Homebrew PCBs

Hi
  I am sure someone can help me. What should I do with chemicals used in making pcb's? I have a winchester of used Ferric Chloride which I would like to safely dispose of. Does this need any treatment and how should it be disposed of?

Info on any other common chemicals would also be appreciated. Is there a common philosophy such as kill all chemicals etc? 

Thanks
Graeme

zl1gbb wrote:
> Hi I am sure someone can help me. What should I do with chemicals used in
> making pcb's? I have a winchester of used Ferric Chloride which I would like
> to safely dispose of. Does this need any treatment and how should it be
> disposed of?
> 
> Info on any other common chemicals would also be appreciated. Is there a
> common philosophy such as kill all chemicals etc?

If you keep the Ferric Chloride in a container with a lid and add a bit of
HCl every few months before a use, it will etch PCBs for years if you use
air bubbler agitation. Better to keep it.

On Fri, Apr 2, 2010 at 1:36 AM, zl1gbb <zl1gbb@...> wrote:

> Hi
>  I am sure someone can help me. What should I do with chemicals used in
> making pcb's? I have a winchester of used Ferric Chloride which I would like
> to safely dispose of. Does this need any treatment and how should it be
> disposed of?
>
> Info on any other common chemicals would also be appreciated. Is there a
> common philosophy such as kill all chemicals etc?


The Cu++ ion is harmful.  It should be disposed of in a local hazardous
waste facility.  Also, you can evaporate it and harvest the crystals to make
it more compact and easy to store.
Chris KQ6UP


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

If you keep the Ferric Chloride in a container with a lid and add a bit of
> HCl every few months before a use, it will etch PCBs for years if you use
> air bubbler agitation. Better to keep it.
>

That works for FeCl3 too?  I thought that was just for CuCl2 solution.

Chris


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Chris Maness wrote:
> If you keep the Ferric Chloride in a container with a lid and add a bit of
>> HCl every few months before a use, it will etch PCBs for years if you use
>> air bubbler agitation. Better to keep it.
>>
> 
> That works for FeCl3 too?  I thought that was just for CuCl2 solution.

I don't know. It's just the brown stuff from the shop that eventually
goes green after enough copper and airation.

On 02/04/2010 14:57, Chris Maness wrote:
> If you keep the Ferric Chloride in a container with a lid and add a bit of
>> HCl every few months before a use, it will etch PCBs for years if you use
>> air bubbler agitation. Better to keep it.
>>
>
> That works for FeCl3 too?  I thought that was just for CuCl2 solution.

It will be mostly cupric chloride, after some time.

Leon
-- 
Leon Heller
G1HSM

On Fri, Apr 2, 2010 at 7:09 AM, Russell Shaw <rjshaw@...> wrote:

> Chris Maness wrote:
> > If you keep the Ferric Chloride in a container with a lid and add a bit
> of
> >> HCl every few months before a use, it will etch PCBs for years if you
> use
> >> air bubbler agitation. Better to keep it.
> >>
> >
> > That works for FeCl3 too?  I thought that was just for CuCl2 solution.
>
> I don't know. It's just the brown stuff from the shop that eventually
> goes green after enough copper and airation.
>
>
Ahhh, yes.  That is CuCl that is insoluble in water.  If you can separate
that out and put into a separate container you can use it to etch after it
has been converted to CuCl2.  To convert it, just aerate it with an air
stone until it turns emerald green.  Or add hydrogen peroxide until it turns
green while agitating.  It makes a great etchant that is rechargeable see:

http://members.optusnet.com.au/eseychell/PCB/etching_CuCl/index.html

Chris


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

--- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, "zl1gbb" <zl1gbb@...> wrote:
>
> Hi
>   I am sure someone can help me. What should I do with chemicals used in making pcb's? I have a winchester of used Ferric Chloride which I would like to safely dispose of. Does this need any treatment and how should it be disposed of?
> 
> Info on any other common chemicals would also be appreciated. Is there a common philosophy such as kill all chemicals etc? 
> 
> Thanks
> Graeme
>


IIRC you can mix it with sodium hydroxide and the nasty stuff will precipitate out, leaving you with saltwater that you can pour down the drain and solid muck you can put in a container and throw in the trash.

