Is all MEK created equal. I buy pure MEK from the hobby shop (usually plastruct plastic solvent welder) and pay a pretty penny for a small bottle. Now I just thought this was the way it was. Now in my job we are having a reservoir painted with an epoxy paint and one of the tests they do to check for cure is a rub test and they use MEK to try to rub of the epoxy. They buy it by the pint can. I assume this can be had at a local hardware store and I would assume cheaper. So my question is are all MEKs created equal. I mean I know that Methyl Ethyl Ketone is what it is but are their grades or strengths of it. Is the stuff that plastruct sells a better product?
All MEK is created equal. No discrimination here. Just check the DOT label on the back under contents it must report any other ingredients greater than ONE percent of the total. Some glue companies do include other solvents that are slower evaporating to prolong the solvency effect or some dissolved styrene to make it thicker and less runny thus making a better weld but 100% MEK works just fine if you don’t wait too long to put the pieces together.
Bill
Thanks Bill,
I like the 100% MEK for most of my styrene welding simply because I like the ease at which it flows so I can weld by capillary action. So I think I will buy me an industrial jug.(http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-yell.gif)
Hurry up and get it… I usually buy MEK by the quart at Ace Hardware, but you can get larger cans.
California has banned it I believe, so if like minded fools, er folks run your town you may need to hustle some…
I place the pieces together and use a small paint brush to touch it to the seam. Capillary action draws it in.
John
Acetone is very similar to MEK, but it doesn’t evaporate quite as quickly. I say that, but Acetone evaporates quickly, just not as fast as MEK. I have used Acetone to weld plastic, as well as a solvent for aircraft dope. So if you cant get MEK, maybe you can still get Acetone.
Years ago there was an article in Model Railroad Craftsman, about making your own plastic solvent (glue), using MEK and another additive to slow down the evaporation rate for the MEK. But I forget what the additive was.
Quarts readily available here in MD. Should last you a few lifetimes
Be advised this is a toxic compound both skin contact and inhalation
Always use positive ventilation and a respirator. If you can smell it you are being over exposed
Jerry
Ace Hardware usually has it in pints, and larger. Its in the paint aisle as a paint stripper. While your out, buy a needle bottle. The MEK will eat away plastic bottles eventually, so I just keep a small needle bottle full. I tend to use MEK almost exclusively, but sometimes the thicker hobby cement works. MEK will run, so a lot goes a long way. If you want to make it thicker, you can try and dissolve some scrap styrene into MEK and make a thicker glue. I’ve never tried it like that, but have melted styrene into MEK to make an el-cheapo putty.
Fools in California? Because MEK is outlawed?
At least we don’t teach 9 year old girls to fire UZI machine guns and let them kill the instructor:
http://www.snopes.com/info/news/uzi.asp
Note: extraneous comments about other states and towns are really unnecessary. Why don’t we leave that crap off the forum?
Greg Elmassian said:
Fools in California? Because MEK is outlawed?
At least we don’t teach 9 year old girls to fire UZI machine guns and let them kill the instructor:
http://www.snopes.com/info/news/uzi.asp
Note: extraneous comments about other states and towns are really unnecessary. Why don’t we leave that crap off the forum?
'cuse my humor, but it is relevant if there are those who must protect you from yourself… get it while you can is solid advice.
your comment wasn’t needed and your example is gross, but that’s never stopped you before. 2 wrongs still ain’t right.
Have a pleasant day.
John
Greg Elmassian said:
Dupe…Have a pleasant day.
John
I gave up on needle bottles. I always seem to forget to cap them and end up spilling or evaporating it all. So I do as John does and use a paint brush. I still have my needle bottle and use it from time to time on long welds but then empty it back into the glass container that plastruc comes in. But I would think a pint or quart mason jar for storage of the bulk stuff would be fine (if the parent container is of concern) and then just filling an old plastruc bottle for the bench.
McMaster has 1 qt of MEK for $15. http://www.mcmaster.com/#methyl-ethyl-ketone-(mek)/=y9zroo
But, I find I prefer the Tamiya Extra Thin Cement: http://www.hobbylinc.com/htm/tam/tam87038.htm
Sure, it’s more expensive than MEK, but it has a VERY TINY brush and flows so nice. Plus, it is hard to tip over.
I use a glass eye dropper bottle with a glass “Dispenser tube” (The thingy under the rubber squeeze top). Buy them by the case on the ebay.
Try not to suck it into the rubber. Works great. With a little practice you can lay a bead of MEK on a horizontal surface pretty easy.