primarily

to reduce the effectivity of the solvent so that it softens, but does not completely

distort and weaken the image too much.

Xylene is a good choice because it is relatively inexpensive

and readily available. Same for denatured alcohol, and I think

that ordinary drug store 70% or 90% isopropyl alcohol should

be OK.

The alcohol  is also effective in cleaning the bare PCB material.

I plan to try to duplicate your process sometime this week.

Thanks

Roland F. Harriston, PD

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