Substitute for TSP - trisodium phosphate

       i've heard about a successful substitute for tsp
(trisodium phosphate) but without the phosphate. phosphates are
bad for the environment/water, etc. does anyone have experience
with this other product? 

There are several versions of a substitute for TSP sold for it’s
most common use, as a cleaning agent. If memory serves, I seem
to recall sodium silicate or something of the sort. These
substitutes work just fine when used as cleaning agents. but the
phosphate content is required in the use of TSP we need here, the
production of Prips flux. You can use Monosodium Phosphate,
DiSodium Phosphate, or Trisodium Phosphate interchangeably in the
prips recipe. but it should be one of these. Trisodium
Phosphate, or TSP, is the most common and easiest to obtain, so
it’s usually what’s listed. But even in areas where the sale of
TSP as a common cleaner is prohibited, it certainly will be
available from any reasonable chemicals supply house, which of
course will take a bit more work to locate and buy from than your
local hardware store. But it’s not like the stuff is
particularly dangerous. It’s somewhat caustic, and can irritate
or mildly burn sensative skin, just like any strong alkaline
cleaner. But the main problem is just the pollution problem of
introducing quantities of phosphate (a fertilizer) into waste
waters where it promotes algea blooms and the like…

hope this helps.
Peter Rowe

Dear Peter, Thanks for the about TSP. It is banned
for sale in New York State, although I did find a supplier who
would sell me a 55 lb. bag of it for $75.00 ( I passed). I bought
"cupronil" from Rio Grande and will see how that works. In the
meantime, I will keep a lookout for the real stuff. The next
time I go to New Jersey I’ll stop into a couple of hardware
stores. Thanks to everyone who tried to point me in the right
direction. If I find it in NY state from a chemical supply, etc.
that sells in more manageable quantities, I’ll post it to the
list for anyone interested.

Gail Middleton
Brooklyn, NY

Reactive Metals sells something called TSP Not! for use in
anodizing. It is supposed to work the same as TSP, but is not as
caustic from my understanding. You can find out more by referring
to their catalog. --Vicki Embrey

   Reactive Metals sells something called TSP Not!  for use in
anodizing.  It is supposed to work the same as TSP, but is not
as caustic from my understanding. You can find out more by
referring to their catalog.  

TSP NOT! is exactly that. Not TSP. It’s a fine cleaner, and
makes a fine conductive solution for anodizing reatice metals.
just don’t try making Prip’s flux with it. It won’t work for
that.

Peter Rowe