MEK again

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

6 weeks ago Home Depot had tons of MEK; I postponed purchasing until I needed it. In the store yesterday the product on the shelf is “MEK Substitute” (that’s the product name printed on the can!) No MEK, no space on the shelf for it, no shelf tag. . The only thing the orange ones know to tell me, pretty unconvincingly, was “I think they used that to make meth”.

So what chemist among us can say whether this is going to act pretty much like MEK to weld plastic together, and/or can I use laquer thinner with similar results? (I did not investigate the ingredients.)

Mad Mike

2

lacquer, I mean

3

Mike,

For future reference: You can actually edit your own posts by clicking the pencil icon at the bottom left corner of your post…

Tom

4

Mad Mike

Lacquer Thinner will work but sure is slow in setting compared to MEK

Check for MEK at standard Hardware Stores as they usually have it as most don’t sell a lot but can’t return it as easily as the Big Box Stores can!

BOB H - Clarion, PA

5

Go to your nearest Wall-mart and check in the paint department. The one here has acetone, MEK, Lacquer Thinner, and several other compounds.

I wouldn’t put too much trust in what a Home Depot employee says about MEK and why they don’t have it.

6

Cacole

Our Wal-Marts around here (Western PA) never seemed to stock MEK. And with the Big Box Stores getting rid of REAL MEK we have only been able to find it at the Local home town Hardware Stores!

And another thing - it is amazing the stuff these older Hometown Hardware stores stock for those hard to find parts that the Big Box Stores don’t have a clue about!

BOB H - Clarion, PA