I'm sorta surprised several people have suggested cleaning the tang with "dish soap" before glue-up. After all this talk about the purity of acetone and alcohol, why isn't there a similar concern about impurities left behind by dish soap? Does anyone really know what's in that stuff?
A gap showed up between the scale and tang
- Thread starter Hengelo_77
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Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith
ilmarinen - MODERATOR
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Dish soap is a surfactant. It makes dirt and contaminants release, and is itself water soluble. Rinse well with hot waiter when done and the tang should be nearly surgically clean.
So I am in Edmonton visiting my brother in law who has been in the aviation repair business for over 20 years. He is going to help me weld up a grinder. We got talking about epoxy glue and prepping surfaces because they wind up doing that on planes at times. Aviation repairs are always done to the best quality possible and highly regulated because of the repercussions of a plane breaking down!
They are required to use methyl ethyl keytone (MEK) to clean surfaces before using epoxy. This is a high quality cleaner that is readily available in Canada. I think I will go with it.
They are required to use methyl ethyl keytone (MEK) to clean surfaces before using epoxy. This is a high quality cleaner that is readily available in Canada. I think I will go with it.
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Make sure you read the msds sheet on mek
There is a reason it's not as highly used as alcohol as a cleaner and degreaser.
Best to make sure the mek isn't part of a "primer" for the surface
There is a reason it's not as highly used as alcohol as a cleaner and degreaser.
Best to make sure the mek isn't part of a "primer" for the surface