MEK supplies

[tillmanr]

Hi fellow flyers, I need to do some maintenance and need to source a small amount of MEK to work on Polyfiber finish. Anyone know a supplier in Melbourne apart from Aviaquip? Thanks

 

 

[thommo]

You can use acetone. All depends what your doing!

 

 

[old man emu]

You should be able to find bulk chemical suppliers who can supply you with 20 litres of MEK. Just look in the Yellow Pages. MEK is not peculiar to aviation, so don't think you have to source it from one of the aviation supply companies. They've just bought it from a general supplier and whacked their profit margin on top.

 

Just remember to consult the MSDS sheet before you play with MEK (or any other chemical). It can be carcinogenic and it will dry the oils from your skin and cause the skin on your hands to crack if you don't wear gloves. You need to consider protecting your lungs, too.

 

Old Man Emu

 

 

[Yenn]

I have just bought MEK. the smallest amount available was 20 litres and cost $8 per litre. It is not called MEK nowadays. Hi Chem call it Electrostatic booster and previous to that it was Enamel thinners E250.

 

As OME says have a good look at the MSDS. It is not only bad for the skin, but very dangerous if inhaled too much and can result in blindness if it gets in the eyes. For the ultimate scare jst Google "Mother of Satan" or at least keep it well away from other thinners.

 

I now have several litres of MEK surplus to my requirements if anyone near Gladstone Qld needs any.

 

 

[geoffreywh]

Check with FGI on Centre road, Clayton.... I think I bought some there a while ago ( I thinned epoxy with it I believe) .......

 

 

[Kyle Communications]

I get all my isopropyl alcohol and other chemicals like acetone and MEK from Barrel Chemicals in Gympie...they do freight all over the country.

 

 

[Kyle Communications]

I used to use trichlorethelyne until they banned it they then bought out trichlorethelyene inhibited then they banned that too....they ban all the good stuff

 

 

[rankamateur]

For the ultimate scare jst Google "Mother of Satan" or at least keep it well away from other thinners.

Is that a good way to find yourself on an ASIO watch list?

 

 

[dazza 38]

MEK is easy to get, just go to a plumbing shop and ask PVC primer/ pipe cleaner. ( in a former life I was a commercial pool plumber for 12 years).

 

I used to buy it in 4 ltr or 500 ml containers. Buy the primer with out the red dye in it. PVC pipe primer is 100% MEK

 

 

[Mick]

I now have several litres of MEK surplus to my requirements if anyone near Gladstone Qld needs any.

Hi Ian, I'd be happy to take a couple of litres off your hands. There have been times when I have wished I had some for use on models. I will e-mail you to arrange to grab it sometime.

 

 

[old man emu]

I get MEK from Barrel Chemicals in Gympie...they do freight all over the country.

Don't forget that MEK is classed as a "Dangerous Good", so if you have it freighted from anywhere you will pay a premium on the freight cost. As Dazza says, MEK is used to prime plastic piping, so you could get it from Bunnings etc, but perhaps the red dye would not suit your application.

 

AND MAKE SURE YOU READ THE MSDS!!!!!!!

 

OME

 

 

[FlyingVizsla]

Last week we bought MEK from a chandlery (boaties' shop) where they decanted and labelled a litre for us. The shop was more than a retail outlet - they also did boat and canoe repairs, so had a bulk supply.

 

 

 

Sue

 

 

[rankamateur]

Got a fresh bottle of "Tradelink" PVC PIPE PRIMING FLUID here in front of me, it says Benzene free contains 100% hydrocarbon liquids but not MEK specifically, like mogas it could contain anything. Since it only warns "irritant : avoid contact with skin and eyes" I doubt it is MEK anymore, they may have made it safer.

 

 

[dazza 38]

Don't forget that MEK is classed as a "Dangerous Good", so if you have it freighted from anywhere you will pay a premium on the freight cost. As Dazza says, MEK is used to prime plastic piping, so you could get it from Bunnings etc, but perhaps the red dye would not suit your application.AND MAKE SURE YOU READ THE MSDS!!!!!!!

