Brake Cleaner and Welding.....

[SpeedCoach]

File this under the "the only stupid question is the one not asked" category....

So I know welding and brake cleaner are a ginormous no-no. My question is what if you come across the need to weld something that has had brake cleaner sprayed on it?

Is it time sensitive (i.e. dont weld immediately after brake cleaner...but later is OK)?

Is there something you can use to clean a previously BC'd surface to "neutralize" the piece?

I dont have a specific project/need for this.....I just dont know the answer. The question spawned at the kart track last weekend when some guys were talking about welding some of the wounds on their frames.....and while they were talking about it they were cleaning them up with some BC - it just got my mind wondering.

 

[toyotadriver]

The problem is clorinated brake cleaner. Non clorinated cleaner doesn't have that problem. Clorinated cleaner can generate phosgene gas when heated. If the cleaner is COMPLETELY dry, then you can weld it safely.

 

[MoonRise]

If the BC is -ALL- gone and evaporated, no problem.

If the BC is -not- all gone and evaporated and you arc weld, you can get:

- if old-school chlorinated BC, the intense UV of the welding arc causes it to break down and form phosgene (toxic gas);

- if new-style BC, the flammable solvents catch on fire from the heat of welding.

 

[SpeedCoach]

Good to know. Thanks guys....being new to welding I felt better to ask the question than guess. Appreciate the help.

 

[Frank The Plumber]

Hey, Just drink the %ucking brake cleaner! It's a faster death.
No solvents of any kind on the weld material! Use a grinder with a brush or a disk!

Or death shall come to thee!

 

[Vicegrip]

Hey, Just drink the %ucking brake cleaner! It's a faster death.
No solvents of any kind on the weld material! Use a grinder with a brush or a disk!

Or death shall come to thee!

No solvents? There goes my clean Tig work.... You have to use solvents for some work. grinding and wire wheel only smears some contaminates around. the contaminates get on the wheel and wires or come from the wheel and wires themselves. A wash down with fresh virgin correct solvent that is allowed to flash dry is required for some work.

You don't need to weld to convert chlorinated solvents any high temp heat source works just fine. An electric heater for example.

 

[NASTYZEN]

That means I should be dead by now all the years I've been doing this?!For years I've been using Acetone,lacquer thinner,brake clean! varsol.To clean parts for tig welding,especially for Aluminum.So you say it's deadly.
School me please.

 

[Nick M]

I remember reading an article where the brake cleaner was still left behind in small pits in the metal being welded, thus causing a problem. I would think if it were to properly evaporate there is no danger.

 

[mrbreezeet1]

I remember reading an article where the brake cleaner was still left behind in small pits in the metal being welded, thus causing a problem. I would think if it were to properly evaporate there is no danger.

I wonder ( I would think) if could be further washed away with lots of water.
Then blown off with air and allowed to dry.
Thanks,
Tony

 

[SWT Racing]

I use acetone to clean all my weldments, including the tig rod, before welding. It's cheap, evaporates fast, and does not leave a residue.

I generally will not use a sander/grinder on anything unless it is really grungy, has mill scale, or to remove old weld deposits. I do use small hand wire brushes marked for use on steel, stainless or aluminum only. for alumimum sheet/plate that is new, I'll clean with acetone and hit the edge with a vixen file. For aluminum castings, I generally use AlumiPrep 33 or etching wheel cleaner followed by a water rinse and then a wire brush treatment, followed by a wipe with acetone.

If you are going to weld aluminum, by all means, do not sandblast it to clean it. . . especially on castings. You will discover a new level of frustration. Glass beading is ok if done properly with fresh glass and cleaned afterwards.

 

[StRacerDuke]

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

 

[toxicz28]

I would think if it were to properly evaporate there is no danger.

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

Why even take that chance? If you read the above linked article, he was lucky. He got away with instant emphysema, pancreatic damage, seizures, and scarred sinuses. It could have killed him. All from a little puff of smoke.

 

[NASTYZEN]

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

Holy ****!!
Most often I use Acetone,but have always preferred brake clean.....I guess I am a really lucky s.o.b.or I'm gonna keel over anytime now.
I never even read the label.
I'm going to trow out the can I have.

 

[Shadowdog500]

Didn't we have a thread here a year or two ago by a member who really screwed himself up by welding right after using brake cleaner?

Chris

 

[Joe69]

I got sick from it about 15 years ago. Felt like hell for a couple of hours. I have been sensitive to the smell of brake cleaner ever since.

Joe

 

[red]

I got sick from it about 15 years ago. Felt like hell for a couple of hours. I have been sensitive to the smell of brake cleaner ever since.

Joe

Not in the same league but I no longer drink orange soda. Came down with a stomach virus and the taste of that orange soda on the way back up.

 

[torqueman2002]

I remember reading an article where the brake cleaner was still left behind in small pits in the metal being welded, thus causing a problem. I would think if it were to properly evaporate there is no danger.

Same article? Anyway, there may be some additional posts of interest here.
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=40065

 

[-->]

I've found using ether seems to work well and evaporates really quick. Never looked into the dangers though.

 

[SpeedCoach]

To be clear - my OP dealt with welding on something that had previously been cleaned with brake cleaner before the need for welding on it arose......I did not intend to insinuate i was curious about cleaning with brake cleaner immediately prior to welding as I did know that was a big no-no.

I do appreciate the info presented though - hope other newbs learned something.

 

[ptab01]

You can and should properly clean your material before welding -Acetone and even brake cleaner are fine. the trouble comes from anything that leaves a residue or film - it'll leave impurities in the weld -as for being unhealthy - Man up Folks! half the things we do in the garage bays are killin' us slowly - Party On Garth!

 

[anodyne33]

Man up Folks!

That's all well and good until you accidentally and painfully die from exposure to nerve gas.

 

[torqueman2002]

That's all well and good until you accidentally and painfully die from exposure to nerve gas.

I agree.
Have you ever seen someone in the last stages of Emphysema?
Not a way I want to go.
I use a mask and fan to move fresh air around whenever I'm grinding, or welding and I paint outside.

 

[toolfreak]

I made the mistake of cleaning aluminum pipe with brake cleaner and trying to tig it shortly after. After talking to a welder, I figured out why I couldn't breathe. It's nasty stuff and don't recommend it.

 

[ptab01]

ammonia and bleach produce marvelous breathing hazards as well - but one stands a good chance of recognizing the problem BEFORE you keel over from it.

Grinding or better yet wire brushing it (brushing doesn't change your metal thickness like grinding will) are the absolute best bets if one has any residue from solvents but evaporated chem like non chlorinated brake cleaner is not going to produce the reaction.

Not trying to be cavalier about it . . . but think of all the wonderously stupid things that happen in shops across the globe and it's a wonder how the profession is not rated one of the deadliest fields of work

. . . or is it?