Don't pour the FeCl down the drain, with the dissolved copper it's highly toxic, and it will corrode the heck out of any metal fittings or pipe work.

Yes, because according to http://www.p-m-services.co.uk/ferric_chloride.htm and http://artmondo.net/printworks/articles/ferric.htm, the CuCl builds up, while the Fe oxidizes to FeO and precipitates as sludge which can be decanted off.

--- On Fri, 4/2/10, Chris Maness <chris@...> wrote:

From: Chris Maness <chris@...>
Subject: Re: [Homebrew_PCBs] Old etch
To: Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com
Date: Friday, April 2, 2010, 10:57 AM







 



  


    
      
      
      If you keep the Ferric Chloride in a container with a lid and add a bit of

> HCl every few months before a use, it will etch PCBs for years if you use

> air bubbler agitation. Better to keep it.

>



That works for FeCl3 too?  I thought that was just for CuCl2 solution.



Chris



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]





    
     

    
    


 



  






      

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

I need to order some parts and the only place that has them in stock is Farnell in the UK.  Otherwise I need to wait 4 months.  Anyone in the USA ever order from them?  Did they rape you on the shipping?


      

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

<http://www.newark.com/>
Farnell owns Newark, see if it is cheaper there.

Farnell takes 20 eur from us to get parts from the US warehouses,
flat-rate per order including shipping, customs, handling.

ST

On Sat, Apr 3, 2010 at 9:09 PM, John McCormick <mcjonster@...> wrote:
> I need to order some parts and the only place that has them in stock is Farnell in the UK.  Otherwise I need to wait 4 months.  Anyone in the USA ever order from them?  Did they rape you on the shipping?
>
>

On 03/04/2010 20:09, John McCormick wrote:
> I need to order some parts and the only place that has them in stock is Farnell in the UK.  Otherwise I need to wait 4 months.  Anyone in the USA ever order from them?  Did they rape you on the shipping?

Have you tried Newark? They are part of Farnell.

I use Farnell a lot (from the UK), and they provide an excellent service.

Leon
-- 
Leon Heller
G1HSM

I've used Farnell here in Aust several times - shipping's free. Goods which are not in stock in Au show as more expensive, but there are no surprises on checkout, and you can go thru the whole checkout process to check shipping (sometimes they do say "shipping TBA").

As I live in Sydney, it's *insane*: free shipping and sometimes the stuff comes the same day I ordered it - and that's on my piddly $10 orders.

Of course, YMMV in other countries

PG

On 04/04/2010, at 5:56 AM, Leon Heller wrote:

> On 03/04/2010 20:09, John McCormick wrote:
> > I need to order some parts and the only place that has them in stock is Farnell in the UK. Otherwise I need to wait 4 months. Anyone in the USA ever order from them? Did they rape you on the shipping?
> 
> Have you tried Newark? They are part of Farnell.
> 
> I use Farnell a lot (from the UK), and they provide an excellent service.
> 
> Leon
> -- 
> Leon Heller
> G1HSM
>

use www.findchips.com to see if the parts you need are in stock anywhere else.  Sometimes a line will be picked up by Mouser or Future Electronics without any big announcement (i.e. THAT Corp audio chips are now carried by Mouser.)

--- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, John McCormick <mcjonster@...> wrote:

>
> I need to order some parts and the only place that has them in stock is Farnell in the UK.  Otherwise I need to wait 4 months.  Anyone in the USA ever order from them?  Did they rape you on the shipping?
> 
> 
>       
> 
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>

On 4 April 2010 17:59, Jeanette <jdwalton@...> wrote:
> use www.findchips.com to see if the parts you need are in stock anywhere else.  Sometimes a line will be picked up by Mouser or Future Electronics without any big announcement (i.e. THAT Corp audio chips are now carried by Mouser.)
>
> --- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, John McCormick <mcjonster@...> wrote:
>>
>> I need to order some parts and the only place that has them in stock is Farnell in the UK.  Otherwise I need to wait 4 months.  Anyone in the USA ever order from them?  Did they rape you on the shipping?


or you need someone in the uk as middle man.

