Is there anyone who uses acetone (aka: fingernail pollish remover) this to fix errors on their blanks when using paints or markers. Has anyone encountered problems with this chemical? Does it have any impact of the blank itself? Since acetone is an organic solvent, i think it has the ability to mess up the finished coat on a blank, however if it is a matte black/grey blank (no finish on it), will this matter? I have read somewhere that it is ok to use, however, i don't want to find out the hard way. Any suggestions?

James

MI Builder

If you are using our custom decals it will definitely affect them.

Jimi

If you let the acetone evaporate a bit on the paper towel first (use VERY little), you'll be alright. Acetone can break down the resins holding the graphite fibers together in the blank, but if careful and use just before it's disapeared on the paper towel, it's OK. On a gloss blank, I wouldn't even use it.

That being said, I don't use it unless rubbing alcohol or denatured alcohol won't take the stuff off. And I'm VERY careful with it; I use vinyl gloves and have a fan going for ventilation. It's sure not good stuff on humans, either!! Try to use it as little as possible...

Putter



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/26/2005 08:42AM by Randy Parpart (Putter).

Offhand, I can't think of any use for acetone in rodbuilding that denatured alcohol won't do as well (I may be wrong) without the danger to your blank or health

Mike

I also would use acetone as a last resort, if at all, and would first test it on a porttion of the blank that is to be completely covered. FYI, the primary solvent in most fingernail polishes is not acetone, but ethyl acetate. Also, acetone is miscible with water, so if you cut it with water it may be safer to use on your blanks, though I would try one of the alcohols first.

yeah, i know that they don't use acetone (2-propanone) in the remover anymore, but you can buy it in most stores by the nail polish remover. I thank you for you insight in using the stuff. I will try the denatured alcohol on a scrap blank to make sure it does what i need. I have had some problems in the past with the denatured alcohol when using a gel pen. It did not work very well and it took me a good 10 minutes to remove the gel ink from the blank. I dont know why.

James

MI Builder

I found this out when I used the Sanford pens. Acetone was the only thing that would remove the mistakes I made. Denatured wouldn't touch it.
I tried it on a scrap blank first and finally figured that using just a tiny dab would work after setting for a while.
I finally improved on it by putting a dab on one corner of a folded paper towel and then touching that soaked spot to another dry spot on the opposite side of the towel and then using that second spot to wipe my mistake with. Worked OK for me.
I use waterslide decals now and haven't needed acetone for anything in rod building since...

Putter

James - you just got an entire semester's worth of great advice from the Rod-Builder's School of Hard Knocks. Do a SEARCH = ACETONE, or ALCOHOL, or SOLVENT to find out more, if these warnings and advice haven't covered enough of your questions. Please refer to these two related Posts for further general cautions and excellent contributions from a number of qualified commentators. Acetone may easily damage a rod blank, or injure your skin, eyes, or lungs. And, as Tom Dyle said above, ordinary nail polish remover has a lot of ethyl acetate in it, (which is an ester), as well as oils, and is a weaker solvent than a can of pure acetone from the hardware store. And those oils can leave a residue that interferes with adhesion for the thread or rod finish.

"ACETONE" [Mike Schneilein 10-18-04. Has MSDS for Acetone]
[www.rodbuilding.org]

"ACETONE? NOT on YOUR HANDS !!!" [Cliff Hall, @#$%&Chemistry 10-19-04]
[www.rodbuilding.org]
[www.rodbuilding.org]

I only use acetone for the final cleaning step for brushes I intend to store until the next project. As in 'that job is done. I like 91% clear Rubbing alcohol instead of Denatured alcohol for rodbuilding chores. There is 5% or so in Denatured alcohol that is "something else", not alcohol. This something else could possibly dammage a blank. I've found color from the blank on my paper towel or coffee filter after using Denatured alcohol. Ralph