# Brake Fluid for Solder Mask removal



## Gold Trail (Apr 17, 2009)

Before I get started, I must state that this idea was presented to me by Sodbuster as an untested possible solution to solder mask removal. I simply tried it. I in no means am claiming this as my own, nor take any credit for it.

Enough of the Legal

Anyway, we all have been plauged by solder mask. In the past I have used Caustic soda (crystal Draino) with great success. How ever i dont care for the bubbling foamin mess, nore the "get it in your eye one time" thing. we have enough of that just getting the gold outa things.

I tried Brake Fluid. soaked some boards for a 24 period and it worked as well as the draino. the mask became brittle and rubed right off with a stiff brush. With out all the mess or danger of the caustic soda. 

After the soak i ran them through the parts washer to remove the brake fluid. If you dodnt have a Parts Washer brake cleaner in a can would work as well, and its cheap!

Ryan

PS Thanks for the great idea, SodBuster!!!


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## Sodbuster (Apr 17, 2009)

Hay glad to here that it works. I still can't find my brake fluid and havn't had a chance to even try it. Can you say that it works with all types of mask, or just mabey the green mask?
Ray


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## nicknitro (Apr 18, 2009)

Great Post Guys,

Thanks for shareing the info. The can does say "Will eat away Paint From Car" . LOL

Maybe I will try this on a few video cards with gold under the mask. 

As a side note, I hope we all get all of the brake fluid off. I believe brake fluid has a strong reaction with chlorine, perhaps involved in further processing. I believe brake fluid and chlorox will produce a rather large smoke-bomb type effect.

Thanks Again Both,
Nick


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## Oz (Apr 18, 2009)

I do not know about brake fluid and chlorine reactions but if brake fluid removes the masking you should wash the card with liquid soap or a hydroxide before trying to dissolve the gold. Oil is a no-no when it comes time to precipitate. As Harold reminds us often, incinerate.


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## trashmaster (Apr 18, 2009)

WOW:::: If this workes it would be great for everyone ;;; I;l try it today and see what i get ''' I have several hundred boards that I neeed to strip the mask off of., It also seemes that you could filter the break fluid wity an paint filter and use it OVER AND OVER AND OVER again.... This could be GREAT THANKS EVERYONE pAUL


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## Lou (Apr 18, 2009)

There is a difference between brake cleaner and brake fluid. Brake fluid is what will react dangerously with chlorinating/halogenating agents and oxidizers.


Brake cleaner is what is being discussed and that is quite inert. Brake cleaner is perchloroethylene, C2Cl4.


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## leavemealone (Apr 18, 2009)

Hey guys, is brake fluid made from petrolium?If so then maybe another petro product would work as well or better.Theres another really cool idea I had but Im gonna try it first then Ill let you know if it works,
Thanks,
Johnny
Well I guess theres no harm in telling now.....mary(my wife) used a product that was a citrus kind of paint remover and I was hoping that would work.When she put it on the wood,the paint came off pretty darn quick,and I have access to a LOTTTTT of it for free.
(fingers crossed)


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## butcher (Apr 18, 2009)

Mainly glycol ether's 
DOT 3
Alkyl ester 
Aliphatic amine 
Diethylene glycol 
Diethylene glycol monoethyl ether 
Diethylene glycol monomethyl ether 
Dimethyl dipropylene glycol 
Polyethylene glycol monobutyl ether 
Polyethylene glycol monomethyl ether 
Polyethylene oxide 
Triethylene glycol monobutyl ether 
Triethylene glycol monoethyl ether 
Triethylene glycol monomethyl ether 
Silicone-based (DOT 5)
Di-2-ethylhexyl sebacate 
Dimethyl polysiloxane 
Tributyl phosphate


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## Gold Trail (Apr 18, 2009)

Lou, to clearify, 

i used brake fluid to soak the boards

I used brake cleaner in a can (or in my case a solvent in a parts washer) to remove the brake fluid from the boards

I should have been more specific in my first post

as a side note, it did not flake off the mask, it made it almost dry / brittle to where i used a stiff brush to wisk it off the boards

Ryan


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## dick b (Apr 18, 2009)

Ryan:

Where did the traces end up? With the mask or still on the PCB.

Thanks in advance.


