Brake Cleaner Phosgene Gas

[dwdw]

This might not be the correct place for this but I thought it was Important to pass on. I like most of you have used brake cleaner and get a little careless on where and when we spray it.
Please follow this link and read the results.
Mike Mark you may want to put this in a better area.
Thank You
dwdw


http://www.brewracingframes.com/id75.htm

[performance]

DWDW,

I think we have posted information about this somewhere....ITs definitely in the manuals. Too bad so many people REFUSE to read their manuals.

To sum it up: Brake Cleaner will KILL you if you weld or cut metal you have cleaned with it. It converts to a basic chemical weapon that will kill you stone cold DEAD. EVEN A DROP will do it.

[Rodsmachineshop]

All i use in my machine shop is carb cleaner only for cleaning stuff since mostly acetone and safe to use . Best to not even have any brake cleaner any were you are around or do welding

I think we have posted information about this somewhere....ITs definitely in the manuals. Too bad so many people REFUSE to read their manuals.

To sum it up: Brake Cleaner will KILL you if you weld or cut metal you have cleaned with it. It converts to a basic chemical weapon that will kill you stone cold DEAD. EVEN A DROP will do it.[/QUOTE]

[jtybt]

OOOOH Sheeeit!!!

I use it for cleaning my SS when TIGing.


Thanks for the post.

[everlastsupport]

This was on the forum some time ago. But maybe worth a sticky in general welding. Mark or I will move it when we get some time.

[geezer]

The same warning goes for any chlorinated cleaning product.

[performance]

Yes,
It seems brake cleaner might be the worse offender.

Any one know of any other chlorinated products we can add by name?

[everlastsupport]

Moved here and pinned up for now.

I read the article some time back. I thought I never use that stuff. But others might.

Me personally, I never use brake cleaner. I avoid carb cleaner as well. I use denatured alcohol for most things and acetone for the tougher stuff. Have them in spray bottles (buy in the big cans to save money). I do use carb cleaner but only when de-greaser will not get it done and nothing I weld on.

[dwdw]

Mike doesn't the carb cleaner deteriorate plastic and rubber parts like in hoses?? I ruined a 2 stroke carb that has an internal ball check, it melted and there went a Stihl chainsaw ( Stihl doesn't sell parts to the DIYer)
I use it but sparingly, it also does well at removing paint!
Being professional dummy, I must have 5 cases of brake cleaner! and 1/2 case of carb cleaner! Acetone is OK! but it seems to dissolve the non metal parts.
Looks like I need to to more brake work and less welding! LOL
dwdw

[everlastsupport]

That is a bummer on Stihl, that was (and probably still will be) my next chainsaw. The Germans know how to build them.

This will sound nuts, water and a carbs, but I do my carbs in a ultrasonic tub with warm water and sea foam motor treatment. Works very well, I leave rubber and plastic on as well. Then take a set of O/A torch tip cleaners and go through it, then high pressure air. Works wonders for sure. Will even get varnish gas out or loose.

I killed a Ryobi 2 stroke carb with carb cleaner once. Ate the diaphragm up on it and in no time I might add.

[dwdw]

I'll try that! Sea Foam treatment works OK!
dwdw

[everlastsupport]

The problem you will have with anything like Sea Foam. You have to give it time. The ultra-sonic helps a bit and the heat.

Seems like things are to slow or fast these days.

It's like glues, fillers, primers and paints. More time makes it work. If you are in a hurry, the results will not be right and you can do it a second and third time. Like anything else.

Or just shoot fast acting chemicals like carb cleaner to save time.

[Ray]

Wow!! I gota say I knew this , but have avoided using chlorinated cleaning products for some time, mostly because they can damage the heat exchanger in our waste oil burner. but it's funny there's a can sitting on the work bench right now? Same deal, they were out of the stuff I usually buy, that seems to be basically pressurized alcohol, so I grabbed the “red” can.
It's good to review safety steps often, especially for us old farts, I seem to forget why we do things sometime. Yea getting old is a drag but you have to remember the basics.
Thanks allot guys you all probably saved my A$$.

[Tallguy64]

So question on the breake clean, there is two different types of brake clean. Chlorinated and non-Chlorinated, i dont have a can here in front of me but are they both deadly or is it just the Chlorinated one that is deadly?

[Ray]

I believe it’s chlorinated or fluorinated, some electronics cleaners are fluorinated.

[performance]

There are many alternatives to brake cleaner...though their might be some discussion to their effectiveness. But I prefer a little elbow grease any day to death.

As for trying to discriminate between cleaners: Don't...Consider them all the same. Just as in gun safety, you are taught to treat all guns like they are loaded, even if you know full well they aren't and you'll probably never die from an accidental gun shot wound. Same with cleaners. A lot of times cleaners are made on the same lines as others and a small trace amount may still be present. I am no manufacuring expert...just trying to follow logic...so I would avoid them all unless they say "safe for cleaning immediately before welding", I wouldn't use them.

[Tallguy64]

There are many alternatives to brake cleaner...though their might be some discussion to their effectiveness. But I prefer a little elbow grease any day to death.

As for trying to discriminate between cleaners: Don't...Consider them all the same. Just as in gun safety, you are taught to treat all guns like they are loaded, even if you know full well they aren't and you'll probably never die from an accidental gun shot wound. Same with cleaners. A lot of times cleaners are made on the same lines as others and a small trace amount may still be present. I am no manufacuring expert...just trying to follow logic...so I would avoid them all unless they say "safe for cleaning immediately before welding", I wouldn't use them.

I hear ya there i was more or less just poseing the question because at work we use the non clorinated and someone said that its just the clorinated that causes the problems, So i was just asking. Most of the guys i work with do proper prep work when they are gonna weld on something, but i had the same thoughts as you they are probably coming out of the same plant who know a little might slip in here and there so why risk it.

[welderdude]

Before i found this out, I decided to see if brake cleaner was flammable. It instead made a bad smell and I decided to vacate the area. I about #### my self when I read that article.

[jojobead]

phosphorc acid work ok to clean weld for painting.leaves white film ,wire wheel of.Newer anti spater sprays ok but all ways READ LABLE!!!! Plus get your heat treat # from steel vender you can get chemical copposition of material some times called MTR material test report.When welding STAINLES STEEL the crome turns in hexovalient crome very bad on nervis system.plus magnesium in weld rods can cause mag madness.Tungstion 2% thrioum is radio active. I spell like a little kid so bare with me

[jojobead]

phosphorc acid work ok to clean weld for painting.leaves white film ,wire wheel of.Newer anti spater sprays ok but all ways READ LABLE!!!! Plus get your heat treat # from steel vender you can get chemical copposition of material some times called MTR material test report.When welding STAINLES STEEL the crome turns in hexovalient crome very bad on nervis system.plus magnesium in weld rods can cause mag madness.Tungstion 2% thrioum is radio active. I spell like a little kid so bare with me

phosphoric acid used on carbon steel