Homebrew PCBs

--- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, "leon_heller" 
<leon_heller@h...> wrote:
> I was etching a PCB a few minutes ago. I thought I'd beef up the 
> FeCl3 with a little HCl so I went in the other room, got the bottle 
> and opened it. On my back to the kitchen sink where I was doing the 
> etching I tripped, splashed a little of the HCl into my face 
(luckily 
> the cap was still partly on) and dropped the bottle. A little of 
the 
> acid went into my left eye so I put my head under the tap and 
flushed 
> the eye out thoroughly. Of course, I shouldn't have removed the cap 
> until I was at the sink. I suppose I ought to get the eye checked, 
> but I can see perfectly out of it, although it's a little sore, so 
I 
> won't bother. The effect was like peeling onions, but a *lot* 
worse. 
> Onions generate H2SO4 when the juice gets into the eyes, same sort 
of 
> effect.
> 
> It's 30% HCl, BTW, quite concentrated.
> 
> Leon


I am VERY happy you lived to tell your tale.

I think I would have hit the shower and rinsed for another 20 
minutes.  OF course I don't have much hair left (age, not mistakes) 
and would worry about more of that falling out as well.

My story is of poor housekeeping.  I bought a gallon of HcL called 
Muriatic Acid and made some etchant.  did the work and then put the 
bottle on the floor.  A few days later I came back and found that a 
board scrap was sitting nect to the bottle had a thick green haze on 
it.

A few drops of acid ran down the case and behind the label.  as it 
evaporated, it 'etched' everything around it.

Dave