I don't know about those fancy hand cleaners. But for general car dirt and
grease cooking oil (any kind) or baby oil work just fine for me.
You might try it on rosin and see what happens.
Re health effects: it's unlikely that the rosin itself will do anything. Any
additives could be irritating to the skin.
Greg Munie
-----Original Message-----
From: Brian Ellis [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Thursday, April 11, 2002 9:34 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [TN] Hand cleaners
Good question, Jim. Traditionally, most people have used IPA or another
light alcohol for this, followed by a good, strong hand-detergent wash
(in the UK, there used to be a green jelly-like hand detergent which was
very good. It was called Swarfega, but I don't know whether it is still
available or whether it is exported). This is not a very good idea,
except for a VERY occasional accident. Light alcohols goes straight
through the skin like a sieve. Keep your hand in ethanol for 15 minutes
or so and see the increase in a breathalyser test! Do it with methanol
and you risk grave problems (long enough, and the grave may be the
result!). At one time, I used an industrial pink soap which was loaded
with an abrasive, possibly quartz sand. This was popular with garage
mechies as it was good at getting dirty oils and greases off. With
rosin, it worked, but it needed perserverance and a good 10 minutes. The
ladies don't like it, though, as it roughens the hands like no
washing-up liquid does. Similarly, I've sprinkled dishwasher powder onto
my wet, fairy-like mitts and this will both work but just about take the
skin off, as well.
I hesitate to recommend glycol-based products, some of which are quite
good, because the dermal uptake may be bad. However, I feel that a
terpene may be a good answer: they can dissolve rosin and the tricyclic
molecule would probably have difficulty in penetrating the skin to any
significant extent. My first try would therefore be common or garden
artists' turpentine, followed by a good hand-detergent wash. Do NOT use
one of the cheap turpentine substitutes which are based on white
spirits, though.
However, prevention is better than cure. The obvious answer is do not
get rosin on the hands. Gloves act as a preventitive, including those
chuck-away ones made of thin polyethylene. If, for any reason, these
cannot be used, then think about barrier creams (careful not to get any
on assemblies, though!). Analyse where the handling deposits rosin and
eliminate that operation - at least, in a contaminating way.
BTW, I don't think there could possibly be any health hazard associated
with rosin on the skin (normal people) but I agree that it's bloody
uncomfortable :-( After all, the sticky stuff on Band-Aids, Elastoplast,
Sparadrap and so on has a high percentage of rosin in it. Some
individuals do exhibit a cutaneous hypersensitivity reaction to rosin,
but these persons should not be working with the stuff, anyway.
You could always change to a water-soluble flux, as well :-)
Brian
Jim Jenkins wrote:
>
> Hi everyone,
>
> I know this may be a minor concern, but I get a lot of complaints from
> operators that they have nothing that will get rosin flux residue off
their
> hands. Some are very concerned about what the residue is doing to their
> health. Do any of you know of a good hand cleaner (especially one that
> comes in an industrial size dispenser) that removes rosin flux?
>
> Thanks and have fun,
>
> Jim Jenkins
>
>
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