Stripping solder mask from circuit boards

[bswartzwelder]

Hi All,

I did a Google search and found that a chemical called Methylene Chloride can be used to strip the green solder mask from circuit boards. Unfortunately, if left exposed for too long, it can also start to attack the metal underneath. Has anybody ever used this chemical and how well does it work?

I only looked at Hi Valley Chemicals, but they do list it at $42.25 for a 1 gallon bottle. Bad news is the shipping is $51.94 for that same gallon bottle.

 

[maynman1751]

Methylene Chloride is found in paint and varnish stripper. The kind that you would use to strip furniture. Wear gloves, it's some nasty stuff!

 

[Smack]

caustic soda.....search it.

 

[galenrog]

lazersteve has a video on this very topic. Watch, listen, take notes, learn, then try it yourself.

 

[butcher]

Methylene Chloride is some nasty stuff, and if some gold from thin plating got into this gooey mess it would be terribly hard to recover, also now you have another problem dealing with the waste solution (lead in this toxic solution).

NaOH although would also be dangerous to use, can be diluted. (Even the waste can be used to neutralize other acid wastes).

 

[bswartzwelder]

I purchased a pint or quart can of the stuff. I painted it on several boards and let several boards soak in it for over an hour. The results were the same. Nothing happened. Maybe the MC was bad or maybe I didn't wait long enough or maybe this solder mask is a different type of material the MC just does not react with. At any rate, from my point of view, this was a total waste of time and money. So for the rest of you, I do not advise this. Save your time, money, and sanity.