Hydrochloric Acid - cheap source?

[george graves]

I need to get my hand on some cheap Hydrochloric Acid. Prefer 28-35% by volume, around a gallon at a time.

And no, I'm not making something naught, I just need to use it as an etchant for some circuit board I'm making in bulk for an e30 project.

Figured some of you might be in industry/manufacturing and know of a good chemical company that can ground ship something for less $$$ than I can source.

Thanks!!!

[Bimmernaut]

Here ya go.

http://www.chemical.net/cn_store/dept.asp?dept_id=200265

http://www.baddley.com/S/HY560.htm

id recommend the second one, my friend is a Chem student @ tulane, and he works for them. PM ME AND ILL SEE IF I CAN GET DISCOUNT.

[george graves]

Hey thanks a ton for taking the time to send me the links. That is "lab" grade stuff - and about 10 times the price of what I am currently sourcing.

Google was my friend. 32% H-Cl is sold as pool cleaner for washing the walls of empty pools to bring back their whiteness. It has a addiative, I need to find out what that is before I test it.

Nasty, NASTY stuff. One must be careful. The *fumes* alone will eat through metal, and eat out your lungs. If you get it in your eyes - kiss seeing good bye.

I'm making circuit boards - and expect to make a 2-6 dozen at first(20-100)...Guess it's time to make a "vent hood" in my garage. A fan and some sheet metal should do the trick.

Now, if I can only find something that is cheap to neturalize the remaining H-Cl...hmmmm...Rock? Something with some Calicum in it? Time to break out the chem 101 book. (oh I know - BLEACH!!!! - kidding - dont' try that at home - You will die)...


Thanks!

[Kruzen]

Hey thanks a ton for taking the time to send me the links. That is "lab" grade stuff - and about 10 times the price of what I am currently sourcing.

Google was my friend. 32% H-Cl is sold as pool cleaner for washing the walls of empty pools to bring back their whiteness. It has a addiative, I need to find out what that is before I test it.

Nasty, NASTY stuff. One must be careful. The *fumes* alone will eat through metal, and eat out your lungs. If you get it in your eyes - kiss seeing good bye.

I'm making circuit boards - and expect to make a 2-6 dozen at first(20-100)...Guess it's time to make a "vent hood" in my garage. A fan and some sheet metal should do the trick.

Now, if I can only find something that is cheap to neturalize the remaining H-Cl...hmmmm...Rock? Something with some Calicum in it? Time to break out the chem 101 book. (oh I know - BLEACH!!!! - kidding - dont' try that at home - You will die)...


Thanks!

Sodium Hydroxide (NaOH) is a base for H-Cl, makes salt + water

[devonjordan]

^^^^ Agreed

[Garageaholic]

your stomach

[cactusjacks1]

When your done, wash them in a Lemon Joy/water solution.
This prevents the microscopic deposits from forming & causing shorts. Old circuit board mgr. trick - rejects move to almost 0% by doing this. Can't explain the chemical reaction
but the process is used by a lot of board makers here in SO CA.

Jack

[CarsSuck]

Nasty, NASTY stuff. One must be careful. The *fumes* alone will eat through metal, and eat out your lungs. If you get it in your eyes - kiss seeing good bye.

I'm making circuit boards - and expect to make a 2-6 dozen at first(20-100)...Guess it's time to make a "vent hood" in my garage. A fan and some sheet metal should do the trick.

Now, if I can only find something that is cheap to neturalize the remaining H-Cl...hmmmm...Rock? Something with some Calicum in it? Time to break out the chem 101 book. (oh I know - BLEACH!!!! - kidding - dont' try that at home - You will die)...

Thanks!

Please, get a real respirator.

[Kruzen]

Please, get a real respirator.

A resperator plus a home made fume hood is his best bet, also if he can rig up a negative air environment that the fume hood vents into he'll be all set.

[george graves]

Thanks guys for the advice. I have manfacturing experence - but 99% of people don't make their own PCB's.

I know I sounded a bit "flip" about working with this stuff. Trust me I am not.

I believe I will be going with "Muriatic Acid" - it's 28-35% HCl. Generally used to wash down the walls of swimming pools.

The solution I intend to use is from the "king of small run PCB boards":

I've found a new formula for a etchant that I really, really like. It's made by adding 1 part Muriatic Acid (28% Hydrochloric Acid) to 2 parts Hydrogen Peroxide (3%)

Caution: The concentrated acid's fumes would be very bad to breathe, or to have around metallic items. And the acid would be very bad to get onto anything that's not plastic.

I'm planning on using a bathroom fan type of fixture if it will pull enough CFM's - with some dryer vent to make the connection from inside to out.

With that I don't *expect* to need a respirator unless some on really thinks so.

I'll be building a "tank" with a aquarium "air" pump to bubble/aggatiate the solution as well, and I think I might add a drain to the bottom of the tank for easy draining.

I do need to find a way to know when the solution is in a safe Ph range. And a cheap source of base that is not too strong to cause a strong reaction.

Another problem is finding out if I can just dump the by-product (loaded with copper in solution) or do I need to take it to the haz mat. (YEAYEA YEA... I *could* pull the copper out of solution with a small current, but that would take forever - too large of a curent would seperate the H`2O)

Advice welcome!

[e304me]

what are you making?

[LivingLegend06]

In chemistry lab we always neutralize with NaOH and just pour it down the drain, for home applications couldnt you just use baking soda? I also dont think hydrochloric acid is not as bad as your making it out to be, your not going to need a respirator. I had a technology class back in high school where I did some etching on circuit boards and all we had to do to handly the "etching solution" was simply wear rubber gloves, no vent hoods, no respirators.

[george graves]

off to sleep - but 30% Hcl, will eat your skin off..And eat your leg off if spilled.

[smooth]

Why do you need it so concentrated?
Something near half that should do what you want and be a lot safer.

[Jscotty]

Why do you need it so concentrated?
Something near half that should do what you want and be a lot safer.

I agree. This kind of reminds me of the guy I saw at the sporting goods counter at walmart- He asked for a gun, a box of ammo and a ski mask.. and he had a nervous twitch. He said he was going deer hunting but it was bow and arrow season.