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Alternative To Tenax


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  • 1 month later...

OR,

Here's what I use. Works great!

MUCH cheaper!

Methyl Ethyl Ketone . . . AKA: MEK

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Available in gallons or quarts.

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Trust me ... a little goes a long way. I can't imagine needing a gallon. A quart will last half of forever.

I just put a little in a small glass jar for the workbench (in fact, I use my last Tenax container so I have the built-in brush).

Check your local paint or hardware store for pricing.

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Just for clarity, dicloromethane (DCM) and methylene chloride are the same thing (TENAX, Ambroid Pro-Weld) .Also sold as solvent for acrylic plastic fabrication as WeldOn #3.

MEK is methyl ethyl ketone, a different chemical (Plastruct Plastic Weld) with different bond characteristics, also widely used as an industrial solvent and paint stripper.

So, which chemical is the nail-polish solvent posted above ??

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I also use MEK . I bought a quart at Ace Hardware for about 10 bucks more than a year ago .

Bill , does DCM work better or about the same ? I've never tried Tenax .

I've been testing them side-by-side for a couple of weeks off and on. So far it seems to me that DCM is hotter, evaporates quicker and makes a deeper bond. That opinion is subject to change as the testing progresses.

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I was told the MEK was bad stuff to be breathein. I DRINK the Amdrose, my stuff goes together GREAT!!!! :D:D:D;):blink:

George, I strongly advise against drinking Ambroid! :D;) Seriously, it's not too great to breathe in either. It does work great, tho, and I'm having more and more trouble finding it these days. :o

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Yeah, Me too, Hugh. I usually buy a bottle or 3 at the toyshows My regular Vendor freind Mr.B, always brings me a bottle or two, but thuis last time, in Oct. be told me they were discontinueing it due to health regs, si I'm GLAD to hear about the fingernail polish thinner. It's NOT MEK or a substitute, so I THINK the thinner stuff may be the way to go. My wife goes to "Sallies" a beauty supply store near here an I'll be goin with her to check it out! Oh an thanks for the warning! I don't drink anyways.

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So... if I gathered all of the information correctly, the chemicals mentioned above are forms of glue?! Newbie like me really lost the convo on this one.

Well, not exactly. Tenax, Ambroids, Plastruct Plastic Weld, Flex-I-File, MEK, etc. are all chemicals that actually melt the plastic at the joint and litteraly "weld" the two pieces together. Epoxy, CA glue (as in Super Glue, Zap, Etc.) are actual glues that not only melt the plastic but actually also become a part of the bond. The nice thing about using the chemical welding type of stuff is that if you get it on you it doesn't glue your skin to whatever else you are touching.

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Well, not exactly. Tenax, Ambroids, Plastruct Plastic Weld, Flex-I-File, MEK, etc. are all chemicals that actually melt the plastic at the joint and litteraly "weld" the two pieces together. Epoxy, CA glue (as in Super Glue, Zap, Etc.) are actual glues that not only melt the plastic but actually also become a part of the bond. The nice thing about using the chemical welding type of stuff is that if you get it on you it doesn't glue your skin to whatever else you are touching.

Ecactly !! Well said !!

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Well Alrighty Then!! So you can pick this up at your local Hardware store? Will def. be getting some of this stuff. Thanks for clearing that up guys.

You CAN get MEK, (which is Plastruct Plastic Weld) which works okay for a lot of folks, at the hardware store.

You CANNOT get DCM (which is Tenax, Ambriod, etc.) at the hardware store.

Different chemicals. Read post #8.

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