Subject:
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Re: Which glue?
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.parts.mod
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Date:
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Wed, 4 Apr 2007 02:21:55 GMT
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In lugnet.parts.mod, Aaron M. Sneary wrote:
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In lugnet.parts.mod, John Neal wrote:
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In lugnet.parts.mod, Rob Hendrix wrote:
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Has Super Glue been used very successfully keeping ABS parts bonded over
time?
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AFAIK. Have you heard otherwise? I thought Super Glue was in the same type
glue family as MEK.
JOHN
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No they are quite different.
MEK is not even a glue or epoxy at
all. It is rather a solvent that literally loosens the plastic molecules of
the ABS, and allows them to intertwine between bricks. Once it evaporates,
the ABS returns to a state almost the same as it’s original. MEK’d ABS is
slightly more brittle than the original casting.
I strongly recommend only professionals with adequate ventilation and
handling equipment use MEK with any regularity. It has some significant
health concerns, and is being phased out of use by the LEGO company. It has
been restricted from use in the European model shops for at least the past 5
years.
Most superglues I have used are CA or Cyanoacrylate based.
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Per Wikipedia:
Generally, cyanoacrylate is an acrylic resin which rapidly polymerises in >
the presence of water (specifically hydroxide ions), forming long, strong >
chains, joining the bonded surfaces together. Because the presence of >
moisture causes the glue to set, exposure to moisture in the air can cause a
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tube or bottle of glue to become unusable over time. To prevent an opened
container of glue from setting before use, it must be stored in an
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airtight > jar or bottle with a package of silica gel.
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Except for very large, weight-bearing models, I would recommend people use
SuperGlue over MEK. No need to expose yourself to the stuff unless it’s
really necessary for it to be VERY durable.
Aaron Sneary
Former Master Model Builder
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As Aaron States, the use of MEK was BANNED from the Lego modelshops back in
1998, and GBL was introduced. Many health issues were being presented and an
article written in the LEGO REVIEW magazine, a corporate magazine spoke about
the transition, which was needed due to the concerns in negative health effects
on employees using MEK. (Which I have a copy of)
Unfortunately or just plain negligence, some shops continued the use of MEK even
as late as 2005, when I left the modelshop. I had already started to feel the
negative effects as stated on the MSDS, and was growing intolerant of the
chemical. I STRONGLY advise NOT to use this even with ‘proper ventilation’ the
chemical evaporates very fast and is heavier than air, so it tends to settle
down in the room. That is why an extractor is also placed on the surface of the
special work tables at the modelshops.
At the modelshop in Mexico, we only had a proper shop for 2 years (under
american management), then when moving to a new office, the system was
reinstalled, but after a third move, the extraction system was never
reinstalled, and the new people that were glueing models indoors with MEK and
without ventilation were never informed of the irreversible health damage, which
was many times discussed by the people making the decisions. It was usually said
” This is not stuff you want your kids to be around” as a selling line to get
funding for the expensive extraction system set up in 1998 Unfortunately when
trying to help this individuals, I was immediately sentenced to “shut the hell
up, and feel the consequences” and mind my own business. I guess that if the big
wheels had their kids doing the glueing, they would take the proper precautions
to ensure health and safety, but cheap labor is always easily replaced.
In talks to more than a handful of danish builders, MEK did severe damage to the
health of the first generations of model builders. But that is a very well kept
secret story.
DON’T USE MEK if you love yourself and life.
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Message has 1 Reply:
 | | Re: Which glue?
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| (...) There is of course an alternative, if you want to put up with the hassle. Buy a good respirator with a cartridges designed to filter out the MEK. But you need to be careful. You need to make sure that the cartridges are fresh as once in use (...) (17 years ago, 23-Feb-08, to lugnet.parts.mod, FTX)
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Message is in Reply To:
| | Re: Which glue?
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| (...) No they are quite different. (URL) MEK> is not even a glue or epoxy at all. It is rather a solvent that literally loosens the plastic molecules of the ABS, and allows them to intertwine between bricks. Once it evaporates, the ABS returns to a (...) (18 years ago, 9-Feb-07, to lugnet.parts.mod, FTX)
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