Working with MEK

[bobmarkert]

I did a search for MEK and gloves..... got a thousand hits but not what I'm looking for.

Used MEK yesteday for the first time prior to priming. It ate through the industrial strength gloves I bought at Home Depot. Lucklly I had "invisaglove" on also. Here is my question.

There are vinyl, latex, nitrita and probally others out there. What works with MEK and acitone?
Thanks
Bob

[engineerorange]

Nitrile works best, but the MEK will still weaken it to the point that they will tear after a little while. Double glove it.

I used to work on continuous ink jet printers that used MEK based ink. A little MEK here or there to take the black ink off of your face before you take your honey out for your anniversary won't kill you immediately, but I recommend keeping it off your skin as much as possible.

[Lycosaurus]

Nitrile or latex are not your best bet for MEK, however I've double gloved with both, and replaced as required (any tears, wear etc). I don't immerse my hands in it though. For painting and cleaning afterwards, I use nitrile gloves, with thick rubber gloves (the dishwashing kind) for protection.

There are plenty of sites that give you info on glove type to use for just about every chemical out there. Here's one:

http://msds.chem.ox.ac.uk/glovesbychemical.html

[bobmarkert]

Thanks guys. someone always comes through on this forum.
Bob

[vlittle]

I lost the skin on my right thumb about 6 months ago using MEK. It's never properly healed and keeps peeling.

MEK is the only solvent that I know that can effectively remove ink markings (and virtually anything else for that matter), but a close second is flux remover for cleaning printed circuit boards.

The flux remover is a lot more benign, but a lot harder to find. Try a local industrial electronics store.

Vern

[Steve Barnes]

I wouldn't recommend Harbour Freights nitrile, it does not hold up in MEK. Years ago it used to, they must of changed the chemistry. Steve

[MNAv8or]

I use Nitrile gloves from Business Aircraft Consumables. http://www.bac1.peachhost.com They have proven very well for MEK resistance. I work with MEK alot and usually one wear one set of gloves, but once it breaks open or if it feels like it is geeting to the point to where it will break, I will change out the gloves. I know for a fact they will stand up to MEK for a while along with JET A.

[Ramendala]

Butyl gloves are one of the best for MEK. Nitrile is NOT recommended unless they are thick.

PVA is another choice.

Butyl gloves AS&S P/N 01-36700 $18.90

Ryan