So, my Dave's Flexament is gettin' a little "stiff", and the jar of thinner has totally evaporated... Short of buying more Dave's Flexament Thinner, what solvent(s) could I use?
Thanks!!
Printable View
So, my Dave's Flexament is gettin' a little "stiff", and the jar of thinner has totally evaporated... Short of buying more Dave's Flexament Thinner, what solvent(s) could I use?
Thanks!!
One of the guys I tie with put me on to Xylol (Xylene). It's a medium strength solvent that you can pick up at paint stores/departments. I got mine at Ace. I got a "small" (quart) can, which is about the same price as a couple bottles of Dave's thinner. I've also read that you can make your own head cement by mixing this stuff with Shoe Goo, but I don't remember the proportions. I'm gonna have to look for that again.
CJ
Lew and CJ,
Thanks! I'd thought MAYBE Toluol, but wasn't sure. Gotta go you-know-where for interior painting supplies & paint today anyway...guess what else I'm gonna get! I appreciate the info and quick replies. Tight Lines!
There's been several in depth discussion on this topic. The shoe goo, goop etc type products are all about the same type pf polymer-based adhesives. They all have toluene, xylene, naptha or a combination as ingredients. I have a tube of Shoe Goo brand and it lists toluene, but the MSDS says it also has naptha in it.
Dave Fleximent is basically one of these type of thick shoe repair products thinned with one of the solvents. So my question has always been, what in Dave's Fleximent thinner? Just xylene, toluene or naptha? probably.
Hi PRM,
Toluene has an advantage over Xylenes, in that it has a lower boiling point than does the xylenes. This is because it is a little smaller molecule than are the xylenes, and practically this means that Fleximent made with toluene will dry just a little faster than will the same material made with xylenes.
Regards,
Gandolf
Hi Gandolf,
Thanks for that info. I' d already decided on Toluene for exactly that reason. Waaaaay-back-when I was involved in some hi-tech painting of metal items (electrostatically), and at that time knew alot more about the properties of many solvents. But with time comes memory loss. I THOUGHT what I wanted might be Toluene, and knew that Xylenes were "ok", but I'd forgotten the name TOLUENE!!!!!
So I appreciate yer jumpin' in on this one. Haven't yet gotten to the paint store, but will tomorrow. Thanks again, Gandolf. I really appreciate you taking the time to respond.
PRM
Based on the odor, I use either Toluene or Xylene, as both are 'almost twins' chemically, and both work equally well. I have never detected the 'essence-of-naphtha' in the fumes. My guess is that naphtha is a very minor component, and thus would not be a very effective thinner. Given that xylene (Xylol) and toluene (Toluol) are proven solvents, I would, and do, use either one as a thinner.
Before I bought Toluene from Ace Hardware, I had a can of "Opps" which is like a Goo be gone type of product. I needed a thinner NOW and Toluene in my area is hard to find in smaller containers. I could find a gallon of the stuff at Menards or maybe even Home Depot had it, but no one had a quart or pint except Ace. Anyhow I looked up the MSDS sheet and found out the Opps was mostly Xylene. Worked like a champ. Finally bought the quart of Toluene.
My biggest issue wasn which solvent but how to get the solvent in the glue applicator that I use. Finally found a very small medication dropped that looks like a micro turkey baster. Now I just suck up some and squeeze the bulb and it's in the applicator. Trying to pour it out of a quart can into a small applicator bottle was just frustrating. Before I find the medicine doser, I thought of using a glass pipping. Like they transfer liquids in labs. It's like a straw that is glass so that the chemical won't interact with the plastic somehow. Put the glass tube in the liquid, cover one end with a finger tip and the liqid will stay in the tube until you put in where you want it to go then remove your finger and it's there. Never found a cheap, local soure for the glass pipping but will need that as the quart gets too low to use the micro turkey baster.
When you are using "Sho Goop"," Dave's Fleximent" or similar products; also any of the solvents mentioned above. For safety sake have outdoor ventilation!
A open window with a fan, better yet two windows open, one with a ventilation fan bring in fresh air, and another to expel the the possibly contaminated air that have these harsh chemicals that do you a world of hurt..... that could be fatal, or leave you with permanent damage to your lungs, and brain.
I only use this stuff out-of-doors of in my garage with both doors open and a floor fan turned on! Never can be too careful when handling stuff that can cause permanent problems....~Parnelli
Senior Instructor of Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical Warfare...
U.S. Army Retired