On tue, 5 aug 2008 20:11:33 +0200, "e. w."
wrote:


trichloroethelene and carbon tetrachloride work well for
machining aluminum.
Hi
when I started metalwork in the 70s the apprentices job was to wash down

soot and oil from sections of profiles.There was a old oildrum in the
backyard with
a sheetmetal lid on, filled with trichloroethelene -"tri" it was called
and a common
thing to use. No fire hazard, and it can solve incredible amounts of
oil and
grease. It leaves the skin white and dry. Somehow everybody knew it´s
not the
proper way to do it, but it worked well. I´m glad those days are gone!
What stopped the use was this interesting effect: put tri near the
bright light of
your welders arc, and it develops Phosgen.
It does that going through the gas fired oven in the lab. trailer,
makes a cigarette taste like ****, this effect lasts for about eight
hours - nearly enough to make you quit smoking! I'm probably lucky to
have survived. Also works great as a paint stripper.

That´s a WW1 chemical weapon
and you dont want it in your workshop. Many years later Tri got
restricted to heavily
monitored closed systhems for de-greasing in powdercoating etc
Saying the stuff works well sounds like advocating the use of mercury
in
silver-plating (or making hats)
mad as a hatter
ed wolf

Gerry :-)}
London, Canada