# Anyone use Methylene Chloride?



## Young Whiskers (Feb 23, 2005)

No....not that kind of meth...

The plastic solvent that you can use to clean up the edges of polycarbonate (a.k.a Lexan).

If you do, where do you get it from? I am of the understanding that the stuff is so nasty, they have to ship it ground b/c it can't be put on an airplane. Any truth to this?

I used it once during co-op to to create a PC electrochemical cell, just wondering if anyone on the board is using it?


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## jerkin (Apr 3, 2008)

Just looked it up in the 49CFR Hazmat Table, it's a packing group III chemical which is the least dangerous of any of the regulated chemicals. You can ship up to 60 liters on a passenger aircraft. Gasoline is PGII and you can only ship 5 liters on a passenger aircraft if that tells you anything.

Don't know where to tell you to get it but the 49CFR reference also refers to it as Dichloromethane so that may be a more common name for the same chemical.


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## Lewzer (Apr 5, 2004)

Methylene chloride is a common solvent that is getting more difficult for the average person to get. They are trying to get rid of most chlorinated solvent like trichloroethylene (the old brake cleaner).
You can get it gelled at autobody supply stores as "aircraft stripper" (it's a paint stripper).
I also believe that Ace Tru Value hardware stores carry it along with acetone, mineral spirits and other solvents.
It is also called methylene dichloride and dichloromethane as jerkin mentioned.


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## vc1111 (Apr 13, 2004)

I'm curious about this stuff, Whiskers. Have you tried it before to buff off the edge of the polycarbonate lip? 

Also I've heard that you can do the same thing by passing an acetylene torch over the edges. Unfortunately I don't have access to acetylene or a torch.


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## toad (Apr 6, 2004)

> I've heard that you can do the same thing by passing an acetylene torch


Acetylene is to dirty of gas to use. This method is called "Flaming" and is used on Cast Acrylic not polycarbonate. Polycarbonate has a slight blue tint to it where Cast Acrylic is glass clear. If you got the time you can polish the scratches out.


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## Downriver Tackle (Jan 13, 2009)

I'm a paint formulator and very familiar with it. For the most part, it's not available any more. It's been banned in many industries and countries. We removed it from formulas back around 1999. Not only because it's fluorinated, but because it DOES cause cancer. Only place I've seen it in years is in paint stripper. Most of our chemical suppliers don't even carry it these days. 

Have you tried acetone? I don't know if it will frost the polycarb or not though.


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## Lewzer (Apr 5, 2004)

It's a suspect carcinogen not a known carcinogen. It MAY cause cancer if exposed to large amounts over several years.

I too was going to suggest acetone, DMSO-dimethyl sulfoxide (horse liniment), MIBK-methylisobutyl ketone, toluene or xylene.
Most of these can be found at Ace, Home Depot or Lowes.
All have a "NN" rating on polycarbonate like methylene chloride.


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## Downriver Tackle (Jan 13, 2009)

Lewzer said:


> It's a suspect carcinogen not a known carcinogen. It MAY cause cancer if exposed to large amounts over several years.
> 
> I too was going to suggest acetone, DMSO-dimethyl sulfoxide (horse liniment), MIBK-methylisobutyl ketone, toluene or xylene.
> Most of these can be found at Ace, Home Depot or Lowes.
> All have a "NN" rating on polycarbonate like methylene chloride.


 You're right, but it depends on who you ask. The United States, besides the left coast, are one of the few places that doesn't recognize it as a know carcinogen. The latest U.S. data lists it as "reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen". Even beyond cancer, it wreaks havoc on your liver. Too nasty for me to want to deal with anymore. 

FYI, don't ever spill it on your nads!!!!!! LOL I had an incident filling a 5 gallon pail with it years ago. Drum built up some pressure and when I opened the valve, it shot into the pail and right back out onto my manhood. Took about 5 seconds to feel like someone was holding a torch to them! Took me about another 10 seconds to strip down to my britches and start blasting them off with an airgun to evaporate the solvent. LOL


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