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Model Forum / General / Models / April 2004What do you use MEK for again?
Noticed 1 gallon containers at the local Home Depot and remembered seeing MEK mentioned here. What are it's uses. TIA, Frank It glues. You can even use it in a small needle-nosed squeeze bottle to flow into joins between two pieces of plastic -- it'll handle ABS in addition to others. Vile stuff! Very poisonous. You do not want to get to know it well. Use it sparingly. But it's good stuff.  SignatureCharles Fox cafox513@gte.net > Noticed 1 gallon containers at the local Home Depot and remembered seeing > MEK mentioned here. What are it's uses. > > TIA, > Frank >Noticed 1 gallon containers at the local Home Depot Good God!! I had a two ounce bottle that lasted for about thirty 1/72 models. A gallon should last a lifetime...or a couple of Revell 1/72 U-Boats. :-) As mentioned before, though, deadly stuff. I changed over to cyanoacrylates years ago and I'm stillhappy with them. Five minute epoxy for really solid connections such as resin kits wing to fuselage joints. Tom >As mentioned before, though, deadly stuff. Acutally it is less harmful than Toluene (the main ingredient in most styrene glues) MEK has a PEL (Permissible Exposure Level) of 200 ppm whereas Toluene's is 100 ppm. Toluene is also a known carcinogen where MEK hasn't been classified yet. Here's the EPA link on Methyl Ethyl Ketone http://www.epa.gov/ttn/atw/hlthef/methylet.html and for Toluene http://www.epa.gov/ttnatw01/hlthef/toluene.html Methyl Ethyl Ketone has a stronger odor and for that reason people freak out when they smell it in ANY concentration and are certain they are gonna die. But when they get a whiff of a product like Toluene which is much more harmful they don't think twice because it doesn't smell as strong. MEK is a very useful solvent and can be used with no adverse side effects IF USED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE DIRECTIONS ON THE LABEL ON THE CONTAINER! The main consideration is to reduce the concentration level of the vapors given off. This is done by increasing ventilation... The more ventilation you have the less the concentration there is. How do I know all this? Because part of my job is to perform air quality measurements of the different shops at the helicopter company where I am employed as the Environmental Manager. Jonathan Primm JP5844@aol.com . > Noticed 1 gallon containers at the local Home Depot and remembered seeing > MEK mentioned here. What are it's uses. > > TIA, > Frank Destroying Brain Cells Mike IPMS my industrial painter brother says they use it to cut paint as well...I'd still avoid it except in small amounts > my industrial painter brother says they use it to cut paint as > well...I'd still avoid it except in small amounts OK no MEK for me then. Thanks! Thinning some types of lacquer, epoxy and polyurethane paints, general solvent for many plastics, stinky and not all that good for you.....truly you don't need it for models Frank. > Noticed 1 gallon containers at the local Home Depot and remembered seeing > MEK mentioned here. What are it's uses. > > TIA, > Frank I bought a small can once to use when I was looking for a liquid cement to try out. After doing some plumbing work with my father in law I thought I could save money on model glue. After all 3.00 a pop for 2 ounces of Tenax/ Weld On is kind of high, IMO. MEK seemed to be the thinnest stuff I could find and I had read some modelers were using it. The caustic smell of the MEK was enough to make me use this only that once. Seems like a good way to kill yourself really quickly. Want to save some bucks on Tenax/ Weld On type liquid glue? Find a Plastics supplier and ask for Methylene Chloride. This is the liquid glue we modelers of the 21st century rave about. Tenax and most liquid model cements are just Methylene Chloride! I bought a pint bottle for 8 bucks last year and this has got to be enough to fill about twenty or more tenax sixed bottles. Cheers, Max Bryant Cheers, Max Bryant > Noticed 1 gallon containers at the local Home Depot and remembered seeing > MEK mentioned here. What are it's uses. > > TIA, > Frank >Want to save some bucks on Tenax/ Weld On type liquid glue? Find a Plastics >supplier and ask for Methylene Chloride. This is the liquid glue we modelers >of the 21st century rave about. Tenax and most liquid model cements are just >Methylene Chloride! I bought a pint bottle for 8 bucks last year and this >has got to be enough to fill about twenty or more tenax sixed bottles. >Cheers, Dont for a minute think that it is not harfull to you !!!! MC is what is used to strip furniture, and though not as bad as MEK, is is absorbed through the skin just as easilly, and with high enough exposure can be harmfull. Vapors are heavier that air, and sink to the floor quickly. Good thng to keep away from pets when working with it. Tenax, is a *watered* down refined Methylene Chloride not as strong as full strength MC. I preffer Ambroids Pro Weld which is less refined and is stronger than Tenax. NEITHER one is good for you, so just avoid breathing the vapors too much, and store it in a safe place away from kid's and pets. "Only a Gentleman can insult me, and a true Gentleman never will..." |
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