Odd,
the store I visited discounted it on clearance to $5.50 per gallon.
Never occurred to me to ask if it was just for that store or the entire Lowes system.
Nonetheless, thank you for the tip regarding Lowes having it in stock.
Out of curiosity, what part of the USA are you located?
I have been checking availability on-line at the Lowes website and - so far- only my local store in Illinois is actually showing a price of $5.50 for MEK
Other stores in other states, such as Florida, Wisconsin,Virginia, Ohio,
are showing a price for MEK Substitute- but no price listed for MEK while the local Illinois store I bought from shows a price for MEK and does not list an MEK Substitute.
Not every Illinois store has it…and sale prices also vary as some are charging $6.99 per gallon.
Many Illinois stores list only MEK Substitute.
You may want to check other stores in your area on-line for MEK prices.
The store you visited may yet discount the chemical for clearance.
It appears the store manager has a say in how much he wants to charge for items that are being dropped from stock.
Canyon, Texas
Quart was $10. gallon was $22.
I know one of the managers and he hadn’t heard anything about it being discontinued.
I have three quarts of the stuff, 2 unopened. They should be enough for a lifetime as long as I only use it for gluing and making putty.
The adhesive used by plumbers for joining PVC/ABS waste pipes can be used as well, although it’s much thicker than MEK (it’s more like a thick fluid / gel). It’s useless for capillary work or applicators like the TNF, but it is cheap.
Regards the hazards of MEK & some of the other chemicals mentioned - I know more than a few mechanics (automotive) who have had their hands completely wrecked over the years by continual exposure to fuels & cleaners, in particular the ones who regularly used the quick “brake cleaner hand cleaning method”. Quite a few of these guys have useless stumpy fingers by the time they are heading for retrial & I know one that had most of his knuckles replaced…
All I know is that MEK is being dropped from sale to consumers in northern Illinois stores.
Those stores are selling “MEK Substitute” in place of MEK.
Can PVC/ABS plumber glue be considered “gap filling” for model building purposes ? [^o)]
( only half joking…I know it needs to seal against water leakage by filling voids between threads…[whstl] )
It’s about 50% MEK & melts stuff like MEK, but it doesn’t evaporate anywhere nearly as quick as MEK. It’s used on threadless pipes & fittings (Solvent Weld Waste is what it’s called here (UK)).
Just stopped by a local Lowes …no more MEK ; just MEK Substitute
Did you see if it will work too?
I don’t plan to open the MEK until weather permits either decanting the MEK outside or with open windows for cross ventilation.
I did visit the local American Science and Surplus store
and purchased a couple of small glass bottles and rubber stoppers to hold small amounts of MEK.