MEK is a high strength solvent usually used in auto and aircraft painting, and to a lesser extent in composites.



But its expensive, $15 a gallon here, and I wonder just how effective it is at cutting grease and oil. Maybe ill give it a try tomorrow just to satisfy my curiousity.

 

MEK is no joke, we used it all the time on aircraft. Horrible skin irritations if you don't agree with it though, i've seen some people get big blisters and everything else. Horrible headaches if you breathe too much of it.

 

yeah, anything stronger than simple green you want to wear some heavy gloves

 

MEK is explosive! Avgas is a close second. I use Home Depot paint thinner. The MSDS says that it is mineral spirits.



Barry

 

All solvents are explosive in aerosol form. MEK just happens to evaporate readily. Ive tried mineral spirits before, it was next to useless.

 

Mineral spirits is the eco-crap Phins was mentioning, I believe. I've had no luck with it either. It kinda dissolves the slightest bit of gunk, then you just end up smearing it about hoping it will take off more, but it doesn't.

 

MEK is the very best at oil removal. It also removes the oils from your skin. It also can enter your body though your skin and lungs, and destroy your lungs, liver, brain and vision.



It is required in composit construction and requires gloves and breathing apparattus or moving air ventallation. It is used in Lacquer thinner at about 50/50 with methanol, so it does not flash off quite so fast. I used to buy "cleanup" thinner at Sherwin Williams. The cheapest lacquer thinner available.

It works great and gives you a few minutes to work a surface before vanishing. Pure MEK is so fast as to be nearly useless. And is very expensive.



Gasolene fumes are heavier than air, and can linger for hours if bottled up by anything that prevents them sliding outside to disipate. They can collect in the floor drain and sit for hours waiting for a cigarette butt to be thrown down. If your water heater has a open pilot light, those fumes will find it.



Pieces of you shop may land blocks away.



Lynn E. Hanover

 

Kerosene A++



I use a 2 liter soda bottle with the bottom cut off, throw in a coffee filter, and filter the dirty kerosene, into a new bucket and 2 gallons lasted me a year. Diesel gives me horrible headaches (which it is designed to do, same as the color and smell of gasoline).



and for the environmentalists out there kerosene is much more friendly than most of the others mentioned. Yea, MEK is serious stuff. I wouldn't want it on my skin.

 

And I don't rinse with soap and water, only a wipe, and another dip in 'really clean' kerosene. Cover and store until use. WD40 is fairly detergent and can dry out rubber seals. Also some seals/gaskets are oil resistant, but NOT water resistant (like transmission gaskets) just a little bit of water and some gaskets are trash.