Arctic Silver's site says that you should use acetone or 99% isopropyl alcohol ("a xylene based cleaner, (Goof Off and some carburetor cleaners) acetone, MEK, mineral spirits, or 99% pure isopropyl alcohol"). I went looking for these, and the acetone I found was only sold in quarts(I really don't want to have to worry about disposal), and the most pure isopropyl alcohol I could find was 91%. Where can I find high purity isopropyl alcohol or smaller amounts of acetone, or is 91% pure enough?
Where to find acetone, isopropyl alcohol?
- Thread starter Clopedion
- Start date
You should be able to find acetone/nail polish remover at any drug store type place. If isopropyl alcohol is the same stuff as rubbing alcohol you should also be able to get that anywhere...
And if you're trying to remove Arctic Silver from your CPU, heatsink, hands, feet, cat, etc.
try things like Palmolive or Joy or any kind of liquid dish soap. That stuff worked wonders when trying to remove some arctic silver that I'd accidentally smeared all over important conductive parts of one of my Durons. Then use the alcohol to remove the soap residue and you're set.
Gaidin
And if you're trying to remove Arctic Silver from your CPU, heatsink, hands, feet, cat, etc.
try things like Palmolive or Joy or any kind of liquid dish soap. That stuff worked wonders when trying to remove some arctic silver that I'd accidentally smeared all over important conductive parts of one of my Durons. Then use the alcohol to remove the soap residue and you're set.Gaidin
I saw the nail polish remover, but all of it had scents and proteins for nail care and random other things in it, and yes, isopropyl alcohol is rubbing alcohol, but the highest purity I found was 91%, while the Arctic Silver site recommends 99%.
I don't expect to have too many problems getting it off of myself; it's the Arctic Alumina stuff, so in theory, easier to remove.
I don't expect to have too many problems getting it off of myself; it's the Arctic Alumina stuff, so in theory, easier to remove.
SpeedTester
Senior member
- Mar 18, 2001
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Huh. Okay; it's easier to find now that I know to search for electronics grade. I suppose my real question is whether it's necessary or not; I don't really want to pay $10 to get it shipped to me: that's a good fraction of what I paid for the heatsink.
juat buy the stuff you saw with the proteins in it.( making sure its not gel) Then after using the nail polish remover just wash the surface with the alcohol that you can get a happy harrys.
All you need to clean ASTC or AATC from a heatsink or anyother surface is Goof Off! (xylene, available at most hardware stores for ~$3) and IPA (preferably 91%, but 70% will do). Nevin (owner of AS) recommends Xylene for cleaning A word of caution with Xylene: it is a very strong solvent and you'll need to wear latex gloves when handling it... i got lazy once and it made the skin on my fingertips peel for about a week :Q:frown:
A word of caution with Xylene: it is a very strong solvent and you'll need to wear latex gloves when handling it... i got lazy once and it made the skin on my fingertips peel for about a week :Q:frown:I don't need to get thermal compund off; my previous heatsink used a thermal pad, and I want to prep the cpu for a new heatsink.
In that case, this would be your best bet: http://www.virtual-hideout.net/articles/sk6_lapping/index.shtml
mechBgon
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- Oct 31, 1999
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Since the balance of the isopropyl alcohol is going to be water, I don't see why you would have to use any particular strength of it. 70%, 90%, whatever. The remaining 10% to 30% of water is not going to do any harm, it will evaporate too. Go to the grocery store and spend 79c for whatever they have.
Edit: oh, and what I came in here to say in the first place: Acetone is very bad for you. Along with xylene, toluene and benzene, it is a chemical to be avoided. It is carcinogenic and mutinogenic. This warning is usually ignored or shrugged off here on the Forums... but if you have some common sense, stick with the isopropyl alcohol (says the person with 3+ years of ChemE classes behind him).
Edit: oh, and what I came in here to say in the first place: Acetone is very bad for you. Along with xylene, toluene and benzene, it is a chemical to be avoided. It is carcinogenic and mutinogenic. This warning is usually ignored or shrugged off here on the Forums... but if you have some common sense, stick with the isopropyl alcohol (says the person with 3+ years of ChemE classes behind him).
meh.. something like this?
Just letting you know 99% IPA does exist on store shelves.
<< Since the balance of the isopropyl alcohol is going to be water, I don't see why you would have to use any particular strength of it. 70%, 90%, whatever. The remaining 10% to 30% of water is not going to do any harm, it will evaporate too. Go to the grocery store and spend 79c for whatever they have.
Edit: oh, and what I came in here to say in the first place: Acetone is very bad for you. Along with xylene, toluene and benzene, it is a chemical to be avoided. It is carcinogenic and mutinogenic. This warning is usually ignored or shrugged off here on the Forums... but if you have some common sense, stick with the isopropyl alcohol (says the person with 3+ years of ChemE classes behind him). >>
The remaining 30% or 10% of water will in fact SIGNIFICANTLY reduce the solvency of alcohol. 99% IPA is miscible in oil, 70% will separate.
Acetone isn't actually that bad for you. Xylene(dimethyl benzene) and Toluene(methyl benzene) are carcinogenic, but isn't as bad as benzene. Benzene is known to damage your bone marrow.
Just letting you know 99% IPA does exist on store shelves.
<< Since the balance of the isopropyl alcohol is going to be water, I don't see why you would have to use any particular strength of it. 70%, 90%, whatever. The remaining 10% to 30% of water is not going to do any harm, it will evaporate too. Go to the grocery store and spend 79c for whatever they have.
