MEK or Methyl Ethyl Key tone (sp) is a very thin liquid, and most would suggest that you need to use it in a well ventilated room, not going to start the flame wars over that I hope. It will ruin the paint almost instantly if you get too much and let it run. Like Richard said, you can buy MEK by the pint, quart, gallon at Wally world or any hardware store, get yourself a quart keep it in the garage, get a pack of those Model Masters empty 1 oz paint bottles, it comes with eye droppers, and use them to transfer the MEK to the paint bottles, You dont want to keep too much at once, if you spill this stuff your gonna want it to be small. Make sure you keep the lid tightly closed when not in use. Once you start using MEK or similar type glues you will not be using that Testors much anymore, MEK and similar glues need a small paint brush and use capillary action to get the glue in the joint. I have used a chisel type Exacto blade for a putty knife of sorts. If you have a dremel tool with a cut off wheel you can make them as thin as you want, I have several different ones. Thanks Tom Holley
Ok, So basically its the same thing as that testors stuff I have but a little stronger? (and probably cheaper too) I have a dremel and 3 different xacto knifes, I think I may have a chisel blade or two some were.......... I'll figure something out for a "putty knife." Now that I think about it I have an abundant resource of styrene. I have several freight car/car shells on hand. I've cut sections out of a hopper to use else were. Since this stuff dissolves paint would it be wise to remove the paint off of anything I'm going to "melt"? I just thought of something else. There might be some of this MEK stuff out in the shop. I'll have to ask dad. Ethan PS I want to say thanks for all the tips I have been giving
Be careful. MEK is a close cousin to acetone. Acetone is methyl methyl ketone (CH3-CO-CH3), while MEK is methyl ethyl ketone (CH3-CO-C2H5). I'm not sure of MEK's toxicity, but it should be handled with the same care as with acetone. MEK is very volatile (not quite as volatile as acetone since it is heavier), rapidly flammable, and prolonged exposure to it, including its vapors, should be avoided. Don't get it on your skin. Like Tom said, a well ventilated workspace is a very good idea for any significant use of MEK (or acetone). They are both very strong universal solvents. Don't let the relatively pleasant aroma of these basic ketones fool you - your body does not want to breathe much of these fellows. Ken
So your saying its similar to acetone, but not as strong, but still needs to be handled with care. Got it. Thanks Ken. Ethan
Get a couple of bottles of Scalecoat II Wash-a-way. Do not mess with that M-E-K or any other harsh chemical too much. It serves a purpose but isn't a solve all. Wash-a-way strips the paint off and doesn't damage the plastic at all. Like I said earlier, one of the biggest tools you need with scratch building or kit bashing is PATIENCE. You are doing the right thing by asking all sorts of questions. No question is a stupid one, except the one not asked. Having the right tools to do the job makes things go a lot easier.
Manny, I have used Scalecoat paint remover too it is good stuff, still trying the Super Cleaner right now, so far so good. I like about everything Scalecoat makes, its good stuff, I like their newer bottle caps better. The older caps let a lot of paint go bad in the bottle for me. Tom Holley
Ethan - I'm saying be careful with MEK just as you would be with acetone. Well ventilated area, don't breathe a lot of the vapor, don't let it get on your skin, no source of flame anywhere near it. MEK is slightly less volatile (I don't have any data - I'm saying that because the MEK molecule is slightly heavier), and on some plastics, it may be a better solvent that acetone, on others, not as good. Ken
I agree MEK can be pretty bad stuff, but used to make the styrene putty, you should not have any problem. Mirco-Mark sells a set of small metal putty knifes that I use to apply the stryene putty to the model. If you want a (glue) that will attach styrene to a painted styrene model and not harm the paint use Tenax-7R. I have enough Floquil that I will die before I use it all up, but the Tenax-7R (Metholene Chloride, yes I know it is not spelled right) will attach the styrene right through the Floquil paint. The paint will bubble up, and then settle back down once the Tenax-7R evaporates, no harm done. Tenax-7R is the best styrene solvent cement out there, I use it all the time. It is more agressive than MEK, but should also be used with ventilation.
The three solvents, methyl ethyl ketone, acetone and methylene chloride are all hazardous chemicals require careful handling. MEK or methyl ethyl ketone is probably the least dangerous of the three. The previously-mentioned cautionary steps of using small amounts in a well-ventilated area are all good tips. Here are a few properties for consideration taken from an older (1968) Merck Index. It is way more optimistic than current opinion! Methyl ethyl ketone boiling point 79.6 C (165 F), Flash point 2 C (35 F) (avoid sparks and flames) Health hazards: eye and mucus membrane irritant, narcotic in high concentrations Acetone boiling point 56.5 C (126 F), Flash point -20 C (!) (-1 F) (Really avoid sparks and flames) Health hazards: Dries skin, Inhalation causes irritation, headache or fatigue Methylene Chloride boiling point 40 C (99 F) Vapor not flammable. The 1968 Merck says this is merely narcotic and useful as an anaesthetic. As a former "professional" who did those "do not try at home" things professionally, I can recall our industrial hygienist go ballistic when we wanted to use this stuff. We had to wear special gloves, use very restricted quantities and use special vapor recovery hoods rather than those that exhausted outside. Part of the problem is it is a greenhouse gas and an ozone depleter, but exposure is also implicated in liver damage and carcinogenesis. Naturally, we wanted to use it all the time! George Nelson