-- 
Lez
Save the planet - dont buy new - (ok food is an exception...)

http://lez.briddon.googlepages.com/index2

Farnell and Newark are owned by the same company.

I'm a customer of Farnell and can obtain parts stocked by Newark in the 
US through Farnell, typically takes a week to appear and freight is the 
same as locally stocked parts.

See if Newark offer a reciprocal arrangement.

Regards
Malcolm.

On 5/04/2010 9:56 a.m., Lez wrote:
>
>
> On 4 April 2010 17:59, Jeanette <jdwalton@...
> <mailto:jdwalton%40comcast.net>> wrote:
>  > use www.findchips.com to see if the parts you need are in stock
> anywhere else.  Sometimes a line will be picked up by Mouser or Future
> Electronics without any big announcement (i.e. THAT Corp audio chips are
> now carried by Mouser.)
>  >
>  > --- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com
> <mailto:Homebrew_PCBs%40yahoogroups.com>, John McCormick <mcjonster@...>
> wrote:
>  >>
>  >> I need to order some parts and the only place that has them in stock
> is Farnell in the UK.  Otherwise I need to wait 4 months.  Anyone in the
> USA ever order from them?  Did they rape you on the shipping?
>
> or you need someone in the uk as middle man.
>
> --
> Lez
> Save the planet - dont buy new - (ok food is an exception...)

Here in New Zealand we never use Farnell or RS unless there is no other source for whatever we need, and that includes international suppliers.
Farnell and RS are simply FAR too expensive and I don't know why.
Perhaps there is something to be said for the smaller suppliers without the flashy catalogues and huge web sites.

--- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, Malcolm Moore <arbor1953@...> wrote:

>
> Farnell and Newark are owned by the same company.
> 
> I'm a customer of Farnell and can obtain parts stocked by Newark in the 
> US through Farnell, typically takes a week to appear and freight is the 
> same as locally stocked parts.
> 
> See if Newark offer a reciprocal arrangement.
> 
> Regards
> Malcolm.
> 
> 
> 
> On 5/04/2010 9:56 a.m., Lez wrote:
> >
> >
> > On 4 April 2010 17:59, Jeanette <jdwalton@...
> > <mailto:jdwalton%40comcast.net>> wrote:
> >  > use www.findchips.com to see if the parts you need are in stock
> > anywhere else.  Sometimes a line will be picked up by Mouser or Future
> > Electronics without any big announcement (i.e. THAT Corp audio chips are
> > now carried by Mouser.)
> >  >
> >  > --- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com
> > <mailto:Homebrew_PCBs%40yahoogroups.com>, John McCormick <mcjonster@>
> > wrote:
> >  >>
> >  >> I need to order some parts and the only place that has them in stock
> > is Farnell in the UK.  Otherwise I need to wait 4 months.  Anyone in the
> > USA ever order from them?  Did they rape you on the shipping?
> >
> > or you need someone in the uk as middle man.
> >
> > --
> > Lez
> > Save the planet - dont buy new - (ok food is an exception...)
>

Take a look at Mouser www.mouser.com and Also Allied Electronics www.alliedelec.com   Between those 2 you should be able to find just about anything you would want.

Ben

--- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, "Jeanette" <jdwalton@...> wrote:

>
> use www.findchips.com to see if the parts you need are in stock anywhere else.  Sometimes a line will be picked up by Mouser or Future Electronics without any big announcement (i.e. THAT Corp audio chips are now carried by Mouser.)
> 
> --- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, John McCormick <mcjonster@> wrote:
> >
> > I need to order some parts and the only place that has them in stock is Farnell in the UK.  Otherwise I need to wait 4 months.  Anyone in the USA ever order from them?  Did they rape you on the shipping?
> > 
> > 
> >       
> > 
> > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
> >
>