Edit: oh, and what I came in here to say in the first place: Acetone is very bad for you. Along with xylene, toluene and benzene, it is a chemical to be avoided. It is carcinogenic and mutinogenic. This warning is usually ignored or shrugged off here on the Forums... but if you have some common sense, stick with the isopropyl alcohol (says the person with 3+ years of ChemE classes behind him). >>
The remaining 30% or 10% of water will in fact SIGNIFICANTLY reduce the solvency of alcohol. 99% IPA is miscible in oil, 70% will separate.
Acetone isn't actually that bad for you. Xylene(dimethyl benzene) and Toluene(methyl benzene) are carcinogenic, but isn't as bad as benzene. Benzene is known to damage your bone marrow.
mechBgon
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- Oct 31, 1999
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Acetone ate through my nitrile chemical gloves, that's pretty aggressive stuff... nothing else I've worked with has done that. :Q I had to switch to heavy neoprene gloves for the task I was working on (removing gasket material from my engine block).
<< Acetone ate through my nitrile chemical gloves, that's pretty aggressive stuff... nothing else I've worked with has done that. :Q I had to switch to heavy neoprene gloves for the task I was working on (removing gasket material from my engine block). >>
Our skin is not synthetic polymer and just because something is harsh on plastic and rubber doesn't mean its bad for us. Acetone is used all the time on women in salon for nail works. Something safe for us maybe bad for something else. Urine is corrosive to steel. Potassium cyanide is safe on most plastic but corrosive to gold and violent poison to most all lifes.
Xylene IS dangerous, but as long as you don't inhale a lot of it or touch it directly, you should be fine. The difference between the solvent power of xylene and IPA is very large. Xylene makes life a heck of a lot easier and doesnt leave any nasty residues
Where'd you find the IPA for the picture, Jerboy? I tried K-Mart, Radio Shack, the local supermarket, and the local pharmacy, but didn't find any? The cheapest I've found it online is $8, including shipping, but then you're paying $3 for the IPA and $5 for the shipping.
Nor did I find any xylene-based cleaners; I remember vaguely a place that sold Goof Off, and I'll check there tomorrow, but only vaguely. I'd sort of prefer the IPA, since really, all I'm trying to do here is make my computer quieter, and I never thought that it would involve highly toxic chemicals and latex gloves.
Nor did I find any xylene-based cleaners; I remember vaguely a place that sold Goof Off, and I'll check there tomorrow, but only vaguely. I'd sort of prefer the IPA, since really, all I'm trying to do here is make my computer quieter, and I never thought that it would involve highly toxic chemicals and latex gloves.
mechBgon
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Hehe, latex gloves would probably disintegrate immediately upon exposure to acetone, benzene, zylene or toluene. However, I think Jerboy is right, after looking at the EPA's current information on acetone. It is not recognized as a carcinogenic chemical... my mistake! It does list some other possible issues, such as damage to your eyes, so try to provide good ventilation and wear some type of eye protection to protect from an unforseen splash or spill.
For the record, I did rub some Arctic Silver II into a chip on my old Voodoo 2 card and then removed it with 70% isopropyl alcohol. It took a couple of minutes of rubbing. If your goal is to remove Arctic Silver II from your CPU's substrate, it should be adequate. If you're trying to remove the "bubble-gum" material that many heatsinks come with, I don't know if alcohol is going to work. Acetone ought to do the job. Good luck with your project!
It does list some other possible issues, such as damage to your eyes, so try to provide good ventilation and wear some type of eye protection to protect from an unforseen splash or spill.For the record, I did rub some Arctic Silver II into a chip on my old Voodoo 2 card and then removed it with 70% isopropyl alcohol. It took a couple of minutes of rubbing. If your goal is to remove Arctic Silver II from your CPU's substrate, it should be adequate. If you're trying to remove the "bubble-gum" material that many heatsinks come with, I don't know if alcohol is going to work. Acetone ought to do the job. Good luck with your project!
<< all I'm trying to do here is make my computer quieter, and I never thought that it would involve highly toxic chemicals and latex gloves. >>
How do you make your computer quieter while prepping for AS2? Please let me know!
Goof Off is not 100% xylene, so it is not as dangerous. I use "xylene" and "Goof Off" interchangeably, since you probably cannot get pure Xylene very easily and the easiest way you can get it is within Goof Off
I've used latex gloves with goof off before without incident
Bought some Safeway Brand 99% Isopropyl Alcohol for $.99 at my local Safeway just yesterday.. they also had acetone but I didn't need any..
<< Where'd you find the IPA for the picture, Jerboy? >>
Supermarket
<<
I tried K-Mart, Radio Shack, the local supermarket, and the local pharmacy, but didn't find any? The cheapest I've found it online is $8, including shipping, but then you're paying $3 for the IPA and $5 for the shipping. >>
Well don't bother buying it for this cause. Use paint thinner or lacquer thinner.
<<
Nor did I find any xylene-based cleaners; I remember vaguely a place that sold Goof Off, and I'll check there tomorrow, but only vaguely. I'd sort of prefer the IPA, since really, all I'm trying to do here is make my computer quieter, and I never thought that it would involve highly toxic chemicals and latex gloves. >>
Get $2 brake cleaner from supermarket. It works real well, better yet borrow from your neighbor.
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