As a non-welder can someone expand on the absolutely no brakleen to clean the area.
this product creates phosgene gas. similar to mustard gas. when inhaled, it removes oxygen and you die. there are numerous documented death cases as well as some very close near misses, some of which survived only to have severe brain damage. a very dangerous product to use for cleaning anything you will weld on. the newer labels on the can state to not use the product for this purpose due to just this reason.
My experience was, IMO much more dramatic. I knew the cautions, not sure if they ever presented themselves, welded for 4+ decades, I seldom used brake cleaner for pre weld cleaning. However, I had a 4"? crack in the tongue area of my Alum Featerlite that needed tigging. It was not possible to fully v groove from both sides. The crack was nearly a year old. I wire brushed w/SS, I v grooved, I lacquer thinned, and lastly, I thought a shot of brake cleaner might blow out of the crack of anything I had missed. Hours later, in 85F, in Florida sun, outside, in moving air, I tigged the crack. Hour? later, for 24? hours, I thought my chest was in a vise, breathing was difficult. Never again. There was no discernible odor. I suspect the cleaner reacts/or leaves a dried residue, that the intense welding UV reacts with.