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## Sodbuster (Apr 18, 2009)

Found this on WIKI -- "Most brake fluids used today are glycol-ether based, but mineral oil and silicone based fluids are also available"

And this -- "Brake fluid can be dangerous as it is toxic and highly flammable. It will also lift or strip paints and other coatings on contact"

Be carefull guys, I don't want to see any smoke bombs coming out of the garage. 
I would prolly clean them up first with dishliquid or laundry detergent befor going to the acid. It would prolly be a good idea to incenerate after the foils have been removed. 

Gold Trail (Ryan) : what type of brake fluid did you use?, and did it work with all types and colors of mask? 

Ray


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## Lou (Apr 18, 2009)

@Leavemealone, what was the brand name of it?

If it is what I think it is, I can tell you about it.


Lou


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## Gold Trail (Apr 18, 2009)

I used the cheapo stuff from the Dollar General think it was Coastal brand?

The solder mask green from the late 1980's or early 90's on the boards i tried it on. 

thats as far as i got with it

the solder mask stayed on the boards, but may have come off since. They are in a bucket at the shop so i cant readily go look . as of friday at quitting time, the mask was peeling off quickly with a stiff brush and the parts washer did the rest

Ryan


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## stihl88 (Jun 5, 2009)

Well this is my my first post but i think it's a rather important post...

I grew up with a father who taught me how to have a bit of fun with explosives etc...

But the one thing he always taught me was not to mess with Chlorine and Brake fluid because it's very unstable and could blow up in your face (fireball) or it could take up to a couple of minutes to blow depends on how the fool has mixed the quantities and the temperature at the time.

I began to realize this when some of the kids at school started to mess with the stuff.

My 2c


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## leavemealone (Jun 5, 2009)

Hey Lou how have you been?We've been really good except for this blasted heat!



> what was the brand name of it


I think the name is Citrasol or Citrasolve something like that.If neither of those ring a bell I can find out for sure and get back to you.Gotta run,but here's to hoping everyone has a great day(holds up cup of coffee).
Johnny


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## nicknitro (Jun 6, 2009)

Johnny,

Did the organic stuff work? Or have you had enough time to try it?

Nick


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## Lou (Jun 6, 2009)

Ah, it wasn't what I was thinking of--a quick search of those two names indicates it's limonene (the smell) with a few petroleum distillates...basically a variation of GOO-B-GONE.

The stuff I was talking about was this paint stripper my friend used once. He was commenting on how effective it was, and it turned out it had NMP in it (a fantastic and relatively safe solvent--it's used for etching circuit boards). I think NMP/perchloroethylene mixture would probably do the trick for all of this.


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## leavemealone (Jun 7, 2009)

Hey guys(happy Sunday),
nick I'll be trying it either this afternoon or tomorrow,Im really hoping this will work fast.I have seperated about 100 pounds of boards with all gold tracings to go into my new "machine" I built(thank you jack),Im gonna depopulate them and then strip the mask and cut them into strips.I assume its gonna take at least a day for the citrasolve to work(fingers crossed)so I'll let you know as soon as I know something.
Have a good day everyone,
Johnny
P.S. lou I'm still keeping an eye out for those pics of the new house.


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## DNIndustry (Jun 8, 2009)

I didnt read the entire post.
But I know from experience that Brake fluid and pool shock create a form of explosive naplam. about 30 seconds after addition.

Pool shock is Calcium hypoclorite, 
But I am pretty sure any oxidizer would follow the same path.!


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## nicknitro (Jun 9, 2009)

Damn,

I just heard smoke bomb. Glad I never tried this as a gag joke. What is the fuel in this reaction? The ethylene? Not Glycol, I would imagine.


Nick 

P.S. Good Luck Johnny


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## leavemealone (Jun 9, 2009)

Talk about smoking being dangerous to your health....lol.
There is a type of dry peroxide you can pour on corn flakes and add water............it will errupt in self ignition.
It's a cool pyrotechnique feature,but extremely deadly if inhaled.
Johnny


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## SilverFox (Jun 23, 2009)

This method does not work, Break fluid Dot3 Or otherwise does not remove the soldier mask whatsoever.

I have been soaking mine for two months, and brushing now and then..


THIS METHOD DOES NOT WORK..

Used three types..


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## DNIndustry (Jul 8, 2009)

Do a search on the finishing board. There is some info regarding hydroxide/peroxide to disolve the lead and tin. i dont recall if it was KOH or NaOH.


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## nicknitro (Jul 9, 2009)

DN,

I think it was Lye NaOH. I remember, cause we got off on a tangent as to how toxic lye is. LOL


Good Luck,
Nick


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