How does everyone get excess flux off of boards?

[Wales]

 Personally my method is to take a spray bottel of rubbing alcohol and spray the back of the board and then work it over with a toothbrush. I reapeat this one more time and then rub it dry with a paper towel. As you can assume the paper towel gets shredded and stuck on some of the pins, so I then go over it with a different toothbrush that's dry and it easily removes the paper towel. Is there a better way? Is what I am doing bad for some of the parts? Is there a special flux removing chemical?

[Processaurus]

 Miller-Stephenson  "Cleaning Solvent and Flux Remover" MS-195/CO2.

[Mark Hammer]

Methyl hydrate.  Works much better at dissolving the flux than regular rubbing alcohol and doesn't stink nearly as much.

[bbmonster]

The tutorial at http://www.tangentsoft.net/elec/movies/tt05.html mentions 190 proof Everclear, but I think Everclear is best used for drinking than cleaning.

[davent]

Once it's cooled and hardened i pop off with a dental pick. Really doesn't take very long unless you've really gummed things up, oozing flux all over, ie. when i tried doing a SMD board. Also works great on eyelets and solder lugs.



dave

[biggy boy]

bbmonster
That was a good video! Thanks
Does anyone use clear lacquer on the boards once there done, to prevent corrosion?
I've done this a bunch of time but not all the time. I use the spraycan type.

Glen

[Wales]

Cool tutorial, I like that. I was wondering if the cost to effectiveness ratio of commercial cleaning solvents was worth it, tutorial answered that. I like that I am able to go the dollar store and grab isopropyl alcohol for a buck. This is just a hobby for me so I don't want get reliant on expensive products, but it would be nice to have a can of the other around for those hard to reach area's.

Clear lacquer I like it. Have you ever had problems with it conducting? I assume it wouldn't but I hot glued the back of a millennium board once and got a LED that works on its own schedule.

[davent]

I tried some Testors Candy Green Model Laquer once. You can spray it on before you solder and it melts away when you apply the hot iron. Makes the board look like it has a solder mask.
dave

[Ice-9]

Simple, cotton bud soacked in anything , thinners ,upvc cleanear , nail varnish remover, the list goes on. Basically  any solvent Will do it.

[alanlan]

Get a cheap 1/2" bristle paint brush and cut it right down with a pair of scissors.  This makes for a really stiff brush.  I use IPA.  Comes off a treat.

[biggy boy]

Clear lacquer I like it. Have you ever had problems with it conducting? I assume it wouldn't but I hot glued the back of a millennium board once and got a LED that works on its own schedule.

No hassent conducted yet.
I Put it on once all of the components are on and I have tested the board to make sure it works.
I have used it were I needed to replace a part and were you need to re-solder it just burns of the lacquer.

[igor12]

Ultrasonic cleaner from harbour freight. Works great. Make sure it is an ultrasonic and not ultasound.

[ayayay!]

I use Flux Off

http://www.wassco.com/Departments/Cleaning-Products-and-Equipment/Chemtronics/Chemtronics-Flux-off.aspx

[Paul Marossy]

That's a great idea! Looks good, too. I have used alcohol to spot clean circuitboards, but I generally don't clean the whole thing.

I tried some Testors Candy Green Model Laquer once. You can spray it on before you solder and it melts away when you apply the hot iron. Makes the board look like it has a solder mask.
dave