 

OME

Yup, or Trade link, Reese, K&R plumbing, pool shops ect. I always bought the clear primer, we didn't need a red dye to prove pipes were primed when plymbing swimming pools. Pools shops sell clear primer or more to the point , primer that doesnt contain red dye in it.

 

 

[dazza 38]

Got a fresh bottle of "Tradelink" PVC PIPE PRIMING FLUID here in front of me, it says Benzene free contains 100% hydrocarbon liquids but not MEK specifically, like mogas it could contain anything. Since it only warns "irritant : avoid contact with skin and eyes" I doubt it is MEK anymore, they may have made it safer.

Not the one I have in front of me. It is the Direct brand and states MEK 1000ml/ltr. And when I went to school, 1000 ml was exactly the same as one litre.

Also I got it on my hands daily for about 8 years before I started using a brush with it. It isn't as bad as what every body reckons.

 

 

[rankamateur]

It isn't as bad as what every body reckons.

That is not an indicator for the general population to rely on though, because you survived F111 fuel tanks as well. You could probrably handle rat poison too!

 

 

[dazza 38]

That is not an indicator for the general population to rely on though, because you survived F111 fuel tanks as well. You could probrably handle rat poison too!

Mek is absorbed into the skin and some plumbers have to give plumbing away after 30 years or so. But the majority don't get effected.

These days though a lot of plumbers keep the brushes from their glue pots and use them in their primer bottles and a few werks ago at work I bought a 500 ml primer, i'm sure but it could have been the Bostick brand and it actually has a foam/ sponge applicator inside. I never had side effects but around 2008 we started used brushes because a plumber on one of our work sites was told by his doctor after a blood test that he should change careers. The PVC glue contains between 30 to 60% MEK In it as well.

 

When I say its not as bad as peeps say. I don't want somebody the wash their hands in it and all of a sudden think they are going to die tommorrow.

 

 

[pmccarthy]

A dashing young plumber from Dee

 

Was plumbing a girl by the sea.

 

Said the girl "Stop your plumbing, I hear someone coming!"

 

Sais the plumber (still plumbing) - "It's me."

 

 

[deltacharlie]

And en francais

 

A dashing young plumber from Loire

 

Was plumbing a girl in the bois

 

Said the girl "Stop your plumbing, I hear someone coming"

 

Said the plumber, (still plumbing( "C'est moi".

 

 

[M61A1]

Or just get it from an automotive paint shop (20l), last I bought a drum, it was about $140. Tell them it's for cleaning your sprayguns.

 

 

[kgwilson]

Are you sure you want MEK? If you want a catalyst to harden polyester or vinylester resins you need MEKP (methyl ethyl ketone peroxide) & you can get it at any fibreglass supplier or even Bunnings. You need very little as the mix ratio is 1 to 2 percent.

 

 

[M61A1]

Are you sure you want MEK? If you want a catalyst to harden polyester or vinylester resins you need MEKP (methyl ethyl ketone peroxide) & you can get it at any fibreglass supplier or even Bunnings. You need very little as the mix ratio is 1 to 2 percent.

MEKP is for accelerating polyester resin, MEK is a really good cleaning solvent and is excellent for use with the Polyfiber system, it doesn't harm the polyester filament.

 

 

[tillmanr]

Thanks for your input folks. I have located a source east of Melbourne @$3.50 per litre. Have to buy 20 litres though so I will have a lifetimes supply to use in Polyfibre repairs. Plumbers primer with its dye would look funny with ivory Polytone paint finish over the top.

 

 

[dazza 38]

Thanks for your input folks. I have located a source east of Melbourne @$3.50 per litre. Have to buy 20 litres though so I will have a lifetimes supply to use in Polyfibre repairs. Plumbers primer with its dye would look funny with ivory Polytone paint finish over the top.

You can buy plumbers PVC primer with No dye in it as I have mentioned previously. I only used clear primer without the dye when plumbing swimming pools.But $3.50 a litre is a very good price. I used to pay around $30 for a five litre container and that was trade price.

 

 

[tillmanr]

The only ones I saw had acetone in them