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 Replies: 26 / Views: 1,657 |
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Pillar of the Community
Sweden
1825 Posts |
So I acetoned a couple of coins? As spacer I used a bit of plastic I thought would withstand. Well.... it didnt  I got most of the plastic of but some is still Left on highpoints, eagle head, good we trust etc. I put the coin in acetone for 4 hours more and then gently rubbed with my thumb and varm water. Still there.. so can I let it sitt for 10 hours or do you have any other tip? Not the end of the world but that plastic bothers me  |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
19147 Posts |
Ouch! At this point, I'd recommend a very, very long soak, with periodic checks on progress. Keep the acetone fresh.
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Moderator
 United States
188213 Posts |
I agree. Soak. Refresh. Soak. Refresh. Until it is gone.
Acetone will dissolve the plastic, but as the acetone evaporates, the dissolved plastic has to go somewhere and often it is back on the coin!
You will want to finish with a flowing rinse of acetone to make sure no residue remains. This will also dry the coin.
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
94367 Posts |
Shoould have warned you that acetone and plastic don't mix!
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
36738 Posts |
Now you'll need more Acetone to remove the plastic from the coin.
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Pillar of the Community
 Sweden
1825 Posts |
Thanks for help, well atleast its fixable, I guess I will have to buy more acetone :) maybe put something with it as a sacrificial anode  Yes Coinfrog, I hoped it was the nondisolving type Edited by Moniker
05/16/2024 12:04 pm
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
7939 Posts |
Plastic and acetone are often just fine (after all, it's sold in plastic containers). But indeed, it will dissolve (not melt) certain plastics.Melting is something that happens when you heat a substance. Had you used strips of ziplock bags as spacers (more-or-less same material as the bottles acetone comes in), the outcome would have been more benign (though those bags have trace amounts of additives that might have deposited on your coins). Quote:
maybe put something with it as a sacrificial anode I hope that was a joke. But why spacers in the first place? Edited by tdziemia
05/16/2024 3:14 pm
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Pillar of the Community
Sweden
1825 Posts |
Quote:
Had you used strips of ziplock bags as spacers (more-or-less same material as the bottles acetone comes in), the outcome would have been more benign (though those bags have trace amounts of additives that might have deposited on your coins).
i actually use them now instead, work nice. Well I wanted to acetone 3 coins at the same time and put them standing in line in a small container Haha yes no anode:) |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
19147 Posts |
Interesting. My acetone--100% acetone--comes in metal 'steel?' cans from hardware/home improvement retailers. I avoid plastics when dealing with acetone.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
6529 Posts |
Quote:
But why spacers in the first place?   |
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Moderator
United States
188213 Posts |
Quote:
My acetone--100% acetone--comes in metal 'steel?' cans from hardware/home improvement retailers. I avoid plastics when dealing with acetone. Same. Although I have seen 100% in plastic containers, I avoid those brands. |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
36738 Posts |
I agree, mine comes in metals cans from Home Depot.
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Pillar of the Community
Sweden
1825 Posts |
Ours are In plastic containers, I actually cut the bottom of a empty one and use it as a small bucket for putting my coins in. Only thing to avoid is aceton with oil in I have heard
Edited by Moniker
05/16/2024 4:48 pm
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Moderator
Australia
16817 Posts |
Acetone put it there, acetone should take it away again.
Don't say "infinitely" when you mean "very"; otherwise, you'll have no word left when you want to talk about something really infinite. - C. S. Lewis
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Pillar of the Community
United States
7939 Posts |
Quote:
Interesting. My acetone--100% acetone--comes in metal 'steel?' cans from hardware/home improvement retailers. I avoid plastics when dealing with acetone. Well, given the results descibed in this thread, I guess that's a good default approach. But on other threads, the polarity scale of solvents and substrates has been discussed. Polyethylene is at one end of that scale (nonpolar), and will not interact with acetone which is a bit more polar. Polyethylene is what plastic milk bottles, and the small bottles used to package acetone and isopropyl alcohol (think drugstores) are made from. Yeah, and ziplock bags (and tons of other things). I don't use acetone very much, and don;t like to keep large amounts of it around due to its hazardous properties, so I buy it at CVS in small plastic containers. Edited by tdziemia
05/16/2024 8:59 pm
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Moderator
Australia
16817 Posts |
Let this thread be a reminder to everyone: whenever using acetone with plastic objects, always test the plastic in acetone first. And test it for as long as you plan to soak your coins.
Plastic is so ubiquitous in our modern society, we sometimes don't even notice or think about it. All kinds of everyday objects can be damaged by acetone, just because they're made of plastic or held together by plastic parts. The surface finishing on your furniture, the lenses in your eyeglasses, even your clothing can be made of acetone-soluble plastic. Coins are one of the few everyday objects we can be quite certain won't dissolve in acetone, since we know they're made of metal.
My general rule: don't use acetone in or on anything you might want to keep and use afterwards for any other purpose.
Don't say "infinitely" when you mean "very"; otherwise, you'll have no word left when you want to talk about something really infinite. - C. S. Lewis
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Replies: 26 / Views: 1,657 |
Posted 05/16/2024 09:40 am
