Bonehead move of the month RIGHT HERE! THIS GUY!!

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gixxer

Joined
Sep 21, 2006
Messages
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Okay, so I have this really nice set of koa scales, and wanted to stabilize em. So, I have the scales, a bottle of Minwax wood hardener, with extra Acryloid B72 melted in it (more or less a form of PLASTIC), and a red PLASTIC coke cup to hold the whole thing in the vacuum chamber. What a dummy. If acrylic melts in wood hardener, what about the FREAKING CUP?? the cup basically melted, and the solution ran out, and by the time I caught it the plastic was absorbed into the scale about 2/3 the way up. check the pics in a timeline. So, what I did was go to Depot, get a bottle of MEK, take some of the goop and mix it up real good till the solution was deep dark red, and put the solution and scales back into the vacuum chamber---IN A GLASS JAR!!! Hopefully the solvent will melt out the deep red spots, and will even out with the red already mixed in the MEK, wood hardener, B72. What a screw up. Lucky for me the scales were not that expensive. I might have found a new way to dye scales during the stab process. Lighter woods might come out pretty neat with this method---maybe. Time will tell. These might have to soak for more than a couple days to even out. For kicks I will post pics of the scales after I take em out a few days from now.

Nice new scales
Koa.jpg


said plastic cup and wood hardener
PICT0205.jpg


totally obliterated cup. Think real maple syrup just out of the fridge!!
PICT0206.jpg


Hopefully salvageable scale
PICT0207.jpg
 
It would have happened to me if it didn't happen to you, brother. I say we start a club...
 
LMAO!!! :D :D :D

Thanks for sharing. Hope you find some way to salvage them.

The pics are priceless!

Rob!
 
it is so refreshing to see people sharing their mistakes as well as their masterpieces... I go to the Bob Ross school of "happy mistakes." Besides, there are many cultures that purposely make mistakes so as to not offend their god. Luckily God has nothing to worry about with guys like us.
 
You live you learn. i havent even got to handles yet so you learned for me...
THANKS :thumbup:
 
Well, I look at it this way. Somebody might try to dive right into this sort ot thing with a pair of $30-$50 scales and end up like this. Besides, I do not mind being the amusement at the expense of myself, as long as I initiate it!!:thumbup:
 
well you do live in FL the sun might of melted the cup as well so it might not of been your fault..id blame the sun for sure. i mean thats a massive stab in the dark but you never know.
But gixxer any man who can laugh at him self is a bigger man then those who
rage at the fact..

I just got a grinder so im sure theres gonna be some oops post coming from
me. Fingers missing stuff along them lines. ;)
 
Yeah I really wouldnt trust plastic with anything like that,

I too learned the hardway but instead of ruining a set of scales it ruined a desk when the chemicals went though the cup
 
Your profile does not state that you are a chemist, so things like this are bound to happen from time to time! :D My only concern is when things like this happen to people (yes I've been there), the vapors or gasses from these reactions could potentially be harmful. I'm glad you did not have any side effects from your accidental meltdown. Thanks for sharing! -Matt-
 
High density polyethylene, polypropylene, nylon are usually ok with most solvents. These are the "Tupperware"-type containers.

Rigid plastics don't get along with many solvents, as you have found out, gixxer. A good way to test is to take a little solvent on a paper towel and rub it on in an inconspicuous place. If it hazes then it's incompatible.

FWIW, I believe Minwax Wood Hardener is nothing more than plastic dissolved in acetone. Acetone is in the class of chemicals called "ketones", so your choice of MEK was a good one.

Good luck with recovering your scales. Going with a glass container is always the best choice.
 
Thats awsome:thumbup: :thumbup: Don't you just love those unexpected chemistry experiments:D
 
LOL!!! I was a step away from doing something similiar. I bought some air and water tight containers at Target to use as dipping containers for etching with FC. I put the FC in one and it worked great! Started to pour acetone into another to post dip the fresh etched blade and thought about it right before I started pouring. DUH!!!! Acetone eats plastic! Saved myself a mess!!! Glad I'm not the only one putting the cart before the horse...
 
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