WARNING! The solvent toluol/toluene (or xylene as a substitute), and E6000 itself, are toxic, possibly carcinogenic - the glue contains 70% Perchloroethylene, a known carcinogen. So it is recommended to use both in a well-ventilated area and to wear solvent resistant gloves. I had a large fan blowing on me when I mixed this, as I do when I use the glue. Although I didn't, it is best to wear nitrile gloves, which have a FAIR resistance rating for these solvents.
E6000 is a quality adhesive that bonds almost anything to almost anything else. It remains firm but flexible when fully cured. BUT, the one big problem with it is that it is too stiff, and hard to dispense in small quantities, so it is hard to apply precisely to small parts, or to spread over large areas, without making a mess. Another really annoying thing is that, when you open the cap, the glue gushes out all over the place, wasting more than you use. You will notice this in the video. Fortunately I captured most of it in the vial, so thinning it also conserves glue that would be wasted otherwise. I did a search to find out how to thin it down and found that many hobbyists were looking for the same thing. I finally downloaded a copy of the E6000 Craft Adhesive Technical Data Sheet - eclecticproducts.com/downloads... and found the answer. It lists toluene, a.k.a toluol, as one of the solvents. I happened to have an old can of it, from True Value, so I tried it and it worked fantastically. I now have E6000 that flows and spreads easily, can be applied precisely to a very small area, can be brushed onto a large area, and doesn't make a mess. The bottle cap at the end was a test case. I brushed diluted E6000 onto the cap and stuck a toothpick into it. The glue dried to a smooth and shiny surface, and the toothpick is firmly embedded in it. You can see the glue flex slightly as I move the toothpick up and down. A tip - I swabbed some petroleum jelly onto the threads of the glass vial, using a Q-tip, so the cap doesn't stick to the vial. Another tip - I store the tube and the thinned solution in the freezer inside a ziplock bag. It lasts forever that way.
I could not find toluol at any of the big box stores online so I assume it has been discontinued because it is a suspected carcinogen. Apparently, xylene is a substitute - Xylene at Lowes.com : www.lowes.com/pd/Crown-128-fl... - "Similar to Toluol but the evaporation rate is about five times slower" "Xylene can be used in place of Toluene to thin specified oil-based paint, lacquer, varnish, epoxy, adhesives and synthetic enamels". Home Depot does carry xylene - Klean-Strip 1 qt. Xylene $6.98 - The Home Depot : www.homedepot.com/p/Klean-Stri..., but it is even nastier than toluene, and dries 5 times slower. I haven't tried it but it could be substituted if toluene is not available.
26 сен 2017
