The item that really made a huge difference for me was getting a cheap jewelry type ultrasonic cleaner from a second hand store. One caveat, it wasn't made for use with alcohol. A clear plastic lid reacted chemically and is nasty so I removed it, but otherwise it works great. The basin is stainless steel so it's easy to keep clean. It's also large enough for boards up to 150mm X 150mm. I keep 2 containers of alcohol for use in it, one marked dirty, one clean. I usually try to filter the dirty one through a coffee filter when adding it back into the basin. I only use the clean solution for the final cleaning. The machine I have has a few timer settings for up to 480 seconds of ultrasonic cleaning. The default is 180 seconds and honestly that gets most boards clean. About halfway through a cleaning cycle I use a paint brush over the board to dislodge anything stubborn. I don't stop the timer or anything. I just quickly brush the whole board and set it back in the basin to finish. I only use cheap 91% isopropyl alcohol from a local pharmacy. It's worked great since acquiring the ultrasonic cleaner. I have been using the Chinese knockoff Amtech 559 UV flux, and MG Chem "No Clean" solder, and these 2 clean up well in my setup. I also use a *LOT* of flux most of the time. Perhaps I'll try this 99% stuff one day if the 91% stuff fails me. For my brushes I use the cheapest bristled paint brushes I can find locally. Then I cut the bristles at somewhere around 1/2 inch long. This makes them easier to control and force in between tight spaces. I also have a cheap alcohol pump top container thingy. I didn't know there are 2 types of heads though. I just got mine from AliEx for $2. I don't think it's the "purity" type. It gets clogged if it sits for more than a day without use. There is a little ball bearing visible inside the dispenser mechanism. If I use a needle pick to poke around at this ball bearing it will start working again. Of course that is, if banging on it caveman style doesn't solve the issue. I got lucky and picked up the Hairier ultrasonic cleaner (yeah the company that makes air conditioners) from a thrift store for $5. It works so well, I must say, even buying one at retail price is well worth the investment. The only additional tool for my cleaning setup that I'm looking for is a cheap source of compressed air that can be made quiet. Thanks for the upload. -Jake
Yes I have been thinking and looking at a couple of those myself. I also use a cheap brush that I have cut the bristles short to make the bristles a little bit more stiff to scrub flux off. The Menda pump is a little bit expensive but seems to be holding up and works well. The coffee filter is a good idea. I'll keep that in mind for when I buy my cleaner.
The item that really made a huge difference for me was getting a cheap jewelry type ultrasonic cleaner from a second hand store. One caveat, it wasn't made for use with alcohol. A clear plastic lid reacted chemically and is nasty so I removed it, but otherwise it works great. The basin is stainless steel so it's easy to keep clean. It's also large enough for boards up to 150mm X 150mm. I keep 2 containers of alcohol for use in it, one marked dirty, one clean. I usually try to filter the dirty one through a coffee filter when adding it back into the basin. I only use the clean solution for the final cleaning.
The machine I have has a few timer settings for up to 480 seconds of ultrasonic cleaning. The default is 180 seconds and honestly that gets most boards clean.
About halfway through a cleaning cycle I use a paint brush over the board to dislodge anything stubborn. I don't stop the timer or anything. I just quickly brush the whole board and set it back in the basin to finish.
I only use cheap 91% isopropyl alcohol from a local pharmacy. It's worked great since acquiring the ultrasonic cleaner. I have been using the Chinese knockoff Amtech 559 UV flux, and MG Chem "No Clean" solder, and these 2 clean up well in my setup. I also use a *LOT* of flux most of the time. Perhaps I'll try this 99% stuff one day if the 91% stuff fails me.
For my brushes I use the cheapest bristled paint brushes I can find locally. Then I cut the bristles at somewhere around 1/2 inch long. This makes them easier to control and force in between tight spaces.
I also have a cheap alcohol pump top container thingy. I didn't know there are 2 types of heads though. I just got mine from AliEx for $2. I don't think it's the "purity" type. It gets clogged if it sits for more than a day without use. There is a little ball bearing visible inside the dispenser mechanism. If I use a needle pick to poke around at this ball bearing it will start working again. Of course that is, if banging on it caveman style doesn't solve the issue.
I got lucky and picked up the Hairier ultrasonic cleaner (yeah the company that makes air conditioners) from a thrift store for $5. It works so well, I must say, even buying one at retail price is well worth the investment.
The only additional tool for my cleaning setup that I'm looking for is a cheap source of compressed air that can be made quiet.
Thanks for the upload.
-Jake
Yes I have been thinking and looking at a couple of those myself. I also use a cheap brush that I have cut the bristles short to make the bristles a little bit more stiff to scrub flux off. The Menda pump is a little bit expensive but seems to be holding up and works well. The coffee filter is a good idea. I'll keep that in mind for when I buy my cleaner.