hancop

Hi, I am at the stage in the building of my something extra kit where I have to install a pre-bent 1/8 inch diameter wire eleator joiner. I am supposed to drill a hole in each elevator half and then install the wire with 5 minute epoxy.

My question is: What is acetone, the the plans say to clean the wire with acetone before I expoxy it in.

Can I use something other than acetone to clean it ?
Do I really need to clean it at all, or can I just go ahead and epoxy it in ?
Would it be better if I used 12 minute or 30 minute epoxy ?

Thanks for your help

MinnFlyer

My Feedback: (4)

Acetone is a main ingredient in nail polish remover, so that will work, but so will alcohol, or for that matter, you could just clean it with sandpaper.

Use 30 minute epoxy, you'll appreciate the extra working time.

cknaack

My Feedback: (1)

Acetone is the main ingredient in SOME nail polish removers. Acetone is great for general purpose degreasing and paint removal, but it is really nasty stuff. Prolonged exposure may result in liver damage. That is the main reason why many of the nail polish removers have gone to a non-acetone formula.
Acetone is also very volitile and evaporates quickly. For your elevator application, you could use acetone (with latex gloves) or just use Isopropyl Alcohol and sand paper as MinnFlyer suggested. IPA also works well for the clean up of wet epoxy.

I also use acetone to clean my clogged CA tips. Just fill a plastic margarine tub with enough acetone to cover the tips (don't forget to cover the tub). Leave them over night and they will be as good as new.

JimTrainor

I thought nail polish used to made of toluene, which is very nasty... and subsequently switched to acetone, which is less nasty that toluene but still rather awful.

You can get a jug of acetone at your local paint store.

huggins

Acetone is a common solvent available in most home centers along with paint thinner, etc. I supose availability may vary with different states(or Canada, in your case), but it is easy to get in Indiana.

Mike

ROMANBM

acetone is a sweet drink a just kidding

Gray Beard

My Feedback: (-1)

For your use it is just A solvent to help romove oils or any other type of film that may be on your wire. Sanding is perhaps the best thing you can do, it also roughens up the wire for A little better bonding. Acetone is found in the paint section of most hardware stores and is one of the better solvents. JMO

john_s3

My Feedback: (1)

Acetone Soakes In To The Skin And Finds It's Way To The Liver And Stays There And Just Builds Up.Check It Out At www.Osha.gov And Read ALL About It.There Is Not A Solvet That Is Harmless That I Know Of.For Your Use It Is Short Expouse.But Denatured Alohol Is Just As Good. You Can Get It At HD.I Have Been A Tech All my Life.I Would Have Liked To Know About This Stuff In The 70ies.Ya Well It Has Nothing To Do With The Liver Transplant I Had 6 years Ago.Just Food For though.

piper_chuck

My Feedback: (12)

Do you have a source for this? I've read quite a bit about it due to recent discussions. I've yet to come across anything even hinting at acetone building up in the liver or any other part of the body. In fact, I've found references saying it does not build up in the body, such as this one: http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/tfacts21.html

CafeenMan

To answer the original question, you can use anything that will remove oil. As MinnFlyer suggested, use fine sandpaper first to remove tarnish and then use a degreaser. Alcohol, lacquer thinner, acetone, MEK, soap and water, tri-sodium phosphate... use whatever you've got.

Also, never use 5-minute epoxy for anything. The slowest epoxy you should use is 30 minute. Even slower is better (stronger, less brittle, etc.)

dr_wogz

My Feedback: (3)

And (will I be banned?!) Acetone, along with Kerosine is the active 'separator' in the manufacuter of Cocaine. Acetone & Kerosine are highly regulated items in Columbia!

(we have a Columbian Engieer working for us, also the Columbina 'Pattern Champion' from quite a few years ago! He was amazied that it is so readily avaliable here! In gallons!! by the pallette! at the local Home depot!!)

Oh yeah, and don't wipe, spill, store, clean any 'plastics' with it. It eats plastic! ABS plastics I beleive.. And will remove printed text form things too, like the ink off a ruler! the yellow measuremnts off those green 'cutting mats'!