Welding and Brake cleaner

[Threadkiller]

Hey all, question for all the experts.

We all know that breathing in any gases generated by welding is bad. I try to position myself so I am not over my welding projects as much as possible. However we also know that sometimes its unavoidable, so heres my story/question.

I cant just do one thing while im in the garage, so I was between putting my axles back in my Camaro and cutting up some metal that I am going to make into a bench grinding stand. So while letting the car down with my jack it started making noise and ******* out oil everywhere. So that led me over next to the metal that I had just cut on my workbench. I was using brake cleaner to get all the oil off the jack so I could take it apart and see what happened. Long story short I may have gotten brake clean on the metal I was planning on making the stand out of, and my brand new 10 pound spool of welding wire that I had sitting there .

So my question is how careful does one have to be with brake cleaner and welding. I know it makes that phosgene gas apparently. Is that just when its wet? After it dries is it ok to weld on? I already got a new spool of wire, but I hope I dont have to buy more metal that would ****.

 

[Midnight_America]

As long as you used the old fashioned (1-1-1 trichloroethane or perchloroethylene based) cleaner, your good to go after the solvent completely evaporates. If you used the newer brake cleaners that contain small amounts of petroleum distillates, then you may have issues. Check out these two sites:

http://weldingweb.com/showthread.php?t=32501

and

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

 

[Threadkiller]

Thanks for the link. I was trying to get the MSDS online but I couldnt find it. I was using this brake clean....does anyone know if it is ok. The non-chlorinated kind.

http://catalog.crcindustries.com/WebProject.asp?CodeId=7.5.6.20&BookCode=brk11flx&from=2

 

[78Bird]

as long as it's COMPLETELY dried out, you're fine

It's when there's still some left on the piece that gets welded that it might be an issue, but if you're really worried set the offending pieces in the sun and breeze for a while they'll be good to go.

Castings can soak it some, but regular steel not really. Make sure of crevices and laps where residue can seep and take a long time to evaporate.

 

[Tig Master]

As long as you used the old fashioned (1-1-1 trichloroethane or perchloroethylene based) cleaner, your good to go after the solvent completely evaporates. If you used the newer brake cleaners that contain small amounts of petroleum distillates, then you may have issues. Check out these two sites:

http://weldingweb.com/showthread.php?t=32501

and

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

All that hype was with old style chlorinated cleaner.ALL the new is non chlorinated I don't think you can buy chlorinated any more.Been that way for some time.

T

 

[Threadkiller]

Thanks for the input guys. I have to check the label when I get home

 

[csargents1546]

One way to be sure that all the residue is gone, preheat it with a torch, just wave it back and forth to boil and burn off any residual brake clean. Also put a fan close by to move fresh air over you.

 

[jeffk14]

All that hype was with old style chlorinated cleaner.ALL the new is non chlorinated I don't think you can buy chlorinated any more.Been that way for some time.

T

Nope, the chlorinated stuff is still available, at least here in GA. I was in Advance today and the chlorinated stuff was right beside the non-chlorinated. Gotta be careful.

 

[TDLMOMOWERS]

We can still get the chlorinated stuff here in Ohio. I won't use anything else. We sell a ton of it at our local NAPA store.

 

[NiteWolf]

here is the link to the MSDS for CRC brakleen.

http://crcindustries.com/auto/?page_id=73

Searchfor product # 05089

The only states you can't get the chlorinated version is California and New Jersey

 

[Threadkiller]

Thanks guys. The one I have is the non chlorinated one. Actually from the site it looks like they only sell 1 version of the chlorinated stuff still and that comes in a red can. This is the one I was using.

http://crcindustries.com/auto/?s=05088

So it looks like from the MSDS (if im reading it correctly) the only hazardous decomposition products are oxides of carbon and hydrocarbons which arent really a terribly big deal correct? Not that Im going to start using it as a pre-welding cleaner or anything but if I got some on my metal and such I should be ok no? I am going to clean it off anyway.