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Tenax MIA again


Ron Bell

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My local has informed me that they are having trouble getting Tenax again. Last time there were all sorts of rumors. Anyone out there got a guess why this time?

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My local has informed me that they are having trouble getting Tenax again. Last time there were all sorts of rumors. Anyone out there got a guess why this time?

 

Ron,

 

Go to your local hardware store and get a quart of MEK. I have been using it for years and it works just as well as any liquid cement on the market. A quart will last you forever and is WAY cheaper.

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Ron: I suggest you go to Ridout Plastics (here): http://www.eplastics.com/PLEXIGLASS-GLUE-ADHESIVE-IPS-4-4OZ?origin=product-search&kwd=&source=pla&gclid=CKPMnPyW9rYCFYyY4Aod12wAqw

 

This is Weld On #4, which used to be sold in hobby shops in a dark brown glass bottle. I bought 5 of these 1/4 pint 4oz cans 2-3yrs ago and still have 3+ cans left! It's as good as or better than Tenax, and if you prefer weld cements, this will save you a ton compared to buying it by the bottle. I called them and ordered over the phone, but you can also order on line.

 

One more thing, check your local Walmart for Weld On #3. It came up as available there when I Googled it.

 

GIL :smiley16:

Edited by ghodges
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I gather Tenax really went unavailable from the manufacturer 2-3 years ago, it's just that everyone in the supply chain has been burning up old stocks. The website is dead.

 

I'm on my very last bottle, and haven't found it anywhere either. I picked up some Ambroid Pro-Weld (or something like that) but think I'll try Rusty's MEK ....

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Tenex is Methylene Chloride, a non-flammable, although carcinogenic solvent. Some of the LHS have a few bottles left. You can also buy it from lab supply house or Amazon like here:

 

http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=methylene+chloride&tag=googhydr-20&index=aps&hvadid=11953967155&hvpos=1s4&hvexid=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=9169326551617790646&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=e&hvdev=c&ref=pd_sl_4jszd90g4y_e

 

MEK it Methyl Ethyl Ketone- never tried it as glue but is very flammable and not quite the same.

 

Dave

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Watch out useing MEK, we used it as an aircraft cleaner (it got the old grease off landing gear with no problem) but it can give you chemical burns if it gets on you. I had a nice burn down the inside of my right arm for about 3 months after my time on the wash rack at Nellis back in 79/80.

 

With my past experience with this stuff, I'd never touch it. I use Tamiya Extra-Thin and Testors #3502, both work great and are easy to obtain at my local Hobbytown.

 

Tim

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Tim:

 

For fun take a look at this:

 

http://www.stanbridges.com.au/files/pdf/MSDS87038.pdf

 

This lists the components of Tamiya extra thin as 50% acetone and 50% butyl acetate.....MEK and acetone are close to the same thing.

 

Bottom line is you have to be careful with all fo this - glues, paints strippers, etc.. Even the acrylics have solvent in them

 

Dave

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  • 3 weeks later...

Read the label on Tenax 7R and you'll also find that it has ether in it. My favorite welder is Ambroid ProWeld. Works great, is a little slower than Tenax and you can slop it on to keep the plastic wet if you happen to be working with older, poor fitting kits.

 

As for Weld-On 3 and 4, most plastic suppliers carry it. Interesting story about Weld-On 3. Squadron used to carry the stuff. During a hotter than usual Texas summer, they went back in their warehouse to fill some orders for Weld-On. First bottle was empty. Second bottle was empty. Third bottle was empty. They started spot checking. All the bottles were empty. Turned out that the Weld-On evaporated thru the glass bottle in spite of the cap being sealed. Worse, I had a can of it in the refrigerator and it evaporated thru the can.

 

Ambroid doesn't do any of that, which is one of many reasons I'm so fond of it.

 

Richard

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Just back from my LHS and they had gotten a shipment of Tenax in. He said he ordered 12 boxes of it and it all came in. I scarfed up two bottles. It's said that it will even evaporate in the bottle, so buying too much at once isn't wiise as you'll lose the "angels share". Anyway, good news on this front at least.

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I haven't had the problem of it evaporating in the bottle. I've had one bottle for nearly a year now and the level hasn't dropped between uses. I would like to pick up a few more.

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