(Topic ID: 124366)

EM Tech: What do you use to clean your circuit boards?

By RyanClaytor

8 years ago


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    Topic poll

    “What do you use to clean your circuit boards?”

    • Green Scotch Brite Pad 7 votes
      32%
    • Brasso 7 votes
      32%
    • Other Abrasive 3 votes
      14%
    • Other Chemical 4 votes
      18%
    • Other (My method not listed above) 1 vote
      5%

    (22 votes)

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    #1 8 years ago

    Hi EM Guys,

    I'm new to the world of EM Tech and have been cleaning some score reels recently.

    Before:
    circuitboard.jpgcircuitboard.jpg

    After:
    unnamed.jpgunnamed.jpg

    While this comparison looked good to my untrained eyes, the use of an abrasive to clean the board brought up some discussion in a recent restore thread of mine.

    https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/williams-swinger-restoration-and-eventual-retheme

    Basically, should an abrasive be used to clean EM circuit boards or not? I tried a clean pad and found this...

    circuitboardDust.jpgcircuitboardDust.jpg

    ...what looks to be a copper-y residue, likely taking off some of the traces. A product called "Brasso" was recommended to me. I haven't tried it yet. I'm curious if any of you more experienced EM Techs have any experience/preference with your cleaning methods/products.

    - Is there any risk of fire with using a chemical like Brasso?
    - Is there a big risk of destroying the circuit boards with an abrasive like green Scotch Brite pads?
    - ...and what do you use?

    I'm just trying to learn as I go and do the right thing by the machine I'm working on.

    Thanks for your time,
    Ryan Claytor
    Elephant Eater Comics
    www.ElephantEater.com

    #12 8 years ago

    First of all, thanks a bunch for chiming in, guys. I really appreciate it.

    Then,

    Quoted from boilerman:

    I use 1500 grit

    Quoted from MrBally:

    150 or slightly higher # sandpaper

    Mr Bally, I'm guessing you meant 1500? 150 sounds pretty coarse, but again, I'm new to this.

    Also, a lot of people have mentioned:

    Quoted from KenLayton:

    I use a thin coat of Super Lube

    Quoted from EM-PINMAN:

    thin coat of Super Lube Teflon Grease

    Quoted from MikeO:

    apply some Superlube afterward

    ...but does anyone use 3 in 1 oil or have opinions on the product?

    3in1.jpg3in1.jpg

    I've been using it to coat the traces after abrasion.

    Finally,

    Quoted from MrBally:

    If cfh is reading this, then I use WD-40; sprayed all over everything, including the numbers on the score reels

    I may be new to EM Tech, but I know enough to know...that's hilarious.

    Looking forward to more feedback,
    Ryan Claytor
    Elephant Eater Comics
    http://www.ElephantEater.com

    #18 8 years ago

    Just out of curiosity, is this the stuff I should be looking for?

    superlube.jpgsuperlube.jpg
    #22 8 years ago
    Quoted from KenLayton:

    Yup, that's the stuff.

    Consensus!

    Thanks, guys.

    Quoted from MikeO:

    I find it at Harbor Freight.

    I'll swing by before work this morning. Thanks for your help!

    Sincerely,
    Ryan Claytor
    Elephant Eater Comics
    http://www.ElephantEater.com

    #23 8 years ago

    I picked up ye olde Super Lube today and used it on another score reel circuit board I cleaned today. It's...weird. It's like...the consistency of Vaseline. Much thicker than the 3 in 1 oil I've been using. I put some on my finger and it felt kind of sticky. Supposedly dust is not supposed to stick to it, right? But it has a consistency of something that dust would stick to.

    Any thoughts or words to assuage my fears?

    Thanks, guys!
    Ryan

    #26 8 years ago
    Quoted from ccotenj:

    sure... ALL of us use it... i can understand your fear on it, it does have the consistency of vaseline... but it works, and doesn't gum up like the old lube they used to use...
    remember... all you need/want is a LIGHT coating... like the old brylcreem ad... "a little dab will do you"...

    Thanks for the reassurance, Chris. Much appreciated.

    #32 8 years ago

    I tried-out some Super Lube on a score reel circuit board from my Williams Swinger.

    superlube.jpgsuperlube.jpg

    ...and thought I'd post some pictures to make sure I'm doing this right.

    circuitBoardF.jpgcircuitBoardF.jpg

    I've been told to use this sparingly.

    circuitBoardG.jpgcircuitBoardG.jpgcircuitBoardH.jpgcircuitBoardH.jpgcircuitBoardI.jpgcircuitBoardI.jpgcircuitBoardJ.jpgcircuitBoardJ.jpg

    Here it is completely lubed:

    circuitBoardK.jpgcircuitBoardK.jpg

    In some angles it looks a little goopy...

    circuitBoardL.jpgcircuitBoardL.jpg

    ...but it's spread on pretty thin:

    circuitBoardM.jpgcircuitBoardM.jpg

    Thoughts?

    #36 8 years ago

    Uh-oh! You're right. The pictures did not upload. Strange. Until I can edit the post above, you can see the referenced photos here (about 1/2 way down this post):

    https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/williams-swinger-restoration-and-eventual-retheme#post-2387597

    #40 8 years ago

    Great, thanks. I'll update with the new finger technique.

    In the meantime, previous post was edited to include pictures.

    #52 8 years ago
    Quoted from RyanClaytor:

    I'll update with the new finger technique.

    Here we go. I was told...

    Quoted from ccotenj:

    remember... just a TAD... a bb sized amount is MORE than enough...

    ...so...

    IMG_4664.JPGIMG_4664.JPG

    ...and...

    IMG_4655.JPGIMG_4655.JPGIMG_4656.JPGIMG_4656.JPG

    ...thusly...

    IMG_4661.JPGIMG_4661.JPGIMG_4659.JPGIMG_4659.JPGIMG_4658.JPGIMG_4658.JPG

    Does this look reasonable?

    Thanks again for your help, guys!
    Ryan Claytor
    Elephant Eater Comics
    www.ElephantEater.com

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