Read this!!!!!!!!!!!!! Safety warning

I always start my shop furnace with the stuff! No wonder I'm fucked up.....

 

WD40 will have the same effect the only thing you should use to clean steel for welding is alcohol it dosn't leave any residue or soap an water does a pretty go job too.

 

Other blends as well, not just R-12.

 

Just read the warning label on the back of a CRC Brakleen can. I states that if burned, it can decompose to harmful or fatal corrosive gases such as hydrogen chloride and possibly phosgene.
We don't allow non-chlorinated brake parts cleaner in our shop because of the fire hazard. Acetone and tolulene (sp) are two of the primary ingredients---nail polish remover and the distinct smell in real model glue. I've had shop towels catch fire because the fumes traveled to where a spark landed while I was welding.
The aqueous parts cleaner tanks I have been around so far are good for washing dishes, not cleaning dirty parts when you're in a hurry. You're just as well off using a water hose and a wire brush.
Bottom line, knowledge and safety will get you through the day.

 

Very much appreciate the post!!!

 

Thanks for the heads up. I am going to check all my cleaners tonight.

bttt.

 

It is one of the reasons I am in the shape I am in, thanks to this I now know why. I used brake cleaner for everything, including welding exhausts where you are really in a hurry. I have lung and neurological problems along with being legally blind and have had multiple TIA strokes.

Use rubbing alcohol. Seriously. I doubt I'll make it to 60 years, lucky if I make it to 50. I am in excruciating pain all of the time, and along with PTSD and chronic major depresssion I am pretty much as useless as a third tit on a boar hog. I do what I can, but I have to take frequent breaks. I can't take a full breath with out a hitch in it or a coughing fit. I had to have a cardio stress test last year and I couldn't even get stress on my heart before I ran out of air.

Take this shit seriously!

 

That's the truth, cant expect a bloated bueraucrat or lobbiest to keep us safe. Remember back when everyone smoked, faxed chain letters told us about the dangers of welding with butane lighters in our pockets. Guess that's another thing computers are good for...

 

Thank you for your post Bill, should help others think twice about using this stuff.

 

We went to a non-chlorinated brake cleaner in our truck shop (made by Johnsen's and available from Interstate Battery) and it works better than the old type. It has warnings (like everything else), but poisonous gas creation isn't one of them.

 

We use aerosolve 2 at work, it doesn't do this and is a very good cleaner. no residue at all. Zep makes it, you can use non clorinated brake cleaner,thats why they came out with it,to prevent this from happening.

 

http://www.superkleendirect.com/zepaerosolveii.aspx

 

Loctite makes a good non clorinated cleaner that works good but it is smelly, time is the only true test of any product. Science is a moving window of knowledge and what is good today maybe no so good tomorrow.Reading MSDS is enough to scare one away from using anything but water. I have worked with flurocarbons for 32 years and I can say that we work a lot smarter today mostly due to legislation. The standing joke in my trade, is the old cats that used to smoke while working with Ref. And watching the green flame on the end of their cig, its the laws that smartened them up...

 

I tried the link in the original post and couldn't get to it.

Any other way to see it?

We use BrakeKleen where I work and I'm on the safety team and would like some details.

Thanks,
wrench

 

I started this thread with a cut & paste, that maxed out my computer abilities, I'm sure there is someone that can post a direct link or printout.

 

damn you should be required to read this before buying brake cleaner

i use that stuff to clean everything im gonna really watch what i do know

thanks to the op

 

Post #3 in this thread has an attachment that can be printed.

 

This should really be a sticky. I'm new to the HAMB, but one thing I have learned so far from all of you is to "build and drive what you want, but make it safe". However, I rarely see posts about how to BUILD safely. When you think about it. Many of our garages probably have more chemicals oozing and floating around than a crystal meth drug house. Watch out for your kids, pets, family, friends, and the environment. Properly vent your garage when working (yes, even your home garage), lock up all your toxic shit in a metal cabinet so your 4 year old doesn't drink stuff, properly dispose of all those cans of leftover crap you have laying around "just in case", and for the love of god, NEVER work with children or pets present. I think the HAMB should post a quartly "spring cleaning" message with a reminder to work safely, and make the work environment safe. I recently sandblasted and painted some headers with VHT paint and prior to doing so I cleaned them with some carb cleaner. After painting and dry time, I mounted the headers and fired up the car. Almost instantly the paint began to blister and boil on the headers. This is 1200 degree header paint so I can only imagine the nasty stuff boiling the paint was leftover carb cleaner residue underneath the paint. Not as bad a break cleaner, but vapors of any kind can be bad. Be safe out there.

 

Thanks for sharing this,Who knows how many lives it will save!

 

The linky on post #1 works, just very slow & I'm on cable. Reminds me of the time a guy decided bleach & ammonia would make a dadny cleaner! Creats clorine gas!

 

Makes sniffing the old model glue seem downright safe, doesn't it?

READ the labels! That is what they are there for! My wife appreciates my near-paranoia in the shop when it comes to cleaners, paints and solvents; not to mention goggles, jackstands, and wheel chocks! It's all about being safe and getting the job completed

It's like the old saying "I know car painters, and I know old guys, but I know very few car painters that are old!"

 

I used to use brakleen on tanks before welding, not any more. Thanks!!! Good post!!

Ain't that the truth!!
What really got me to use my respirator for almost everything, I have a buddy I used to work with that was acid washing an equipment tank we were to por15. He got a good wiff of the stuff and has had a cough ever since. That was at least 3 years ago.

 

Btt - thanks!!!!

 

This dropped to page 6, I'm bringing up top again.

 

We had an instance where one of the guys in the shop grabbed the can of brake cleaner that was right next to his can of carb cleaner-he sprayed it into the carb of the car he was working on and the next thing you knew nobody could breathe good-I pulled a guy out from under a car replacing a trans-got out of the shop we all had snot oozing out,eyes burning bad-note to self do not use b rake cleaner in placve of carb cleaner EVER

 

I don't think you can be too careful about this.

 

I've passed this info on to a lot of friends the past two days...None had a clue about the dangers of this stuff.....until now.
I really think this should stay on the first page if it isn't going to get a sticky.......Spreading this information could save a life.
Back up..

Tony

 

Wow, this is now posted at work!! Amazing what we take for granted?

 

Not sure if I missed it, or its not known/posted yet, but, acorrding to a bit of research I just did, actually, its not even chemically similar to Mustard gas...which causes burns.
It appears to be actually, much worse!
And it was utilized as a chemical weapon, as well as still used as a re-agent in a lot of manufacturing today.

Or so says the interwebulator...

 

Phosgene gas IS mustard gas.